The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-13
BIRMINGHAM HAS B|G DISADVANTAGE Interests Large and Varied
 Cause Division of Delegation EDUCATIONAL OUTLOOK
All Pending Bills May Pass Except Measure for Compulsory Attend ance-Pettus County Looks
 Dangerous to Others.
BY HERVEY w. LAIRD,

BY HERVEY w. LAIRD.
 Montgomery, August 12-(Special.) .)-Re- gret is expressed by many leading clti- zens that Birmingham has so many things 1t wants of the present extra session of the legislature. Especially is this fact in view of the failure of the delegation to agree on many important matters that are desired for their own people. A tip has been given by the body that after this 1t is very much desired that Bir- mingham get together before it comes down. However, with its widely dversi- fled conditions and interests it Is hard to bring this about, but if this could be done, Birmingham would get more and get it easier than under the present condi- tions.
 After Compress Men.
 Senator H. E. Reynolds is going out after the rail lines which maintain com presses for cotton or have stock in such presses. He has introduced bill to pro- hibit the rail lines holding stock in this sort of enterprise, holding that when this is so it is hard to get cotton to any press but those owned by the lines haul
 
 the Central of Georgia, which beat the' state out in fight to make it as- semble cotton at an independent press in Union Springs, instead of bringing it to Montgomery.
 Educational Outlook. The outlook is that all the school bills pending will be passed and that with all fTia ha a6u ,, measure is doomed Senator Reynolds, head of the movement for this reform thinks that the black belt has been re- sponsible for the breaking up of the plans of the governor and himself, as well as many others, to get enforced school at tendance into the Alabama books. The law to have three examinations for teachers and that for uniform school dis tricts, will no doubt come along without trouble.
 Long and Mir. John. MT. John of Jefferson and MT. Long of Butler rub each other the wrong way They clash in the house with remarkable ease, and the sharp wit of the old-timer from the up state country often gets the laugh on the Butler farmer. Long is al- ways ready to regulate the railroads, but he will have none of prohibition. He tells Colonel John that as long as the appetite of man lasts it will be as hard to keep him from drinking as it would be to dam up Niagara John puts Long with the whisky crowd and tells him he has not the courage to vote. Long comes back, and the laugh is not always on him in the end.
 New County Outlook. The proposition to cut off a small part of Jefferson county and make Pettus county of 1t has caused a num- Der of the members of the house who voted for the bill to stop and wonder what will be the result. One fellow had already followed up with bill to limit all new counties to not less than 600 square miles, and not a few have wondered if 1t would not react for some of their own territory to be lost. There are any Humber of sec tions where counties of small area could be cut off and the passage of the bill may find representatives now and then having to explain why when they get back home and find that they are about to get into a fight to save their own places.
 TeasIey In Senate.
 Former Senator Charles Teasley comes up to the senate every day most and has a few words with his old time chums, Messrs. Spragins and Blackmon. Soon after they are seen together something Is done to find out about the fund in the treasury. MT. Teasley is hot on the trail of this line of action. He wants to know, and wants everybody else to know that the money in the treasury Is not kept in the little nook that belongs to 1t. He finds that pension money and that for
 
 things going and he don't like 1t; neither does Blackmon and neither does Spra gins.
 Spragins Talked Of.
 All of which brings to mind the fact that if there Is a real live candidate for governor at the next election on the local option ticket 1t is going to be this gentlemanly and intelligent gentleman from Madison. There are few men with more friends, and none with more engaging ways. And he Is taken to be thoroughly honest, too, not a man having ever questioned any posi- tion he took and thought back over any statement. If he runs hisi very strength of chara cter will be a great asset, and if there is split up with the prohis and general line Up of the antis, look out for the man that lives in the same county with Rowe of the house.
 Lobby Is Heavy.
 Few have ever seen a stronger lobby than is present at the session of the legislature now on, but there are few not here for movements indorsed by the moral side of the citizenship, Pro- hibition has led, with a great force of laymen and preachers, and after that the various things that Brming- ham wants. The crowds are jolly and active and ever ready to flag a solon on the way out.
 Street Improvements.
 Decatur, August 12.-(Special. )-New De