The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-21
NEW GOVERNOR AND
 NEW LEGISLATURE Two Messages Will Be Read In
 Capitol This Week GOVERNOR BROWNS PLANS Platform Upon Which Brown Was Elected Called For Reduction of
 Railroad Commissioners and
 Several Other Reforms.
GOVERNOR BROWNS PLANS


 lature of 1s09-1O will convene for its first session at the state capitol Wednesday , next. June 2s
 Naturally there is much interest in this i session. not only because it is a new leg islature, but largely because it was elected in a measure upon platform antagons- tice in many respects to that of the administration which is now about to retire from office.
 The new legislature goes in with Gov. Joseph NJ. Brown, who defeated Gov. Hoke Smith. It is generally believed, | therefore that it's attitude will be some what different from that occupied by the last legislatufe which went in upon the tidal wave of reform"
 Some of the friends of Governor Smith have expressed the belief that the new legislature will prove more strongly rep resentative of his ideas than of those of the new governor.
 While this is regarded generally as ex- tremely doubtful, 1t is interesting to note that there will be several proposed pieces of legislation which will offer opportunity for a direct test.
 The legislature will have before it when 1t meets, or shortly thereafter two mes- sages, the final message of Governor Smith and the first message of Governor Brown. A comparison of the two will prove highly interesting, it is thought, and 1t is understood, in some respects, they will be found a study in contraries.
 One of the most interesting opportuni- ties for test of the legislative attitude : upon the views of the retiring land in- coming governors will be presented in the proposal to decrease the number of members of the railroad commission from five to three.
 A railroad commission of five was al- most a sine qua non of Governor Smiths ] official policy, if 1t may be so expressed. In other words, 1t was an essential. l When it was thought the proposal to in crease the board to five members might be 1 defeated in the senate Governor Smith called certain members of that body to his office and brought them around to his way of thinking. It was that fact which led Senator J. J. Flynt, on the last night of the session, in semi-humorous vein to charge the governor with Hobby ing"
 The platform upon which Governor Brown was elected distinctly calls for a reduction in the number of members of | the commission from five to three. It characterizes the increase In the board as a useless and unnecessary expense to | the state It also contemplates the abol- ishment of the office of special attorney and rate expert to the commission.
 This question is going to be fought out and in the result will be written the status of the legislature in so far as the l executive policies of the two admlnlstra- lions are concerned.
 It is quite likely. however, that it will not be necessary to await the determina- | tion of that question to ascertain how the legislature Is going to stand; there will be abundant opportunity for 1t to put itself on record.
 It is said that the proposed legislation does not contemplate legislating any member of the commission out of office, but that 1t will probably provide that the commission shall be reduced to three members as the terms of office of it's members expire.
 No authority for the report that this | legislation contemplates removing street | railroads and other municipal public util- ities from the control of the railroad | commission can be found.
 The InaguratIon.
 Statewide interest centers in the inau- | guration of Governor-eect Joseph M- Brown, which will take place June 2e, week from today.
 There has been widespread request for something about the plans of the inaugu- 1 IdllOH HIS inquiry cdn peSl De dh- swered, perhaps, by the statement that there are plans. The inauguration is going to be one of the plainest and simplest official functions that have ever taken place in the state
 Somehow the people have been unable to get used to this fact. They persist In marking back to the inauguration of two years ago, when an extensive platform was erected the capitol grounds and the governor drove up In a carriage and pair escorted by the military and num- erous civic bodies.
 | There is not going to be anything of the kind June 26
 There will be plenty of people here; they are coming from all parts of the state. Joe Brown clubs from many coun- ties have arranged to be in Atlanta for the inauguration. There will be other visitors, too. but all that can be prom ised them is pleasant excursion to At lanta with baseball games and summer treatres going full blast, and for some of them seat in the house of representa- tives gallery while the simple inaugura- ton ceremonies are in progress
 Governor elect Brown Will reach the city from Marietta about Il o'clock and walk over to the capitol. When informed that the legislature Is ready for him he will proceed under escort of the com mittee to the hall of the house, take the oath of office administered by Chief Jus time W. M. Fish of the supreme court, receive the great seal of the state from Governor Smith. turn 1t over to Secre- tary of State Phil Cook for safekeeping, deliver his brief inaugural address and i then go to the executive office to begin work.
 That, so far as any programme Is con- cerned. is all there is going to be to it.
 Of course there will be the usual cheer ing and applause for the new chief ex- ecutive and there may be little im- promptu spasms of enthusiasm here and there which cannot now be foreseen.
 But the new governor Is lodging the spectacular and he has made 1t pretty clear to his friends that he does not wish it.
 Organization of the Two Houses.
 Keen interest in the organization of the two houses has practically disap- peared owing to the fact that there Is to be no opposition for the foremost of | fees.
 Hon. John M. Slaton of Fulton, sen ator from the 1-hirty-fifth, will be chosen president of the senate on the first bal lot. He has had the situation pretty much his own way for nearly year. There was desultory talk of opposition at one time, but it soon disappeared Sena- tor Slaton was too strong for com petitors
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