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

passed byEa viva-voce vote. and section 3 was called
 Mr Smith offered an amendment to the section providing that the second excise should be appointed by the next governor The amendment was car ried and the section as amended was passed
 Representative Merritt then moved that the committee stay in continuous session until the bill as g. whole should be dis posed of. This was ordered on viva voce vote
 Section 4. relating to the classification of cities, was passed without debate.
 Efforts to Amend
 Section of the bill was sought to be amended so that the commissioners sal aries might be changed from the original purposes of the bill. As set forth in the Smith measure, commissioners in class cities are to receive 5000 for the chairman and $2500 for associates; class B cites, $2500 for chairman and 5000 for asso- ciates; class cities, chairman slooO and associates s1200; class D cities, chairman s450 and associates s3O0.
 All proposed amendments were killed and the committee passed the section
 Other Amendments Proposed
 Representative Brindley of Etowan county at this juncture inquired of Chair man Smith how many more amendments were proposed to the measure Upon be- ing informed that there were about dozen more, he moved that all of the amendments be passed Before vote could bo taken, however, the committe resolved itself into a session of the house in order that a senate resolution might be re- ceived.
 The change was ordered and the rules committee called into session. The reso- lution provided for adjournment of the legislature from today until Tuesday noon, but 1t was so amended by the house as to provide for adjournment from to- morrow until Tuesday noon.
 Following upon adoption of this report the house again returned to committee of the whole and the entire batch of com measure.
 Chief of these amendments was a change in the section regulating the sale of intoxicants in Birmingham. As orig inally written the section provided a. license of $25O0 in that city, but the amendment proposed an increase to $So00 per year. Moreover, each saloon in tlie Magic City is to be allowed on basis of 5000 population rather than 2o0O popula- tion.
 In so far as Mobile was concerned the bill was sought to he amended so as to allow that city a basis of one saloon for every 7o0 population, instead of 1000 popu- lation.
 All cities save Mobile and Birming- ham are to be allowed saloons under the 1000 basis, according to the bill as amended. The Mobile amendment was adopted as well as the entire section.
 Section 72 of the bill was so amended as to provide that "the salary of dis penser shall not be less than $900.' in-> stead of s150O.
 Almon Feels Steam Roller
 Section S2 was sought to be amended so as to allow the cities 50 per cent of the proceeds, the county 40 per cent and the gtate 10 per cent. The original bill pro vided 45 per cent for county, 45 for city and 10 for state. Speaker Almon, author of the amendment, took exception to the remarks going the rounds suggesting death. of the amendment.
 You may push the steam roller over me-" he shouted, 'but you can't keep me from offering the amendment"
 MT. Smith took exception to the speak CTS remarks, stating that machine methods were not to be brought into the question.
 He moved that the Almon amendment be tabled, which was ordered.
 Judge Almon then offered an amend ment to strike section 49 from the bill providing for a purchasing agent in ad dition to dispenser.
 The speaker of the house stated that in small counties the dual office might be too great an expense.
 MT. Smith objected to the proposed amendment on the ground that passage of it would necessitate an entirely new instrument
 Judge Almon on the table, which was likewise ordered
 Merritt's Amendment
 Representative Merritt of Macon county offered an amendment to the bill so as to provide that licenses to retail liquor shall not he issued to any saloonist or citizen who has been convicted in any court of any criminal offense. or who has since January l, 1909, obtained or received from the United States government a license to sell liquor anywhere in the state of Ala bama."
 Speaking in favor of the amendment the representative said that it would test the true merits of the house to see whether or not they really want to stop blind tigerism." MT. Merritt addressed dSSiduOQSly tO HlS amendment, declaring that the house would in after years regret passage of the present measure. The speaker referred to the excise commission as the excuse" com mission
 That's all it is,'' he said, tits merely an excuse"
 MT. Merritt throughout his speech was listened to attentively by the represen- tatives. He was happy in the use of his epigrams, though he stated at the outset that he did not expect the committee to pay any serious attention to his amend ment.
 Upon vote the amendment was lost by a vote of 50 to 37.
 Pitts Amendment
 Representative Pitts proposed such an amendment to the title of the act as would require the regulation of the sale of spirituous liquors 'at or by election of the qualified voters" The amendment be any doubt as to this requirement. The committee agreed to the amendment, which was adopted.
 Representative Darden proposed an amendment to section 6. giving police power to the excise commission. Int amendment was opposed by Representa- tive Huddleston, who moved to table the motion, which was ordered
 Representative Rice offered an amend ment to cover the table of the bill and to provide that the people of Alabama should first vote on the question before the sale of liquor was authorised in the state. The sense of Mir Rices amend ment was that the state should be made the unit.
 q do not concede to Montgomery the right to sell liquor." said Mr. Rice, when