The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-04
ACTS ON THE BILL
PARTNERSHIPS soLONS DIsRD0AAD
 THE ADSENTEE0.
of ths Fa11bustereSs Declaring That the RigAts, of Majority

| 0WhSh8OE k9tt&EWOo OR9Vh8o OY89sE' l of ths FlfabugtereSs Declaring l That the Rights of Majorsey l Are sIgnorsa. Nashville, Tenn, March 3.--Acting on the grounds that . constitutional | quorum of the entire General Assembly | being present. 1t is not necessary for .
 constitutional quorum of each house ! to be present for the transaction of
 business in joint legislative session. l the joint convention of the Tennessee General Assembly proceeded with busi-
 ness this afternoon, and elected State Comptroller, State Treasurer. State Board of Elections Commi ssioners, and the Democratic and Republican Boards
 of State Primary Election Commission CTS.
 Reau A. Folk was reelected Treas
 urer and Insurance Commissioner. and Frank Dibbell succeeds himself as Comptroller. This movement on the part of those members of the Lcgisla- ture who supported the three new election laws and helped pass them over the veto of the Governor, came as a great surprise to the opposition forces. The anti-administration men declare they have known for some days that this action could be taken. but have held off hoping the absent Senators would return.
 The roll call of the respective houses In joint convention. showed twenty Senators and ninety-four Representa- tives present, total of i14. There are l32 members of the joint conven- ton. making eighty-eight, o-thirds of the total membership. a quorum. ac-, cording to the contentious made. The roll call showing l14 members pres ent. there were twenty six members present over constitutional majority, according 10 the ruling.
 As soon as the intention of the ma jority became apparent, the storm broke. Sergeants- at-arms had been placed at the gates to prevent the re- sion from the President. and the ad- ministration forces protested most viz orously against the proceedings, de- claring in an emphatic manner that the convention was not legal, and that the convention was acting without con- stitutional or other authority.
 The anti nti-administration leaders ar- gued that the signature of the Gov ernor was unnecessary to the rssolu- ton. calling the convention and Kentucky case was cited, there being none covering the point in Tennessee. in support Of the contention that e constitutional quorum of the whole General Assembly, and not necessarily of each branch of the Legislature. was alone necessary HI JoihS iooioioea'o convention.
 Administration supporters tonight are charging that today's proceedings were merely a ruse to bring the run away Senators back into the State. when their attendance on joint con- vention- could be forced and the elec- tions gone through with again.
 Word from the absent Senators at Hopkinsville, Ky, says they will not return and 1t seems probable that the courts will be called on to adjust the trouble.
 In an interview today on the legis- latiye muddle Governor Patterson jus tified the action of the flibusterers, declaring the rights of the majority had been ignored. u.
 -4 Ruuawaya Won't Return.
 -Hopkinsville, Kq. March 3.-Eight flibusterers from the Ten nessee legislature so burning inde- fnttely In Kentucky to prevent quorum in joint convention. will not return to Nashville now that coalition ists in their absence have elected State boards of election. treasurer and com ptroller.
 They say they may remain here un- til their terms of office expire as they regard today's procedure as a scheme of the Republican and anti-administra- ft1, nApnnnrat. hai{ thayn In