The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-04
Measure Passes House at Night Session by Vote
 of 58 to 27
PERCY'S ATTACK ONE
 OF THE BIG FEATURES
Senate Has Been Rolled and Regula- ton Bill Is Expeced to Go Through Without Seri-
 ous Trouble
By BERRYMAN G. BETTY


 representatives shortly after 9 o'clock
 tonight passed the John V. Smith bill,
 which seeks to regulate the sale of liquor | in Alabama.
 | Passage of the measure was by the l overwhelming odds of 5S to 27, the local
 optionists of the body landing victory of much greater dimensions than ever
 anticipated.
 | Progress of the debate on the meas | ure marked the most fiery ordeal of | the present session, inasmuch as it was recognized from the first that the fight. | if successful would sound the death
 knell to statewide prohibition. Every
 step taken by the advocates of the meas ure, as consequence, was attended by the best conceived flibustering attempt | that has yet been offered in either of the houses, the attempts to delay action on the measure not stopping until the | final vote was taken on the bill. Quietly Adjourn | Then, when the victory was announced. I the house quietly adjourned for the night, | confident that the democratic pledges of 1 1906 had been redeemed, and that, the | local option platform of 1910 was as | sured.
 | The senate strength has already been | tested on numerous occasions, and is recognized as steadfast for the admin | istration policies.
 | The representatives. at the end of the count, indulged In no demonstrative ap- l plause, for the first test of the bill, early | in the afternoon showed that victory | was certain.
 l Despite the quietude of the adjourn ment, however, the incidents leading up | to the final vote on the bill were with out doubt the most dramatic Of the ses- sion The fireworks on the bill started early this morning. when Representative Walker Percy of Birmingham attempted to maneuver into the bill such an amend | rnent as would permit the governing bodies in commission government cities | to appoint the excise commissions, provid- | ed for in the measure. rather than hsv- ling sucl pmmissions appointed by the governor of the state
 Percy's Speech
 | His amendment was defeated by vote | of 52 to A, but only after the house had | listened to one of the most invective | speeches ever hurled against a governor | of Alabama. Tn advocating his, measure, | the Jefferson county representative took | occasion to regret the majority of the | appointments which had recently been | made DIV llle cIll6l tAcCulisN' pSoHN''p | the conclusion that some of the excise commissioners to be appointed would be | equally as unwise His speech lasted | almost two hours, and was throughout | a bitter arragnment of the governor Tor | appointing men to office to satisfy per | sona politics.
 1 The attack of the representative was l generally considered at the capitoi one of the most stirring incidents in the his- at k- l ins, in a later speech, referred to 1t as unprecedented in tho United States. | Death of MT Percy's amendment marked the turning of the tide in favor of | the administrative measure, as the Dill | of Representative Smith is generally con- | ceded to be. From that time on the | .'steam roller" was in perfect running order It crushed out Of existence every semblance of opposition that was offered 1 by the prohibitionists, and under the skill | ful guidance of Representative John F Smith of Montgomery who was the au- thor of the bill, the roller prevailed when
 ever he applied the steam. The day was distinctly Smith" day, The popular
 Montgomerian, who guided the destinies of the bill by virture of being chairman of the temperance committee, was suc- cessful in every effort.
 Not a single time during the day did he suffer defeat Judge F. B. Almon. speaker of the house of representatives, was himself cognizant of this roller. Almon Says Steam Roller' During the progress of the debale m one of the amendments offered by him he heard the machine near him object ing to the revision.
 INT. Chairman" shouted Judge AL mon, q see that the steam roller is in good shape, but I wish to state to you right now and to this house that it's operations cannot keep me from offering
 what amendments I think best for the state of Alabama. You can run over me. but it isn't possible for you to crush me | to death.'
 MT. Smith. taking exception to the re- mark. insisted that the roller was not | heinz applied, at the same time moving. | however, that the amendment be tabled. The amendment was tabled and moment later Julge Almon apologized to the house | for his insinuations.
 l Dramaturgic scenes like this were fre- | olent during the day and so much so that | on frecucnt occasions personal alterca- | tions were almost looked for. Late in I the session, however, opponents of the
 measure began to realize that opposi- | ton was futile, the last 30 minutes of the session. as a consequence, being almost uneventful
 Section by Section
 Consideration of the measure was be- l gun by the house shortly after Il o'clock. | at which time motion was carried that the body resolve itself into commit- tee of the whole in order to consider the | bill section by section. Discussion or
 the caption and the first two sections occupied all of the morning session by virtue of Representative Percy's speech. the burden of the bill. as consequence.
 falling to the afternoon and night ses- | sion
 l At these last sessions the sections were i begun but the steam roller was recog- nized as in such perfect trim that Rep-
 resentativc Brindley moved that all of
 the committee amendments be proposed
 at once, In order that they might be passed in lump. Prevalence of his mo-
 rion marked the death of the struggle. iWhen other amendments not considered
 in committee meeting were prorosedst tNev were passed if MT. Smith agreed to them. Otherwise they were lplaced in the | lnrv~rn. ff l After full consideration of the entire
 bill, a,e committee of the whole voted
 to report the bill favorably to the house.