The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-14
CAUCUS TOOK UP
 ABOUT 40 BILLS Will Aid Work of the House
 Today FARMERS ARE ACTIVE Some Made Speeches in Caucus Who Have Not Previously Been Heard on the Floor of
 the House
FARMERS ARE ACTIVE

As a result of the house caucus today
 and yesterday, something like 40 bills
 will be reported back to the house to-
 morrow with the recommendation that
 they be passed. These are the bills
 that were acted upon Informally in
 caucus-informally because the consid-
 eration of all the bills was by mi
 nority of the house members, and can
 not be regarded as at all binding upon
 the majority.
 | It Is believed, however, that much good work was done by the caucus on
 the whole. Although 1t Is quite possi- ble that the action of the caucus will
 be reversed In regard to many of the
 measures that will be reported back to
 the house on Friday, a great many of
 the bills will doubtless be passed with
 out further discussion and debate, the
 recommendation of the conference pre-
 vailing.
 l In regard to certain of the measures that were considered In caucus there was lively scrimmage, and a number
 of members were heard on the floor
 that have heretofore taken little part
 in the proceedings other than to vote | This may have been due to the fact
 that the meeting was informal-that only a minority of the members was present, and consequently that the linn
 ited number was conductive to extract | ing ideas from certain of the legisla- tors who have heretofore been more or
 less awed by regular house sessions. | It was noticeable in the two days caucus of house members that the
 farmers of that body were heard on
 many of the important questions up | for consideration. The bill by Senator Morrow to prohibit the selling of goods
 and wares upon the private roads or
 lands of another in counties of less than | 60,000 inhabitants, which was consid-
 cred the first day of the caucus, was
 indorsed by all the farmers present,
 several of them being heard for the
 first time during the present session. The farmers, with visions of the ped
 dler with his pack were totally united
 on the proposition to place a ban on
 his operations in their respective coun- | ties and told the caucus so. Their | sentiments on the question prevailed, and there was no difficulty in having the bill favorably reported
 | Bills increasing the salary of the cir cult and supernumerary judges to $3600
 and $40o0, respectively, will doubtless | be passed tomorrow without opposi- ton. The matter was thrashed out in
 caucus, and the opinion prevailed. par | ticularly among the lawyers, that the
 judicial officers of the state are un-
 der paid. The opinion was also ex- pressed that the salary of the chancel- | lors of the state should be increased, and an amendment was introduced by
 MT. Horton of Limestone to include that section in the bill relating to the salary of these Judicial officers, but the law | yers decided that it would be uncon- stitutional to make the increase in that
 manner and the matter was dropped Many Bills to Be Considered When the house convenes tomorrow on | the last day of the present session the members of that body will find themselves | up to their necks'' in work. In addition | to the 50 or 60 bills that will be reported | favorably by the caucus there will be Tn
 the neighborhood of 100 other measures on
 the calendar. There can be but one re- suit of this congested conditioned large | number of the bills will die, beyond any
 hope of recall or resuscitation.
 | It is thought, however, that the house | will be able to pass the most important | bills on the calendar. In regard to the others there is considerable unanimity | of opinion to the effect that they are not | necessary. All of the important bills
 have been passed, and 1t is believed mat | the administration is satisfied with the
 work that the legislature has accomp- | lished
 l The governor Is quoted as having said | that while a large number of bills have
 not been passed in comparison with other | legislatures, a sufficient number have | been enacted for the needs of the state,
 and that such as have been enacted are of the best possible kind.
 | It Is believed that fewer bills will be l found to be unconstitutional at the close of the present legislature than at any | time in a number of years. The legal ad- vsers whom the governor has had with | him during the present session are re- garded as men skilled in the law, and it IS
 believed that through their efficiency, as | well as through the careful consideration
 which the chief executive himself has given
 the numerous measures that have been | placed on his desk the state will experi- | ence little loss as the result of the enactment of unconstitutional laws. Inc
 governor has given close attention to the work of the legislature, and 1t Is believed | that he is satisfied with the work that | has been accomplished.