The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-09-12
BITTERNESS SHOWN
!. BY THE REGULARS N
THE LEGISLATURE
M'ALisTER ATTEMPTS TO KILL
LAW ENFORCEMENT BILLS
BUT FAILS.
WARM TINES IN THE SENATE

WARM TIMES In THE SENATE
Underwood Dares Them to Go On
Record on the BiIls--WiII Fire Of
ficials and Change the Rules--A
Threat to Gust Speaker White.
NASHVILLE, Sept. o.. Marked
by a flood Of bills, the like Of which
was never seen before in one days
session Of a general assembly Of the
state, and warm political fight In
the senate, brought about by an at
tempt on the part of the regular"
members to adopt new rules, the Ten
Fnessee legislature convened at the
governors call in special session on
Monday afternoon.
In all there were 14S bills introduce
ed at the days session, an average Of
more than one for each member Of
the legislature, and bills introduced
covered practically every subject In
|cluded in the governors call.
While all Of the law enforcement
measures were gotten through on
first reading it was not without oppo-
sition. In the senate when the bill
providing for the Interchange OF judg-
les for non-performance OF duties was
introduced Senator McAlister moved
that the bill be rejected. Later he
withdrew his motion on the insist
fence Of his colleagues, realizing that
Iit could not succeed.
| Bills passed on first reading In adj
dition to the law enforcement meas
ures included two amendments to the
assessment law, several anti-railroad
land anti-corporation bills and good
deal. Of labor legislation, game, fish
and forestry bills. and two pure food
land drug laws.
Both the senate and the house
heard a message from Gov. Hooper
relative to the measures In the call.
The governor In his message state
that he would prepare special mes
Isages relative to the new law enforce.
lment bills and the back tax and as
sessment legislation.
The scrap In the senate was pro.
longed and bitter Scarcely had the
body organized for business when
Senator Fisher, Of Shelby, made q
motion that committee be appoint
| ed to formulate rules for the gov
erning Of the senate.
Independent and republican mem
lbers Immediately made objection to
| this motion, stating that the rules Of
the regular session of the senate APP
piled to the special session unless
changed by the suspension Of the
rules on a two-thirds vote.
Senator McAlister defended Sena-
tor Fishers motion, contending that
the senate not only had no rules but
no oficialss as well and that it was
well in the province OF that body to
elect new officers. He stated, how
lever that there was no desire to elect
officials, but merely to adopt new
rules and reorganize the committees
Of tire body.
Senator Underwood then rose to
defend the position OF the independ-
ents and republicans that the rules
still applied to the senate. He charg-
ed that fight for reorganization Of
the committees was being made BY
the regulars" and was an attempt
to smother in committee the law en-
forcement bills so that those pledged
to vote for these measure but secret
ly against them might not be forced
to come to an open vote on them.
He promised that II the rules Of the
body were unchanged all OF che bills
included In the governors call would
be brought before the senate for ac-
tion and asked il the "regulars''
would make the same promise should
they obtain control Of the commit
tees. This they: did not answer, SEN
ator Underwood dared the regulars"
to 60 on public record on the law en-
|forcement measures.
THE most contemplate thing in
the world Il a coward" he said.
Have the courage IL come out
straightforward on these questions
Are you afraid to 60 on public record
in regard 10 them %
Senator Clement asked II Mr.. I'M
aerwood referred to him in stating
that certain members of the senate
were understood to be pledged to
vote for the law enforcement meas-
ures and stated that he had never
made any aucb n1oduo oftbor IN ~uvrff