The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-18
THE AGE-HERALD, SATURDAY, MARCH IS, 1911

| There was a time when the newspaper
 men of the state received free transpor-
 tation, and that policy should be revived.
 declared Judge Almon.
 Speaking further of newspaper mer | Judge Almon said:
 'The newspaper men of the state are | as honorable and as high-class men as
 any In the state. They are moulders of public sentiment. they are public educa- | tors, and by allowing them free trans 1 portation you simply enlarge their op- portunity for doing good"
 Page Speaks Against Bill In speaking against the bill MT. Page of Conecuh declared that he was as loyal to the old Confederate soldiers as any I man in the state, and that this was not l the main feature of the bill which he opposed.
 MT. Page then launched into a discus sion of the newspaper feature of the bill. | He declared that he did not know wheth- | CT newspaper men were bigger than him. l self. but that he carried a pass in his pocket and that at times he had felt more or less influenced by his pass. At this point Mr. Brown of Pike asked MT. Page how he got his pass. T represent a road as it's attorney, | replied MT. Page.
 What Is the difference, then?' asked MT Brown. You represent railroad ana are paid salary and receive free pass. The newspaper men only ask for 6 pass in exchange for advertising" MT. Page further said that if sheriffs did not receive enough salary to pur- chase transportation a bill should be passed to increase their salary. Less Criticism MT. Butt of Montgomery followed MT. Page, and stated that he did not believe there was as much criticism in the news paper against railroads at the present time as there was when newspapers men carried passes in their pockets The Montgomery representative said that this was evidence in his mind of the fact that newspaper men would not be influenced by free transportation.
 In speaking against the bill MT. Blount of Dallas said he had always opposed the proposition of granting passes to newspaper men, and that he saw no reas- on at the present time why he should change his position in regard to the sub ject. Railroads may be willing to grant passes to newspaper men, but they have specific purpose in doing so, for they expect to get something in return for free transportation" said the Blount rep resentative.
 Merritt Opposes Bill
 Representative Merritt of Macon said 1t was a settled policy of the state that free passes should not be granted He declared that the bill was not designed to give old Confederate soldiers a pass, but that the bill had been burdened with that provision merely to give transportation to newspaper men,"
 Continuing in this vein, MT. Merritt said NO, my friends, this is not for the fA c411 l. able, kindly, newspaper men,"
 The debate continued up until recess when the house adjourned until o'clock this afternoon.
 Afternoon Debate
 The debate on the question of passing the newspaper pass bill over the gover- nor's veto was resumed when the house convened this afternoon. MT. Merritt, who had the floor when the house re- cessed at 1 o'clock, called for the previous question immediately after the house re- convened, whereupon MT Micheson moved to indefinitely postpone the mo- tion of the Macon representative.
 MT. Richeson then took the floor in the interest of the bill, and made an earnest plea on behalf of the old soldiers and newspaper men.
 He said the question had only been be- fore the house once. and at that time the matter had been decided by an over whelming vote In favor of passes.
 Mr. Richerson was followed by Mir Jenkins. who moved that the further con- sideration of the question be deferred un- til the next legislative day. This motion was lost, and MT. Pegram of Marengo took the floor in the interest of the bill.
 At this point several members inter- rupted the speaker, all wanting to ask questions. MT. Pegram made apt and quick replies to all the questions that were asked him, and he frequently brought forth the applause of the house
 Mir. Page asked MT. Pegram if the news paper pass bill had not been disposed of twice before in the house.
 ''If the gentleman was as familiar with what has been done in the house as he is with the governors veto he would be able to answer the question himself," replied MT. Pegram.
 In speaking in favor of granting rail- road passes to old Confederate soldiers, MT. Rutt asked MT. Pegram if he were an old Confederate soldier.
 NO, sir" replied MT. Pegram. but my father was, and I will say further more that there were three generals in the southern army that bore the name of Pegram.''
 DuITleu fOuLlCdlly
 MT. FuQuay followed Mr. Pegram in the discussion Of the bill. MT. Fuquay said he had at times incurred the displeasure of newspaper men, and that he had been buried politically. He declared, however. that he had always managed to get out Of the difficulty In which he had found him. self ingulfed, although several news papers in the state had opposed him.
 MT. Fuquays speech was in the nature of an exploration on the grounds of per sonal privilege. When the question was previously considered in the house MT. Fuquay wanted to add an amendment to the bill, but he was voted down. His amendment, which he discussed today, was to require newspapers accepting passes to file a record each year of the amount of advertising that had been used in transportation.
 Governor Sustained
 When MT. Fuquay concluded his speech the previous question was called, with the result that the governor was sus- tained in his veto by vote of 49 to 40.
 Resolution to Adjourn
 The house this afternoon concurred in the senate joint resolution to adjourn from this afternoon until Wednesday next at noon.
 MT. Preston called up his bill to estab- fish state school for teaching agricul- ture and domestic economy at Lineville, Ala; to provide for the management and control thereof, and to make appropria- tions to support the school. The bill car ries with it appropriation of 5000.
 MT. Preston said the school was To- cated in the midst of school center,