The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-12
ANTI-FEE AMENDMENT
 IS PASSED WITH EASE
Members Argue, However, That Divi- sion of County Will Serve to Cut Down the Official Fees in
 Jefferson County.
BY BURR BLACKBURN.

Montgomery. August 11.-(Special)- The Rev. Dr. Sturdivant of Bessemer opened the session of the house this morn ing with a fervent prayer for the new county amendment. Dr. Ragsdale was carried in by his physician. The house broke down, almost in tears. flood of sympathy sweeping through their loving hearts, and they voted pell mell for the new county, 70 to 1T.
 The Bessemer people needed little argu- ment. They had the lines so strongly drawn that they stood in no danger what ever. Pointing to Dr. Ragsdale as a Christian gentleman who had rsked his life to accomplish his ambition, they laughed in the face of the Jefferson del- egatlon, refused to hear but two of them. and swept their hot wave of sympathy over the whole lot
 And there is grave danger of the bill passing the senate. Intent upon passing their commission bill. the Urquhart crowd is causing the friends of Jefferson county spinal shivers. While the commission seems absolutely dead. it's enemies must keep at their posts and cannot divide their attention with a fight against the new county bill For this reason the new county bill will more than likely win. un- less the commission bill is gotten out of the way early tomorrow morning.
 Tired of Dictation.
 There is an awful spirit of i'll feeling against Jefferson county in this legisla- ture. "Your representatives, said prom lnent member of the house to me today, have thrown it up to us so often that they represent the people who pay one fifth of the taxes of the state that we are tired of it.
 Then the delegation has been split on every issue and has been fighting so con- tinually that the house is not very friendly.
 Does Jefferson county want to rule the state of Alabama?" yelled a gentleman from Mobile
 In fact, the whole state wants to see Jefferson county's imperialism humbled in the dust and the amendment would apparently be ndorsed by the people in jiffy.
 Anti-Fee Amendment Wins.
 Jefferson county won out in its fight for the Glover amendment which gives the state the privilege of paying the county officials salaries, before the house this morning. but it will take many and varied persuasions to induce the people of Alabama to ndorse the amendment. The Jefferson delegation spoke eloquently of the stench which arises from the graft and horrors of the fee system Then the representatives from Dallas, Madison and other counties. turned right eround'' and used the same argument for the new county.
 "We know that the fee system amend ment won't carry in our counties and we believe it will be defeated in the state. but this new county will remove the stench in Jefferson and cut the pay of your county officials in half" they said.
 The same sentiment against Jefferson county will be met when the anti-fee amendment comes before the voters, and it will require strenuous campaigning to carry it.
 Commission Bill Goes Over.
 The commission bill went over in the house until tomorrow. The habit of the house to fall over in big majorities makes 1t certain that the bill will lose three to one. Its enemies csaim 64 votes al- ready pledged. and the delegation which came down from the mass meeting at the O'Brien opera house seemed disheart- ened today
 Among those who came down on the train this morning and immediately be- gan gum-shoeing around the capital were J. D. Collins. who Is interested in the passage of the ant-trading stamp bill: John L. Kaul Robert Jemison, Sr., Hinds Peevy, Frank White. Jr., John Forney, o. P Gaut. Frank Nelson, John McCar- tin George Eusts, John Bethea, George H. Estes. Escar Floyd and w. E. Urqu- hart.
 The advocates of Pettus county are here by the scores At least 50 were seen in the lobby this morning. While the Birmingham delegation is very small. 1t is putting in hard work and has not given up hope by any means. The vote in the senate will at least be very close.
 The time of the meeting in the house to- day was set by resolution for 10 a. m. to D. m.. and 3 p. m. to p. m.
 bill to regulate sale of cotton seed was reported favorably.
 Mir. Urquhart being absent, Mir Haley secured continuance of his motion for taking from adverse report the commis- sion government bill It will come up Thursday.
 An effort to have the oyster bill recon- sdered failed.
 Bills Introduced-For protection of fish in Baldwin county; to increase fees of sheriffs; to aid school at Camp Hill
 The fee bill amendment of Mir Glover was called and discussed by the author. Its purpose is to amend the constitution so as to allow counties to adopt salary basis instead of fees at will He argued the importance of the measure and the great demand for aboshing the fee sys- tenn in the larger counties.
 MT. Long opposed the bill He did not want to load the state with the trou- bles of Jefferson county. He feared the hords of officehol6ers upon the state.
 MT. King urged passage of the bill. Hs said s5 per cent of the people of Jeffer-