The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-06
BIG FIGHT
ANTICIPATED
Urquhart Bill Reported
Favorably.
COMMITTEE voTt CLOSE
Was Returned With Many Amend
ments to Original.
TAe ccmmittee Cut Ont That Portion
Of the Bin which Sought to
E''n'..'s fon-

After more than one session of heat
ed debate and discussion. the HOUSE
Committee on Municipal Organization
decided to report favorably the bill
providing for the commission form OF
government In those Alabama citiei
OF more than $4,000 population who
desire to accept 1t. The report WA
made to the House yesterday after
noon.
The final committee session was held
yesterday morning. the most interest
Ing OF all The vote to recommend the
bill favorabiy to the House was close
to being the count recorded.
The bill, however, with the favorable
report. came back from the COMMITTEES
with twenty-six amendments affixed
Several Of the important features have
been changed, but 1t is expected that
the commission champion, Representa-
tive Urquhart of Birmingham. will
conduct q fight on the floor of the
House. for the return Of the original
bill almost intact.
The close vote in the committee
Chamber is taken as presage to the
night which will be conducted in the
Legislature when the bill comes up,
probably today or Saturday, for ffnal
confederation. That there will be heat
ed debate before the bill passes is
promised.
The twenty-six amendments which
were returned with the bill. effest rad
ical changes In the original import OF
iginal bin, interjected. 1t is said as q
means OF eliminating politics, was
eliminated by the committee. 1t Yves
the specification that no candidate
shall be elected in q party primary, or
be supported by any party. COMMITTEES
or faction. 1t was aimed at the elimi-
nation OF the questionable politics
which, Ii was feared, might accompany
the primary elections. As the bill
stands amended. however. the primary
feature remains.
Two other provisions OF the Urquhart
bill, also drafted for1the purpose OF
eliminating politics-that no commits
sioner may support or electioneer for
persons who are exempted. by the pro-
visions Of the bill, from appointment
to ONCE by him; and that no commis-
sioner may electioneer or offer himself
for the position of Mayor during his
term OF ONCE or for six months after
the expiration of his term-were
stricken out by the committee.
The most OF the amendments, how
ever, we're OF less important nature,
and many purely technical and correc-
ever. changing the provisions for re-
call or dismissal Of the Mayor or com
missioners which was changed from
the original bill. The UrQuhart bill
provided that the officers may be re-
called upon q petition signed by IS pei
cent OF the voters, and an election thus
ordered for another candidate to the
place in the field against the eohaftifs-
sioner thus deposed. The amendment
provides that upon petition of the citi-
zens, an election be called to determine
whether or not the commissioner
named be deposed, and-sh ould the ma
jority OF the voters declare for dismiss
sal then another election be held for
the purpose of naming successor. The
committeeman thought that II would be
dangerous to lay commissioner liable
20 dismissal by the mere petition OF rs
per cent of the voters.
Another change effectMd was In max
sng the term OF the Mayor, under the
commission government four years tn
stead of two.
None of the amendments were OBJ
posed in the committee session by Mr..
Urquhart, who is himself a member of
the Municipal Organization Committee,
but 1t is understood that he will night
for his original bill In the House.