The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-02-12
FLASH N THE PAN
WAS HEARING OF
ELECTION BILLS
OPPONENTS FAILED TO APPEAR
BEFORE COMMITTEE WITH
THEIR OBJECTIONS.
CLAIM THAT DIDN'T HAVE TIME
House Passes The Board Of County
Electors Measure With The Old
Time Majority.-committee on
Rules Acts.

NASHVILLE, Tenn, Feb. 9.-The
meeting of the joint committee on
privileges and elections of the senate
and house. held in the hall of the
house of representatives Monday
night. was somewhat of a fash in the
pan. owing to the fact that no oppo-
nents of the election bills appeared to
discuss the merits of the measures.
AS a joint meeting of committee can
not either recommend for passage or
rejection any proposed law, and as
Gen. M. N. Whitaker, of Winchester,
Col E. C. Gordon of Dyersburg and
other gentlemen who were present to
advocate the bills, refused to discuss
them unless there were others present
to take the opposite side OF the Ques-
ton, the committee adjourned without
hearing a single point discussed as to
the merits of the measures.
It looked like a clear case OF LAY
down" on the part of the opponents OF
the bills. While Representative Pur-
year and others of these opponents
claimed that the opposition had not
had SUFFICIENT notice OF the meeting TO
be prepared, the fact remains that
they had practically the same notice
that the supporters of the measures
did, as the announcement of the joint
committee meeting was published
Monday morning and notice given sew
eral Of them night before last.
The attitude of the advocates of the
bills again presented conclusive evil
dence that they are not attempting to
railroad the bills, as has been persis-
tently claimed in certain quarters.
Another meeting of the joint commit
tee will be called as speedily as posi-
BILE and if there are those who want
to be heard in opposition to the meas
ures, they now have had ample notice
to be on hand and present their side
of the case.
In the absence of Senator Lane,
chairman of the senate committee
on privileges and elections, Senator
Greer presided over last nights meet
ing. Senator Lane is Ill at his home
in Franklin.
Passes The House.
After a stormy session the house OF
Monday passed on Sec
ond reading the two election laws
regulating the creation of the state !!
and county board of electors, Opposi-
ton was developed to the bills passing |
second reading, but the measures took
the regular course by the vote Of S.
to 80.
Considerable time was consumed In
a squabble regarding the ruling OF
Speaker Taylor on the report Of the
committee on rules. Representatives
Garden and Dixon led the fight against
the adoption of the report Speaker
Taylor was compelled to defend his
rulings.
It is understood that the substance
Of the report, providing fixed hours
Tor the house during the week, was
Objectionable to the repre-
sentatives fighting It. 1t Is under
stod that they wish to have no fixed
hour for adjournment during the week.
The election laws will come up on
lnal reading during this time and the |
enemies of the bills wish to be in the
position to adjourn the house at any
the battle becomes losing '
me for them. {
The report Of the committee pro- t
yides that the house convene at 10
,'clock each morning and adjourn at !
!: 80 O'Clock in the afternoon. An !
lour and half Is allowed for lunch. T
CMTY TCu DTTNMED o