The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-11
HOUSE POSTPONES
 AUTOMOBILE BILL Objection Found to Stolen
 werck's Measure EXTENDED DEBATE Bill Provides a System of Taxation Based on Horsepower of Ma
 chine Regardless of Price.
 Routine Work
EXTENDED DEBATE
By BERRYMAN c. BETTY

By BERRYMAN c. BETTY
 Montgomery, March 10.-(SpeciaL)- The principal features of the morning session in the house was the discussion of MT. Stollenwerck's automobile bill which had been made a special order for today, and the debate on takin g MT. Wilhite's bill, providing for the abolition of the law and equity court of Morgan county, from the adverse calendar. Neither matter was definite ly disposed of by the house, the Stolen werck bill being postponed until next Tuesday in order that some amendments might be made, and the debate on the Wilhite bill continuing until the hour of recess.
 The Stollenwerck bill Is a voluminous document and is modelled after the au- tomobile laws of New Jersey and other states. It provides a system of taxa ton based on the, horsepower of the machine, regardless of the price, and a uniform system of registration.
 Debate on Bill
 When the Stollenwerck automobile bill was called up, MT. Brindley of Eto- wah said the bill was so voluminous that he thought the house should re' solve itself into a committee of the whole, and made this motion. The mo- tion was lost.
 The main discussion on the bill was then opened by MT. Mulkey of Geneva who opposed the measure. Mir. Mulkey said the bill was discrimination against the owners of machines living in the rural districts, many of whom owned cars that only cost 5000. He said if the bill were amended IS to euualize the license fee on the basis of the valuation of the car, he would support the bill. He said he had no objection to many features of the bill and that he thought a general automo- bile law for the state was needed, but that he believed the license should be reduced.
 Stollenwerck Speaks
 MT. Stollenwerck said his bill had the Endorsement of the Automobile associa- ton of the state, and modelled after the New Jersey law and statutes of other states He said that if there were any thing unreasonable in the bill he was perfectly willing to have the measure amended.
 The Montgomery represen tative stated that the state had no general automobile law, and that under the present system when an automobile owner took his car into another state he had to pay an ex- tra license. MT. Stollenwerck said that under the provisions of his bill this extra license would not be charged as the Alabama law would be honored in other states He declared that he had no ob- jection to the bill being amended, but he strongly urged against the defeat of the measure.
 Mr. Smith said he favored the bill be- fslias E leant regulation. He declared .raf ha believed in automobiles, and
 the ambition of some time own himself, but said that he thought restriction should be placed on the operation of the cars. He declared that autoists were too reckless, that they had little regard for the rights of the peo- pie on the state highways
 MT. Smith pointed out various features of the bill which he considered good and urged that the measure be amended so as to meet whatever objections certain members might have to the instrument. The Montgomery representative spoke against the carelessness of some automo- bile drivers in regard to exceeding the epeed limit, and said the Stollenwerck bill was intended to correct that evil, as well as a number of others which obtain. Mr Mulkey again took the floor. stating that the bill was designed to protect the rich automobile owner. He said that he obiected to the feature of the bill which related to the license fee to be paid, which he considered a great hardship auto mobile owners in the rural district. He again stated that if the bill were amend ed so as to reduce the license to be as- sessed he would support the measure.
 MT. Darden of Bount favored the bill, declaring he thought it a good measure, and that it should pass. He said the law was needed by the rural districts, as the people living in the country had much to complain of at the hands of careless au- toists.
 MT. Horton of Limestone said he thought the license feature of the bill unconsti- tutional in that machines were not taxed in proportion to their value. He declared that the constitution provides that all property shall be taxed in exact propor- tion to its value.
 MT. Horton said he was also opposed to the manner in which the tax was d- vided after it had been assessed
 On motion of MT. Smith, the chair ap- pointed committee. consisting of Messrs Stollenwerck, Horton and Mulkey, to pre- pare certain amendments, after which the house postponed the further consider ation of the bill until next Tuesday morn ing.
 Sherrod Bill Passes
 The bill by MT. Sherrod to fix the time and place of holding the courts in the counties composing the Eighth judicial circuit of Alabama was called up and passed by vote of 58 to 0. The meas ure had been made a special order for this morning.
 Debate on Wilhite Bill
 MT. Wilhite of Morgan county made . motion in the house today to take his bill to abolish the law and equity court of Morgan county from the ad verse calendar. The bill had been ad versed by the committee on revision of laws.
 MT. Mulkey, chairman of the com mittee on revision of laws. said tha the bill had been adversed by ever, man in that committee. He stated tha the members. all of whom are lawyers ahd thought the measure unconstitu ttonal and that they had adversed tn, bill on that ground.
 The Geneva representative said h, did not think the legislature should pass any measure which might be un constitutional
 MT. Wilhite followed Mir. Mulkey ol the debate and stated that the law an, equity court was objectionable to hi county; that 1t has been expensive. an. that it had served to increase litiga tion. He declared that the people O his county had urged him to introduc the bill to abolish the court and tha
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