The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02
SMITH BILL IN
 HOUSE TUESDAY Is the Only Big General Bill
 Remaining TO BE SMOOTH SAILING Solons Are Expected to Be ill Session Three Days This Week and to
 Finish Their Labors
 Next Week
TO BE SMOOTH SAILING
By BERRYMAN G. BETTY

Montgomery, April 1.-(Special )-With | the passage of the general revenue bill and several large school appropriation measures, there remains but one impor- tant general bill to be passed by the | legislature before the two houses ad- journ. This is the Smith regulation bill, which has already passed the senate, and which will come up in the house for final disposition next Tuesday This measure first passed the house several weeks ago. After considerable delay in the hands of the committee 1t finally passed the senate, with several amend ments-
 It was returned to the house for that body to concur in the senate amend ments, but before further action was taken in the lower branch of the legis- | lature, the bill was recalled to the sen- ate for the purpose of making few minor corrections.
 With the new amendments the Dill passed the senate again on Friday after | noon, and it is now in the house. Next | Tuesday the measure will be considered in that body of the legislature, and by that afternoon the bill will probably be | in the hands of the governor
 | Prohibtionists in the house are ex pected to make a fight to defeat the bill,
 but it is not believed that their efforts will bring on any serious conflict. The house has twice during the present ses- sion passed local option bill-the Parks bill and the measure now before that body-and with the administration forces | thon at fir11a legislature convened, the friends of the
 bill do not apprehend much of a fight on the passage of the measure The bill is expected to pass the house with about GO or 65 votes out of the 104 members. Appropriation Measures | The house yesterday passed the gen. eral school appropriation bill providing $5OO,OO0 annually for the public schools of the state. In addition to this sum, the bill carries with it an additional ap- propriation of $1O0,000, this latter amount to be used at the discretion of tho gOv- ernor and contingent upon whether or not he thinks the treasury can stand the additional sum.
 This appropriation of $G00,0o0 represents an increase ol s250OO0 over the amount given out of the treasury to public school purposes during the past four years. An effort was made in the house to have this appropriation increased to $725,00o, but a compromise was effected, and 1t was decided to give the public schools of the State $600,00O. 8 Several other school appropriation measures have passed the two houses, though the lower branch of the legisla- ture has not yet passed the bills appro- priating funds to the University of Tus- caloosa, the Auburn Polytechnic institute and the college at Montevallo. The ap- propriaticns to these three institutions will aggregate something like $S00,Voo LOT the next four years.
 In addition to these higher institutions of learning provision has not yet been made for several of the agricultural and normal colleges of the state. These schools are asking for several hunored thousand dollars.
 The legislature has, therefore, numper of important general bills to pass pe- fore adjournment. Representatives of the various institutions of learning throughout the state have been in Mont gomery for several weeks in the interest of their schools.
 There is a strong sentiment in the house against increasing the appropria- ton to the state institutions of learning. Members who have taken the greatest in- terest in the educational bills have put themselves on record as favorlng the common schools of the state, claiming that it was the duty of the legislature to provide adequate educational facili- ties for the boys and girls of the rural districts before making any provision for the colleges. Whenever retrenchment has been suggested in the matter or ap- populations. members of the house have urged that it would be better to decrease the amount to be given the higher insti- tutions of learning than to take from the funds asked for by the smaller and less sustaining schools of the state.
 Working Hard
 Both houses of the legislature are working hard to finish their work before adjourning. The house calendar Is still crowded with bills, and each day new bills are added. Many of these measures, however, are local and can be disposed of by simply reading the caption of the bills and calling the roll
 During the five remaining days of the session the house will be able to dispose of a large number of these measures, though many bills that are on the caien- dar will doubtless never be called up for consideration.
 Tho legislature will probably work three days next week and adjourn on the | Thursday or Friday of the following week. By a resolution adopted in the {, house yesterday that body during the re- maning days of the session will con- sider special orders at the morning ses- sion. general bills at the afternoon ses- sion and local bills at the night ses- sior.
 Members of both houses are beginning | to see daylight ahead through tine del | uge of work which has enveloped them | for the past 10 weeks. They are working | hard and conscientiousy, and it is not , believed that any bills of importance,