The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-24
Governor Favors Clause

OVVCAuOA 0NOIS NlduSC
 The reported statement which was given circulation today to the effect that Gov Emmet O'Neal favors retention of the clause in the measure has added an additional stimulus to the situation, and one that is altogether unique in view of the previous fights which have been made on the feature. The fact that the about its defeat in the house. considered along with the further fact that the very clause must again be submitted to the house, acted upon by that body and be effective before the end of the forty fifth day. has created in the city condition that is somewhat of a panic, the issue of which cannot be forecasted. It is taken that a well executed fiilibuster movement on the part of opponents of the measure at this time would not only spell death to the bill at this session of of the legislature, but compel an ex- tra session of the solons.
 Whether or not tho friends Of the busl- ness men who are now in the city will be valiant. enough to defend their posi- tions by such tactics will develop tomor- row, and go down in portion of the states legislative history
 Early Morning Session
 At the early morning session of the business men E. Oliver Fowlkes of Mo bile presided over the deliberations acting in the capacity of secretary Among the leaders at the meeting in addition to the two mentioned above were Nose Cans and Julian Hammel of Mobile. J. D. Moore, M. V. Joseph, B. M Jacobs, Joseph Babb and Colman Blach of Birmingham, M. M. Lehman of Selma. B. B. Joseph. Charles B. Teasley. Bernard Frank and moro than a dozen other prominent merchants of Montgomery. The insurance clause of the bill was immediately taken under advisement, and the decision at the session was reached to spend the en- tire day. in an effort to convert the state senators to the view as seen by the merchants.
 In this button-holing campaign Charles B. Teasley of Montgomery. M. |v. Joseph of Birmingham and M. Cans of Mobile served as the steering com- mittee. each of the gentlemen having with him several aides to fully explain the position of the business men.
 Results Reported
 Tonight at o'clock the merchants again assembled at the rooms of the DQ6IiiCnb l0CA At68 uO anu AOktn1AAy IC- ported the result of the days work. The session was an executive one. At the session, however, brief, drawn up by MT. Babb of Birmingham, was pre- sented to Qoverndr O'Neal, in which the position of the merchants is fully set forth. Protests against the present sec- tion drawn up by Messrs. Moore. Frank and Fowlkes were also written at this session and ordered distributed among the senators as setting forth the desires of the business men.
 In the batch of campaign literature which has been drawn up by the mer- chants is substitute amendment which they design to take the place of the in- surance feature now in the measure. The desired amendment is ono which really makes the insurance clause a circumstance" in that the assessors are to make use of 1t only when they are persuaded that the property at stake ia being undervalued. The pro- posed amendment reads:
 If the tax assessor is not satisfied with the assessment and has good req son to believe that any taxpayer is making false return of his property, he shall require such taxpayer to an- swer under oath as to the amount of insurance carried on any property dur Ing tho preceding calendar year, and may also demand an inventory of any property subject to taxation. Ha may also make inquiry of any person hav-