The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-04

Tuscaloosa at rs:2O o'clock. Representa- tive Jenkins of Baldwin county caught the eye of the speaker and started the second pyrotechnic.
 The gentleman who has preceded me-" declared MT. Jenkins. referring to the address of MT. Percy, has & bear on his brain. I won't call it a brain storm. It was merely a bearstorm.' MT. Jenkins compared the address of MT. Percy to the man who once at- tempted to butt a bull off bridge MT. Jenkins said that the mans friends admired his courage, but that they Thought he was a d- fool.
 MT. Jenkins said. moreover, that MT. Percy was uph olding the local option cause with one hand, but striking 1t down with the other. After he had se- cured everything he wanted, he said, he was willing to o>turn against the ad- ministration.
 MT. Percy has now gone to the jumping off place." declared MT Jen- kins. and all that ] can now say is: Go 1t. bully, but you go it alone.
 MT. Jenkins then referred to Gov ernor O'Neal as the Prince Rupert of Alabama democracy. The arraignment of him offered by Representative Percy, he said, was unparalleled N-since the days of tie Englishmaa Hastings.
 Speaking to the question, Mir. Jen- kins stated that he came to the cap .itol opposed to the commission form of government. but that since arriving here he had become convert to the cause He stated that an excise com- mission would be of tremendous ben eft to the various cities. and he added that the commission had best be ap- appointed by the governor.
 Representative Arnold addressed him. self directly to the amendment offered my Representative Percy. stating that the Jefferson county representative had under cover of his amendment taken oc- casion to make a bitter attack on the states chief executive, both unwar- ranted and uncalled for. He thought that MT Percy was inconsistent in his remarks in desiring the appointive power withdrawn from only a few of the cities. ]" If itsis best for one city" declared MT. Arnold, "it is surely best for other cities as we'll"
 Inconsistent Reasoning
 Mir Arnold stated that MT Percy's views, thoroughly analysed, were slmp- ly to the effect that Governor O'Neal was not capable of making a wise ap- pointment. At this point MT. Percy in- terrupted the speaker by asking him if he thought the appointment of A. E. Walker as bank superintendent was wise one. MT. Arnold replied that Mr.
 
 charge of the office.
 'Is he an expert accountant?' asked MT. Percy.
 He is a competent man." replied Mir Arnold, storm of applause breaking down upon him.
 Mir. Arnold then intensified the situa- 'tion by asking the house, Upon what meat has this distinguished gentlema., from Jefferson fed that he has grown so wiser" MT. Percy interrupted to again ask whether MT. Walker was an expert accountant, to which the speaker again replied that MT. Walker was an able lawyer and a competent man.
 The colloquy was the cause of the tensest situation of the day. the rapid exchange of questions keeping the house on the qui vive of excitement.
 Cannot Remain Silent
 Representative Pitts of Dallas county followed MT. Arnold, saying that he could no longer remain silent on the question 'T have spoken so much in this house." he said. that I'm tired of hearing my self talk"
 Mr. Pitts said that the high encomium paid to Mir. Long by MT. Percy was of itself sufficient to show that he was worthy the office of chairman of the state tax commission Regarding the appoint ment of Alex Walker as bank superin- tendent. MT. Pitts stated he understood the appointee to be an experienced &C., countant.
 ''Do you. as a lawyer" asked Mir. Percy. believe that you are an experi- enced accountant?'
 q certainly do not replied Mir. Pitts. "The only experience have with banks is to borrow money"
 Mir Pitts then said that there was difference between an expert accountant and an experienced accountant. He sad that MT. Walkers experience in bank rupt proceedings made him a most valu- able man.
 Any mans friends are as good as my friends" declared MT. Pitts. and the man is an ingrate who thinks otherwise"
 Regarding the Appointment of P. c. Bowman as back tax commissioner of Jefferson county. to which MT. Percy had referred, MT. Pitts stated that the gov ernor thought that MT. Bowman was the best man in Jefferson county for the job and that 1t was in the province of no man to say that the appointment was not a wise one.
 Amendment Lost
 MT Percy's amendment was put to a vote at the expiration of MT. Pitts ad- dress and was lost by a ballot of 52 to A..
 Representative Brindley of Etowah county then proposed an amendment that the excise commission in each instance be elected by the governing body of every city, rather than appointed by the governor.
 Mr. Smith moved that the motion of Mir Brindley he tabled, which motion was lost on viva voce vote. Several of the representatives asked for a verif- cation. which was ordered, with the re- suit that the amendment was found to be tabled the clerk having made a mis- take in announcing the count.
 Representative Sanders of Pike coun- ty, offered an amendment that the mayor of every city be the head of the ex- else commission and that the other two associates be elected by the court of county commissioners.
 Mr. Smith regretted that vote on the bill was being delayed, saying that bal lots already taken in the house were sufficient to show that the body was willing to leave the appointive power in the hands of the states chief executive. Representative Huddleston of Fillmore, county was of something the same opln- ion. saying that the house was getting kind of 'subernatorial phobia."
 Filibustering Tactics
 At the conclusion of Dr. Huddleston's remarks Representative Smith moved that the motion of MT. Sanders be placed on the table MT. Richeson moved to in- definitely postpone the Smith motion.
 Taking advantage of the debate al- lowed, Representative Darden of Blount county spoke in favor of the Darden measure, saying that the solution offered was a wise one. He thought that the county commissions best knew who would -I.Y-