The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-27
MEMBERS PEEVED
 OVER SITUATION Two Branches of Govern ment Are Divided
REVENUE BILL CAUSE
Important Measures Still Hang in Balance-The Three Big Dele gations Devided Strength
 On Pegram Bill

gations Devided Strength
 On Pegram Bill
 Montgomery. March 26.-(Special)- Peeved. That's the situation in which the legislature finds itself at the pres ent time.
 It Is all due to the failure of the house of representatives to concur, on Friday night, in the senate amendm ts to the state revenue bill. This view. of course, is from one angle only.
 From the other angle the legisla- ture is peeved over the action of the senate in incorporating in the revenue bill two amendments which were rec ognized as being opposed in the house.
 As consequence of the dual posi- tlons the legislators are split. Wheth- CT or not they are hopelessly split Is yet to be ascertained, and cannot be developed until the solons reassemble at the capitol. after their recess on Wednesday.
 Neither will it be developed until after Wednesdays session whether or not an extra session of the legislature will be imperative. Over the thought of this extra session at least nine- tenths of the solons are more than peeved. The session now coming to d close has been a hard. gruelling one, and a period of unmitigated rest was being laid by in pleasant anticipation of peace and quiet
 Practically every representative and senator who came to Montgomery to take up his legislative duties on Jan uary 10 came here determined to be Instrumental in bringing about an era Of quiet. The era of quiet has not yet come.
 It is still being expected. Legisla . tion is still going on. A chaotic con- dition exists in both houses. Both cal endars are freighted down with i'm portanf bills
 And the two most important meas ures that have yet been brought to the attention of the state bodies are still trembling in the balance The Smith regulation bill is not yet decided. The revenue bill seems to be bopelessly, mercile; sly in trouble.
 Local Option Feature
 Early in the session of the solons a concerted effort in the part of both houses was made 10 establish local option as the DO1lCN pI lIt Stdie, d1lu as soon as IlIS was determined skirmishes started to de- termne what measures would be best suited for the commonwealth Both houses got busy on local option measures and counter measures. Both bodies precpi- tated themselves into a wrangle with the prohibition element, and the local option forces in each house prevailed.
 Citizens of the state heaved a huge sigh of satisfaction, and went to dreaming n 1inunf problem.
 But now, with 43 days of the legislative session gone, the policy or the state has not been determined.
 The Smith regulation measure, the in strument which is designed to assure local option, is still hanging in the bal ance.
 On Friday of last week the measure passed the Alabama senate by an over- Whelming ma jorty, after the same meas ure had passed the lower house severa | weeks ago But it has on to it number l of amendments which were not antici- | pated. And some of the amendments are going to be contested when the house is asked, on next Wednesday, to concur in l the senate suggestions.
 Within the next seven legislative days i the bill must be finally disposed of. Un- | doubtedly Governor ONeal will have a few amendments to be proposed. They must be concurred in by both houses. 1 The Revenue Measure Long before the local option bills had | taken final shape friends of the admin | stration got busy on a state revenue bill l the signal for a breach that has up tc | this moment divided the administration family into two groups. The groups seem to be hopelessly divided. And the mem l bers of the two groups have strange bed | fallouc Tho adt iSt ra ic fn6ino np l it's side some legislators who have fought | valiantly to defeat its purposes, while il ! is also finding on the other side some Of | it's wisest counselors.
 l As passed in the house of repre- | sentatives week before last. the rev | enue bill was minus a feature that had | brought hundreds of prominent mer- chants to the state-that clause which provides that the insurance carried on | property shall be the basis of taxation. | The clause was a pet administration | measure and because of it the senate | determined to incorporate the clause | ir the measure They did so, succeed 1 ing, however, hy the mere majority of | ore vote. Then the senate determined to incorporate a measure in the bill 1 which the administration was known | to opp ppose-that which denies to back | concerted effort on the part of both houses | This was also done but in the doing | there was another force to be reck- : oned with, in that the house on the very same day defeated the very tax measure that was sought to be in- corpora ted. The senate had in one day held up the administrations hand l in one particular and struck it down in another.
 1 Resulting from this condition. the battle of giants Is on.
 | The Conference Committee | Immediately upon passage of the rev. elue bill in the senate the measure was sent to the house. which body failed l by majority to concur in the sugges 1 tons. A conference committed com. posed of Senators Spragins. Plowmar and Tunstall, and Representatives Percy Brindley and Rice. was appoint | ed to investigate the disagreement anc attempt, If possible to bring about l harmony. At the sessions so far helt l this harmony has not been effected | And indica tions are that the settlemen | is. after all, not so easy.
 | Common belief is that the commit | tee will suggest 10 the house that tho l insurance clause be dropped from tn, l bin and that the tax commissio fea turo be retained. Should this be done | chances ass nine to ten that the sug. geation of the committee will not serv, | its desired purpose but that failing t, do so, the governor must necessaril, call for an extra legislative session.
 Tax Commission Feature
 The feature sthe bill about whicl i there is the greatest diversity of opinio, is the clause seeking to restrict the pow CTS of the county tax commissioner, whic. means substantially the abolition of tn
 t.I.