The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-08
PLANS ID REGULATE
 PUBLIC UTILITIES Lee Long Introduces Bill in
 the House WILL BE FAR REACHING Adds Two Members to Railroad Com- mission and Gives It n Very
 Much Wider Scope of
 Control
WILL BE FAR REACHING
BY BERRYMAN G. BETTY

Montgomery. February 7-(Special.) ) Desiring to meet all objections that have been voiced during the past four years relative to .ne limited work of the Alabama railroad commission, Rep resentative J. Lee Long introduced at | this afternoons session of the house of representatives bill which seeks to enlarge the powers of that body, | so as to allow 1t Jurisdiction over all of the public utilities of the common wealth. The bill provides for this purpose. an addition of two commits sioners, to be appointed by the gov ernor at a salary to be fixed. According to the measure of the Butler county representative, the com | mission as planned is to have jurisdic- tion over express companies. canals. water and all similar utilities. It Is provided that the bill shall be effective | immediately upon its passage through the legislative halls and as soon as Governor ONeaps signature is affixed to the bill.
 The measure was referred to the committee on commerce and common carriers.
 Other bills introduced in the house were as follows: A
 By Representative o'Nesi: With notice and proof. to provide for the establish ment of ap extra inferior court in the county of Jefferson.
 By Representative Lee: To amend sec ton S234 of the code relating to time of holding circuit court.
 Long Carries Point Under the head of third readings, warm discussion was caused by the senate measure of President Pc Tenn Hugh Mor- row which seeks to allow the state at torney general an extra assistant at 8. salary of $500 per year, and to increase the salary of the first assistant from $500 to $2400. The measure was passed in the senate several days ago, and was report ed favorably by the house committee on judiciary.
 Representative Long early in the ses- sion proposed an amendment to allow the first assistant salary of $500, and the second assistant salary of $1500 per year.
 Representatives Percy, Parks, Pitts and Rice spoke in support of the bill as originally introduced Representatives Jenkins and Long speaking against the measure. MT. Percy insisted that such assistance should be given to the attor ney general as would enable that official to give more of his time to state du- ties.
 The Jefferson county representative scored the practice of the states press
 ing into service extra attorneys unless they are absolutely needed He thought that the employment by Governor O'Neal of legal adviser during this session of the legislature was an unnecessary precaution. Mir. Percy declared that passage of the proposed bill would have the tendency of putting the attorney generals office on such a plane of ef- ficiency as to ultimately reduce the em- ployment of special attorneys.
 MT. Longs amendment, after a lively scrimmage, was offered, first blood being drawn when the Butler county repre- sentative succeeded in having the vote by which the bill was placed on third reading reconsidered
 Count of the vote showed passage of the amendment by vote of 58 to 90. The bill as amended was then passed by a vote of 47 to 2S