The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-29

Montgomery, March 2S.-(Special)-Lik 1aany times in the past. the laws passed by the legislature, one by one, and two by two. are being assailed and it will be some time before it is definitely known whether or not they are legal. Action by the supreme court of the United States indicates that the rate and regulation actions of the recent extra session are to ce declared without authority of the con- stitution, and the new franchise tax law ;s forced to long and hard controversy to preserve it's rights.
 Railroad Acts.
 The railroad statutes of the extra ses- sion seem certain of defeat, the highest U bunal in the land passing in the Minne- s1ta case on many of the points involved end against the state. Alabama laws gre much like those of that common wealth True, the Alabama acts provide Way of testing in the state courts, but as they are held 10 this class of tri- hunal, excluding the federal, the court in Washington will likely agree that it IS ot fair test. Hence it is that the Ala hama acts look to be fated to the Mtnne- sota barying ground.
 Governor Conner Disappointed.
 It is no violation of confidence to say that Governor sComer is disappointed over the outcome. T have always been a states rights man., he said, and 1 feel that the country is on dangerous ground with such tendencies of the decid- ing courts to rule ill the way of cen- IralZation of power. President Roosevelt was criticised for his utterapce at St. Louis, many saying that he advocated a centralized government He was never so much that way as this decision would s4.4a t4a | fAfp I. but fear for my country when the states are so shorn of their powers
 Franchise Acts.
 The railroads are attacking the law which levies a tax on the amount of capital employed in the state by for esgn corporation. IL means about $l50,0O0 q year to the state if it sticks, that much saved the rail lines if 1t can be knocked ut Naturally the rail lines are doing their best to defeat the act The Louis- v,iie and Nashville has a fee of $23,00O d year, with as much for the Southern. It is held that with the present system this is double taxation. Also the contention IS made that the law is excessive.
 Farming Outlook.
 The farmers Of the state are going into what may be the best year they have ever had, according to we-posted men. It seems also to be a fact that the acreage in cotton is going to be even less than last year. So far as the reports go the farms are to be worked on more in- tensfed line, indicating that the educa- tional service of the department of agri- culture along this line is bearing fruit. The agricultural schools also hay ing much influence in this way. The result is that this year promises to be good one for the men who till the soil.
 School Enthusiasm.
 State Superintendent of Education Il. c. Gunnels is much encouraged by the reports that come in from all sections of the state of the good work of the coun- try schools. There is more attention on the part of the parents to keeping the children in school and a better feeling for good school houses and teachers. For some time hard work has been done to get the parents interested in the progress of the general educational scheme and it looks as if results are 10 be obtained
 Profitable Agitation.
 While there has been much criticism