The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-03
HOUSE TAXES UP
 NEW HOLLIS BILL Strict Requirements for County Superintendents LONG DEBATE ENSUES Speakers Maintain That Too Many of County Superintendents
 of Education Are Now
 Incompetent
LONG DEBATE ENSUES
By BERRYMAN G. BETTY

AACHRN
 bills to prescribe the duties and powers and to fix the compensation of the coun- ty supelintendents of education of the several counties of the state. The bill set down on the calendar was introduced by Mir. Hollis of Choctaw, and when this measure was called up by the author, MT. Hollis of Walker rose and said he had a substitute to offer. It was on the sec ond bill that the principal debate en- sued.
 The substitute bill differed from the original measure only in the manner in which the county superintendent of ed1- cation may be elected In the substitute measure the bill provided that the super ntendents should be elected by the coun- ty boards of education, whereas the orig nal bill places the superintendent elec- tion in the hands of the people. The sub stitute measure also provided that the county boards of education might select superintendent from other counties, when they deemed it necessary or might go outside of the state to secure the services of a capable official.
 Qualifications of Superintendents
 Both the substitute and original bill provided that the county superintendent of education should be thoroughly cap able and qualfied that he should pos sess a teachers certificate, and that he should devote his full time to his duties. The bills fixed his compensation at not less than $120O nor more than $500 per annum
 After a debate of more than an hour, the substitute, on motion of Mir Sanders of Pike, was tabled, and the discussion was on the passage of the original meas ure. The debate continued until 1 oclock. when the house adjourned.
 Debate on Bill
 As soon as the bill by MT. Hollis of Choctaw was called up Mr. Hollis of Walker offered a substitute, explaining the points between the two bills, and stating that he thought his measure the more meritorious of the two He de- cleared that the chief qualification of the county superintendents under the present system in their ability to be agreeable and 10 'Sndke ndnOS With tnelr COnStltu- ents. He said the average superinten- dent was a politician, that he was unfit for office by lack of training, and that the bill which he proposed would do much to elevate the typo of men who would apply for office.
 MT Sanders of Pike thought the bill proposed radical changes which are con trary to the principles of our government, and moved to table the substitute
 Mir Rice of Tuscaloosa moved to in- definitely postpone the motion to table, declaring that the bill was too import ant to be side-tracked without full dis cussion. He stated that he favored the substitute. particularly the feature which gave the county boards of education the power to appoint superintendents. He said that this provision would take the superintcndents from the field of politics, which he regards as very essential
 Mir Rice said that too many super intendents of education in the state were incompet ent men, and he declared that he also favored the provision which allowed any county board of education to select 8 man from another section of the state.
 Richeson Opposes Bill
 MT. Rcheson opposed the substitute, declaring that the operation of the law would cause the appointment of repub- lican superintendent of education in his county. And that he did not think any law should be made which would take the selection of the county officers out of the hands of the democrats. He said that while the democrats were in the majority in his county that there were certain sections in which the republicans were in the ascendancy, and that these locai- ties might elect republican trustees, whereupon it might come to pass that a man of that political faith might be se- lected.
 MT. Lavender and MT. Bell of Pickens opposed the bill, declaring that it was undemocratc. They each stated that it was wrong to take the election of the superintendent from the people, and urged that the substitute be tabled.
 MT. Rice again took the floor and re- ferred to the excellent work done by the superintendent of education in his county He said the county superintendents of education, as a rule, had to play poli- tics. and that if the new system were inaugurated the superintendent's success would depend upon his labors, his quail flcations. and his earnest and honest ef- forts.
 MT. Brown of Pike opposed the bill on the grounds that 1t was not Jeffersonian in principle; that it was not democratic to take the election of the superintendent rom the nanuS or the peOpie. Mir Huddeston also opposed the bill stating that it struck at the liberties o1 the people. He made an eloquent speech against the bill. and won considerable ap- plause from the members on his glowing tribute to democracy.
 Almon Speaks
 Speaker Almon said he had not beer able to comprehend all the gentleman from Fillmore had said, but that as he was on his side, he knew that his remarks had been good. He declared that he was opposed to the elective feature in the bill, as he believed tne people of the counties could be trusted in the election of their superintendents. He thought the provisions of the bill which required that the superintendent of education should be | well qualified was wise one.
 Message From Governor | When the speaker concluded his re- marks a messenger from the governor was received. who transmitted to the house Mir Robertson's bill to improve the public roads of St. Clair county without | the governors approval. The governor | m returning the bill proposed severa amendments to meet his objections. which | amendments were adopted by unani- i nous vote.
 | Debate on the main question was ther resumed. MT. Master of Montgomery taking the floor to oppose the measure He said he did not think the election o the county superintendents should bt taken from the people, and declared tha he was opposed to the feature which al lowed counties to obtain superintendent from other sections of the state or iron | other states.
 | When MT. Mastin concluded his speecl
 the previous question to table the sub
 stitute bill was called for and the mo