The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-16
BIRMINGHAM, ALA.

the appropriation committee had al ready reported favorably a bill to in crease the public school fund from $350,0OO to S50O,000, which he believed was all the state could possibly spare.
 MT. Smith further said that the ap- propriation to the various state schools had been cut down, and declared that he considered it would be llnwise in his judgment to pass the Richeson bill
 Will Offer Amendment
 Mir Merritt of Macon said he believed the bill in its present shape would be unconstitutional, and that he considered it would be unwise to attempt to pass the measure.
 He said he was in favor Of the increase in the appropriation, and declared that when the bill on the calendar providing for the increase in the school fund from S350,0O0 to s500,0O0 came up for passage, he would offer an amendment to the bill providing for an increase to S25,000. MT. Merritt then moved that the Riche- son bill be tabled and his motion was adopted.
 Mr. Smith of Montgomery introduced resolution to have the roll of the house called in order that every member might have an opportunity to call up bill The resolution provided, how ever, that any motion that required more than 90 minutes debate, should be retained in the calendar. The resolu- ton went to the rules committee.
 Speaker Almon, for the rules commit tee, reported favorably resolution making the revenue bill special order for 3 o'clock this afternoon.
 For Old Soldiers
 MT. Walden of Morgan called up his bill to increase the annual appropriation t. +1,1 ,l1 ol1 of tba state SlcD.OU1. The law at present allows the old sol diers about $s50Oo0, and the increase will make the amount in the neighborhooc of S1, 1,0O0.000.
 Captain Walden pointed out that the old soldiers were in need of this in crease and urged that the members or the house vote for the bill, which passed by vote of 79 to l.
 Appropriation To Railroad
 Mr. Smith of Montgomery called up his bill to appropriate $s9l0.06 of the, and 3 per cent fund in the treasury of Alabama to the Montgomery and Chattanooga Rail- road company
 Mir. Rylance of Tallapoosa spoke in favor of the bill, declaring it was a worthy object to which the money would be devoted, particularly as the road would prove a great advantage in developing the wealth of the section of the state through which it operated.
 Mir Rice of Tuscaloosa followed MT. Ky lance Tn discussion. The Tuscaloosa repre- sentative said he did not believe the bill complied with the provision of Congress, under which the money was appropriated. He declared that, as he understood 1t, Congress had appropriated this money for the erection of road from the gulf to the Tennessee river According to the Smith bill. MT. Rice thought this money would be diverted into an improper chan mel.
 Worthy Cause
 Mir Smith, the author of the bill, did not take this view of the question. He claimed that the money would not be di- verted into any improper channel and said he thought the bill should pass, as the money would come out of the and per cent fund. which had been set aside for the purpose of establishing this road.
 He stated that the railroad company had made a fair proposition since the road did not want the appropriation until it had constructed at least 10 miles of the road. The speaker pointed out that the road would traverse a section of the state in which there were no other rail- roads, and that the new road would do much for the development of the state.
 A motion was then made by Mir Rche- son to have the bill indefinitely post poned.
 MT. Richeson said the question should be considered before the house acted upon it. and that he believed the members should have ample time to investigate the matter. This was also the view of MT. Lavender who said also that he thought the bill did not comply with the pro- vision of Congress by which the special Il Id has been appropriated. He declared hat the eney had been appropriated for the purpose of e,. q a road from the gulf to the Tennessee river, in order that the western section of the state mi yht .be developed whereas the bill of Mi. Smith did not contemplate a road that traversed that section of the state
 MT. Huddleston of Fillmore, thought the hill was meritorious measure, and that it should pass the house. He spoke of the great good which the road would ac-