The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-31
FOUGHT SHY OF
 COMMITTEE Mir. Hoffman Makes Shrewd Move. SAVES HIS MOBILE BILL Had It Referred to the Local Legis-
 lative Crowd. Escaped What is Commonly Regarded as Sure Death in the Committee
 on Temperaace-Mr..
 John is Blocked.

part of the House members to despatch business, with all the speed possible, it became manifest yesterday that there Is not going to be any rush tnccnsist- ent with at least some consideration of the numerous measures that flood the calendar. Moved by this prin- ciple yesterday, when the series of insurance bills came up for final pas- sage. the House. seeing that its mem- bers scarcely knew what were the contents of the measures. voted res- olution to postpone further considera- tion until next Tuesday after the read ing of the journal and in the mean time directed the printing of 300 copies of each bill.
 Two bills were voted down and three passed, as the net result of the days work in actual legislation. and adjournment was taken at o'clock until noon Monday out of respect to the memory of the late T. D. Powell, member of the House from Lee.
 New bills came slower on the fourth day. and it is predicted that the dim mutton will be more noticeable as the session progresses now. There were only twenty-threel of these introduced yesterday. The committees have been about the busiest set of men on rec ord. the calendar filling up at top speed. Thirty-one additiodal bills were put on the calendar for Mondays s third reading.
 Mir. John Blocked.
 MT. John of Jefferson encountered more stubborn resistance as the House leader yesterday morning. He had the favorable report of tho committee on his bill to extend the Jurisdiction of chancery courts in the matters of land sales on partition, but went down be- fore the severe criticism of two House members, who blocked him successful ly right at the start. These were Mir. Pitts of Dallas and MT. Gunter of Montgomery.
 The bill as reported was to amend Section 2621 of the Code by extending It's provisions to the chancery court. and giving it power at its discretion. without any written consent of any person whomsoever. There was Section 2e21 of the Code by extending the bill and finally Q motion of MT. Gunter to indefinitely postpone con- alteration of the bill prevailed by a vote of 43 to 23.
 The day was marked by the offer of another of the semingly endless se- rtes of temperance bills. This was by Mf. Tarrant the junior member from Jefferson, who presented the con- ception of the Anti-Saloon League and attorneys, aiming at the evils of the social clubs and clubs for the literary advancement of the members. It Is a bill of considerable length and af- fects not alone the clubs to be organ ized in the future by forbidding the sale, storage or other disposition Of prohibited liquors at or near the prem ises of the club. but effects likewise all similar clubs now organized and doing business. It went to the Com mittee on Temperance. and 1t is un- derstood that little fight will be made on 1t, notwithstand the drastic features of the bill.
 Hoffman Springs Surprise.
 One of the keen strokes of the ses- sion in the House so far was made by MT. Hoffman of Mobile. who. while things were waxing lively in the pas sage of bills, arose and asked Tor unanimous consent to introduce a bill. This was given, and as the Gulf City Representative arose in disinterested style and offered the bill. he moved, before the til was read, to send the measure to the Committee on Local Legislation. There was no opposition to this motion and the surprise can be imagined-the Speaker smiled at the COuQ--WhCh was none other than the bill of the young memb CT from Mobile to "regu- late the liquor traffic in Mobile Coun- ty.' Thus 1t escaped what is common ly regarded as a sure death In the Committee on Temperance.
 The. only bill which was passed was that highly recommended by Eon. Frank N. Julian, Insurance Commission CT, and introduced by MT. Rushton, chairman of the Committee on Bank ing and Insurance. It provides for the deposit by domestic insurance companies of Alabama securities State, county or city-in an amount equal to or more than the legal re- serve accumulated on policies issued in this State. It is designed. as ex- plained, for the encouragement of busi- ness in home companies and for the protection of policyholders in this State.
 A bill by Mir Hughes failed of pas sage when, by the debate, no serious opposition seemed imminent. It pro- posed to amend Section 1903 of the Code of Alabama by raising Nhe amount of fees that may be retained by a deputy solicitor to $1.000 from $500. The vote stood 45 to 35 against the bill, notwith standing a speech was made by Mfr John, the leader, in sup port of 1t. The bill provided that all fees over &1,O00 so collected for the solicitors services should be paid into the county treasury.
 The Committee on Judiciary reported favorably on bill to prevent the blasting or throwing of rocks. stones, etc. from ones premises to those of another.
 Fee System BilI.
 One of the surprises of the day was the favorable report of the Judiciary Committee on the bill of Mir. Glover, providing for the submission of an amendment to Section s6. Article 1. of the Alabama Constitution. so as to all low the Legislature by general or spe- cial act to fix a compensation by sal ary for one or more officers of one or more counties of the State in lieu of fees. The committee amended the bill but not materially, and if it passes both houses the people will get an op- portunity to pass on the absorbing top- ic of fee system" in Alabama at the next general election in 1910.
 The House also received an uhani- nous report from the Committee on Federal Relations. MT. Buiger, chair man, favoring the ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Federal Constitution. allowing Congress to levy and collect an income tax.
 The report of the committee was as follows;
 The Committee on Federal Relations, to which was referred joint resolution. passed by the Senate and House of America in Congress assembled, pro- n%