The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-11

took vote, the motion OF Senator
Strother being lost by a vote Of Is to Q.
Afternoon Session.
Recovering at o'clock Senator Nc.
Whorter took up the discussion of the
Reynolds bill, replying to Senator
Moody's speech Of the day previous. He
said that 1t had been with extrems
sorrow that he heard Senator Moody
make q speech against the bill as he
had done upon the day previous; he
regretted exceedingly that the Sena-
tor from Tuscaloosa had seen At to
take such a position on the matter.
The Senator says let's wait" said
Senator McWhorter, II say, Mr.. Pres
ident, that we should not wait. We
are going from bad to worse at the
present time. The Senator from Coosa
referred to the poverty following the
civil war conditions, saying that Ala
bama had done well, but would do bet
ter with coming years. i believe that
statement, but we should not procras-
innate"
Senator white was of the opinion
that the effect Of the bill would be to
take away the sole support OF wild
his voice he pointed out this fact, say
ing that he had met moro white news
boys in Montgomery than anywhere In
Alabama, and that he had always
bought papers from them because he
wished to help this mother.
II don't believe that the time has
come In Alabama when the people and
this Senate will consider this compul-
sorry education bill"
Senator Reynolds, replying to some
objections which Senators had raised
to the bill, said in part:
''There Is ample provision in the bill
for the care of the child such as Sena-
tor White describes" Senator Hammer
here moved that the consideration OF
the bill be indefinitely postponed.
Senator Spragins wished to = say
something upon the bill. however, and
the motion was withdrawn Temporal
rily. Senator spragins said In part:
when this bill was before the SEN
ate at its last meeting I voted for it
and I wish to explain my change OF
front at this time. The State of Ala.
bama has made more progress during
the past year than any State In the
Union along educational lines. II Wa
have done this, why should we adop,
this compulsory education bill7
I'VE have seen In the dispatches from
Georgia this morning that the Legis.
lature Of that State refused to pasi
such a law. 1t IL true that some Of
the Southern States have adopted the
law for some parts Of their States. blu,
that is not the question fer Alabama
to determine; this is not question Of
what other States do. We must wori
our own salvation.
THAT country is best governed which
Is least governed. 1t is not our dutI
to force an education upon the ignor
ant people of Alabama. but 1t Is oul
duty to induce them by every mean
possible TO persuasion to educate thei
children.
Not Onpsrtune Time.
81 submit that this Is not an oppor
tune time for thu passage of this bill
1t Is commonly reported that q million
and half dollars of the old soldiers
fund and of the school fund has beef
placed to the credit OF the general funt
OF the State for operating expenses.
believe that those responsible will re
turn this money to its proper fund thil
fall, but no matter how honest the mo
tive this principle of government can
not last. I submit therefore that ths
consideration of this bill is inoppor,
tune"
Senator Reynolds said that Senator
Moody. the day previous. had set W
some figures obtained from the depart
ment at Washington, as against his fig
ures obtained from the Superintendent
of Education and that the figures Oh
tanned from Washington were obtained
from a clerk of the Census Bureau AND
might not be accurate, while the fig
ures from the Superintendent OF Edu
cation were compiled from reports
sworn to by County 5uperintendents.
Which are you to believe" SAID
Senator Rynolds. Further the Senator
from Tuscaloosa says that the Fedora
tion of Women's Clubs were divided
about the matter. I submit. Mr.. Pres
ident, that they are not divided. for
hold here in my hand pamphlet dis
tributed by them. In which they ash
for compulsory education"
Senator Moody interrupted. defend
ing himself with the statement that thu
conference OF the representatives Of
the Women's Federation had taken
the stand on the day previous, whom HI
stated that two members were agains
II. two for 1t. but thought 1t an inop'
perfume time for such a bill.
Senator Reynolds continued his argu
ment saying: I'VE have laws in thil
State prohibiting q parent from stafv'
ing his child. or improperly clothing
that child. and yet there Is no talk Of
invading the rights and privileges Of
the sacred family circle. submit
therefore. that a parent has no right Il
starve his child mentally any more
than he has physically"
Senator Reynolds then made hi
charges relative to certain black bell
counties having so much money thai
they paid a child's tuition fees through
the State institutions after he had LET
the county.
Senator Reese followed with tht
statement that such charges shoult
be tried in the grand Jury room. rather
than upon the floor Of the Senate. HI
stated that he had not intended open,
ing his mouth on the bill except Il
vote. until the Senator had made hi
charges.
The vote on the motion TO indefinite
ly postpone was then called for. ans
was passed.