The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-08
WILL
MEET FOURTH TIME
Causes Fer Extra Session Are
Reviewed
THE LAWS INVALIDATED
Stringent Liquor Legislation Is Elk
pected at Coming session-Law-
rence's Attack on Supreme
Court Is Condemned.
The LAWS INVALIDATED
BY HERVEY w. LAIRD.

BY HEHVEY w. LAIRD.
Montgomery, July Especial. THE
Alabama legislature will have been four
| times In session since the first day of
January. 1907, when 1t assemblies In ex-
traordinary meeting on July 81, in accord
ance with the call of the governor The
first came January 8, 1907, being the reg
ular session of the term of B. B. Conner
/ as governor. This was adjourned over to
July Q, having ended temporarily on
March 6. The July term ran to August
and the salons were called back by
special request on November 7, 1907, re-
naming, over to November %.
Much of the work of the opening ses-
sion was only laid out at the first meet
| ing, the July term being for the purpose
| of making report of committee work of
the time During this period a number
of the railroad acts were perfected and
the city and state code commissions COM
| pleted compilation of their documents.
Several laws of more or less Importance
| were taken up and passed. so that the
July term was important as finisher of
the matters in hand at the initial meet
ing In the month of January.
Extra Session Causes.
During the time between August and
November the rail lines opposing the new
state laws secured blanket injunctions
out of the United States court and held
up the action of the most important bills
passed, SO far as the administration
viewed them. As result the governor,
we'll advised by attorneys employed for
the purpose, decided to have the law
makers back again to lick the calf over.
But even this failed, and the fight with
the rail lines had at last to be fought
out in the courts
Many Laws Invalidated.
Shortly after the extra session of 1907
it was found that a number of the acts
passed, because of failures of the senate
Journal, were invalid. many causes be-
ing discovered. Among these is the John
pistol act, which was looked to for relief
from the dangers of concealed weapons;
the Greater Birmingham bill, the juvenile
court act and many others Several rail-
road bills were also found weak in the
same way but none that may be consid-
cred vital to the fight that is being made.
that the prohibition laws need support.
has led the governor to decide to have an
other meeting of the lawmakers before
the end of the year.
What Is Coming.
| As to what is coming at the July meet
ing one may only conjecture. There is no
doubt but laws to strengthen prohibition
10 +bo4
! be an attempt to pass an act for liquor
commission before which offenders may
be tried. and 1t Is certain that some move
will be made to counteract the effect of
the holding of the supreme court that
liquors may be held and stored where
pleased Here is thought to be a vital
point In the whole matter, and it is openly
said by prohibitionists that If some man.
ner of stopping locker club dealings is
not fallen upon the prohibition acts will
be In a large measure null and void
among those who are able to afford the
luxury of lockers.
VIII Meet a Fight.
Even the least posted man believes that
the effort to prohibit the sale and manu-
facture of liquors by constitution will be
met with a hard fight, and it is thought
that this legislature can not be made to
side in with such a movement. The at
tack of the Rev Brooks Lawrence on
the supreme court, and his yelled threat
that II this court does not do the bidding
of the prohibition crowd court that will
will be put In, has had the effect to set
many anti-liquor men to thinking, and 1t
Is rare that any man can be found who
does not openly and heartily condemn
his words. For the sake of the move
ment his excoriation has come at q very
untfmely moment.
No Change Of Venue.
1t is not believed by many that any law
for change of venue for liquor cases can
be provided Local self-government is as
dear to Alabama as 1t was when its citi-
zens fought for the Confederacy, and the
man who in the legislature voted for a
bill to take away from the county the
right to try its own people would likely
find a lot of trouble about hissneck when
he gets back among his people. 1t is also
| fact that few relish the idea of trying a
man before other than a jury of his
neighbors, Alabama men for the most
part. feeling that however his neighbor
may be criticised he Is still his neighbor
and calculated in the main to come near
or giving him justice than the fellows in
some other section. So the prospect of
this idea is pretty nearly nil at the be-
ginning.
Compulsory Education.
The call will have a suggestion for
compulsory education. This much the
governor has given notice of quite often
He will also seek for acts to protect
the forests, and it is thought for the oys-
ter beds of the gulf coast It is also
| thought that provision for fire marshal
acts and better adjustment OF munich
| pal licenses Of Insurance companies may
be put in the call. Commissioner Of In
surance Frank N. Julian has urged these
things. A Greater Birmingham PROPOSE
ton is going In certain, and> way for
many papers to whom money Is owed
| by the state for certain lines of printing
| to get pay as we'll. The dead anti-ship-
ping act may be revived If 1t is found
that there is any use for it, and half
dozen other matters that are of more or
less Importance.
What VIII II Cost7
There is difference of opinion as to
what the special session will cost The
| regular session Of January and July 1907,
ran up a bill of s104, 66S. 81, and the special
session of the same year $20,388.S9. 1t 10
| thought that four weeks of this new call
= An