The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-25
ADMINISTRATION
 WINS HARD FIGHT Pegram Bill Defeated By
 Vote of A to Al FEELING IS SHOWN Pegram Says Jenkins Changed His Vote When Called By the Gov
 ernor-Story of the
 Debate
py BERRYMAN G. BETTY

l By BERRYMAN G. BETTY Montgomery, March 24-(Special)-Ine administration scored another victory to- I day by the defeat of the Pegram pack tax commission bill The fight was one of the hardest and closest that has taken place on the floor of the house during the present session. The forces of the administration did not wayer during the entire time that the bill was under con- sideration, and the final result was not unexpected The bill was finally disposed of under a motion of MT. Arnold of Cal houn to indefinitely postpone the meas ure and its pending amendments. rms motion prevailed by vote of A to Al.
 The bill was called up shortly before o'clock today as unfinished business, the measure having been considered for sev- eral hours on Wednesday afternoon. In view of the short time before recess the discussion on the bill did not begin un- til 2:So o'clock, at which time the house reconvened.
 The debate on the question was begun by Walker Percy of Birmingham, who offered a substitute to the Pegram amendment The substitute provided that agents employed by the state tax commission for the purpose of assessing property should be residents of the coun- ty in which they made their assessments. The agents were empowered with .ne authority of the county tax commission CTS.
 Percy's Speech
 T,, he hill Mir Percy made one of the strongest speeches that has been heard on the floor of the house during the present session. His re- marks were earnest and forceful, and showed careful study of the situation as it at present obtains. He declared that if the present system continued the state in his opinion, would be confront ed by a dangerous condition within the next few years, and he pleaded for equal ty to every man. every county and every section. The fee system was held up by Mir Percy as one of the most iniquitous systems which at present obtains in Ala bama, and he argued that the best way 10 abolish the fee system was by re- stricting the power of the county tax commissioners.
 MT Pegram also made an earnest plea for the abolition of the present county tax commission system. A dramatic ir cident occurred when he announced that a member of the house who had pre- viously favored the bill had changed his mind when called by the governor. MT. Pegram was asked to give the name of the member, and he replied that 1t was Mir Jenkins, the gentleman from Bald win. When MT. Pegram finished his speech MT. Jenkins arose on a question of personal privilege and declared that The governor had asked him not to vote for the bill, and had convinced him that the bill sought to cut off one of the most important arms of the administra- ton.
 Others who spoke for the bill were Representatives Rice and Motion, while Representatives Arnold, Jenkins. Milner and Darden opposed the measure.
 The debate on the bill began at 2;30 o clock and continued until 6:3O o'clock, when the vote was taken. Long before the question was pur to vote it was pretty generally conceded that, while the fight would be close, the admins tration would probably win. The princl- pal fight was made for the bill. none of the speeches against the measure being Lof long duration or indicative of as care ful study of the question as the friends of the bill made
 The vote on MT. Arnold's motion to in definitely postpone tie bill and it's pend ing amendments was as follows:
 For indefinite postponement: Barnard, Brewer. Boswell. Brown of Pike, Car roll, Chamberlain, Darden. Edmonds, Flanagan. Horton, Huddleston, Jenkins Of Baldwin, Jenkins of Bullock, John son of Marshall Knight, Lane, Laven- der. Lee, Lloyd, Martin of Calhoun, Mar .jn of Jackson, Mastin, Mathews, Milner, McCurdy, Mcdonald. McLendon, O'Neill, Overton. Parks, Pharr, Pitts. Popwel, Pruitt, Quinn, Roberson, Sanders Strick- land, Sturdivant. Thomas, Twombly, Waits, Walker, Wilhite-44 votes.
 Against indefinite postponement: AL mon, Acker, Bell of Autagua, Bell of Pickens. Brindley, Brown of Tuscaloosa, Burton, Bush, Capps. Cranford, Fletcher, Fuquay Gewin Helms, Hollis of Walker, Jackson, James. Johnson of Clarke, Judge Kilburn, Lawson, Letson, Lump i;in, Merrill, Merritt Motion, Mul1ey, McGowen, Nicholson. Page, Pegram, Percy, Ramsey, Rice, Richeson. Rylance, Smith, Walden, Whatey, Wheeless, Will liams-41 votes
 Session in Detail
 The Regram tax commission bill was taken up as unfinished business shortly before 1 o'clock, but the discussion of the measure did not begin until the huuse re-convened at 2:3o o'clock.
 At this time Mir. Percy took the floor in behalf of the bill. He said the meas ure was important on its merits. He declared that inasnluch as it had been said that the bill sought to cut down the taxing power of the state, the bill should be taxed at length.
 Let us discuss this matter on it's