The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
RETRENCHMENT ID
 BE TIE FIRST STEP Should Legislature Meet in
 Special Session JUDICIAL REFORMS
REFORMS
Just When Extra Session Will Be Called Matter of Speculation. O'Neal Has Three Plans to -
 Save State Money


 Save State Money
 Montgomery, May 25.-Cspecial)-Whe will Governor o'Neal call a special ses- sion of the legislature?
 This is a question that is now receiv- ing a large degree. of consideration not only by state officials, but by prominent citizens in all sections Of Alabama. With the general proposition conceded that there will be a special session of the legisla- ture during the present year, everyone now wants to know when the governor will issue his call.
 It is generally admitted that the legisla- ture will be called to assemble either during the present summer. or early in the fall, in September or october should the governor decide to call a session for July or August the call will probably be issued within the near future inasmuch as sufficient time must be allowed for cleo tiona in various counties of the state to fill vacancies that have occurred since the last legislature.
 But the governor has not indicated the time. While he has on several oc- caslons intimated that 1t might be nec- essary to call a special session. he have given no intimation as to when he will issue the call. As to the many things which the Legislature will be called upon to consider when it does assemble, there has been a lack of de- finite information. It is known what measures will be taken up at the sug- gestion of the governor and it is pretty generally known what matters will not be considered.
 Retrenchment First Step
 When the legislature meets in special session the first step taken by that body will probably be along lines of re- trenchment With the administration and prominent citizens from all sec tions of the state regarding this mat ter as of the most supreme importance, though with many differing as to the modus operandi to be pursued in achieving this result, it is not unlike Iy that bills looking to curtailment of expenses will be among the first in troduced in the legislature.
 Governor ONeal has indicated three steps which he thinks the state should take as means of saving money. The executive believes that the state should saddle the burden of feeding county prisoners on the counties that the pen sion roll should be purged of all who
  that steps should be taken looking to a closer scrutiny of the financial stand ing of patients sent to the insane asylums of the state
 The governor believes that by the passage of bills providing for re- trenchment along these lines he can save the state several hundred thousand dollars annually, the largest item of expense at the present time being with reference Ito the feeding of prisoners. By saddling this burden upon the coun- ties. as lt Is done in most of the other states of the union, according to the exeeiitire, about S300.000 can be kept in the treasury which has aheretofore- been annually expended. A9ar
 Another si00d00 can probably be saved by purglng the pension roll of what the governor considers parasites, and prob ably one-lalf that sum can be saved am nually by compelling the families of pa tents not in indigent circumstances to provide for their maintenance. Altogether these three plans of the governor would represent, if carried out according to his ideas, an annual saving of more than S400, ,000
 Another item of expense which the gov ernor is desirous of curtailing Is found In the enormous cost of the states judicial system. Blythe proper redistrictng of the state the governor believes he can save between $15,0O0 and $100,0O0, which would result from the abolition of courts solicit ors' fees and other expenses for which the treasury is now responsible.
 Judicial Reforms
 Retrenchment is but one of the ques- tions to be considered by the legislatu when it assemblies in special session. An other matter which will be taken up, and which will probably command as much consideration a the question of retrench- .s-ii1 1xo fla. G.a1Rf f,tlf ,s.l form.
 The reforms to be recommended in the judicial system of the state will have been definitely worked out by the time tho legislature assemblies, The meeting or tfe commission on Thursday afternoon settlei that question. By the assignment of work to various subcommittee of the judicial commssion it was arranged that the plans looking to reform should be per fscted and presented to the committee of the whole, which will meet in Mont- Eofnery in July The committee of the whole will then thrash out the various subjects requiring revision.
 These will all be embodied in a re- port to the governor, who Will, In turn if they meet with his approval trans init them to the legislature
 The subject of judicial reform will. therefore, be taken up by the legis- lature after having been considered by sU or the dDieSl laWyerS or the state. The matter will have been threshed out from every possible viewpoint, which will enable the members of the legis- 1ature to take up the various subjects of judicial procedure requiring revi-I sion with a definite understanding of what is needed and expected on the part of the lawyers of the state.
 The practically unanimous approval. which has ben given to the governors plan looking to judicial reform is consid- cred a fair promise of the successful pas sage of measures looking to thorough revision of the judicial system. and It Is expected that this general subject will meet with little opposition on the part of the members of the legislature.
 These two big questions-retrenchm and judicial reform-are the principal mat ters which the legislature; win he called upon to consider when called together in special session. The imperative need Tor both. and the immediate demand for the