The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-02
JUDICIAL REFORM DEAR ID HEART OF PRESENT GOVERNOR South Alabama SOlOn Thinks Appellate Court Should
 Be Abolished MUCH WORK BEFORE
 AN EXTRA SESSION Political Gossip About the Probable Disposition of Offices and Com
 mittees in the Next
 Legislature
By HUGH w. ROBERTS

By HUGH w. ROBERTS
 The governor in the event that he is- sues call for an extra session of the legislature, may play safe by including in his proclamation only matters of the most urgent nature-provisions for the financial relief of the state and certain municipalities, and for making effective the anti-fee amendment of Jefferson county. There are other matters, how ever, which are very dear to the heart of the executive, chief among which is the reformation of the judiciary system and the mode of legal practice in Ala bama
 It is generally thought probable that there will be an extra session. If the law makers are held together for only few days and are required to discharge only a few of the duties which confront them, the next regular session will be the busiest and the most important in the recent history of Alabama.
 There is no question but that there is everywhere a ripe sentiment for retrench- ment Useless offices are destined to be abolished Offices, in part necessary, which may with propriety be combined with others, will be combined. There will not be disposition recklessly to ap- propriate the peoples money. The pres ent and preceding administrations have taught a wholesome lesson. The reaction has set in, and as has been suggested in A previous article in The Age Herald, there is danger lest the lawmakers in this direction go too far.
 
 For instance. would it be wise, in the general reformation of the judiciary sys- tenn of the state, to abolish the appellate court?
 This question is pertinent because considerable number of men who have been nominated to serve in the legislature are inclined to destroy this arm of the system An embryonic statesman from one of the south Alabama counties while in Birmingham yesterday declared that if no other member of the legislature struck the first blow, he himself would do so. He contended that this court was useless and that it was expensive--too ex- pensive.
 we must face this issue" he added "We have a clumsy and lopsided judiciary system in Alabama, and 1t is so expen- sive that it hangs like a mlllstone about the necks of the people The cost of our judiciary Is $500 per annum. And despite this fact, our dockets are as con gested as they have always been. have no criticism to make of any individual or of any court But do contend that we are paving too large sum of money for the partial execution of our laws.
 As to the wisdom of abolishng the ap- nellate court there is considerable doubt There is no doubt, however. but mat an attempt to that end will be made, apd that such attempt will have the support m a a iOrity of the legislators.
 If an extra session of the legislature Is called prior to November, or rather, prior to the date of the general election, It IS considered possible though not probable that E. B. Almon will serve as speaker. He has been nominated to congress, put until he is elected, it IS pointed out that if would not be improper for him to serve as sneaker. But if he resigns, as 1t is thought that he will do, then Henry Mer- rift of Macon will be speaker MT. Mer- ritt was formally elected speaker pro tenn of the house during the session Of lSll. He is a prohibitonfst, but not one or the variety which endeavors to bite the legs of those who oppose Its schemes In the upper house, Hugh Morrow of Birming- ham, will, of course, continue 10 serve as president pro tenn.
 MT. Merritt, who is unusually popular with all factions. is candidate TOT speaker of the house for the term begin ming next January. He is strong candi- date. and it would cause little surprise were he to be chosen. Those arrayed against him are A. H. Carmichael ana John A. Rogers MT. Carmichael is a prohibitiopist, and he served as speaker during that unfortunate regime which thrust statewide prohibition down the throats of protesting people. and enoeaV- ored to saddle the infamous yoke Of con stitutional prohibition about the shoulder of its constituents-that regime which goaded the people to the point of despera- tton and forced them into open and sue cessful rebellion. MT. Rogers is local optionist He was elected without effort on his part by the people of prohibi- tion county. He is able and fearless and popular. He will be formidable.
 At the present time there is a spirited race in progress for president pro tenn of the senate-a job which in view of the fact that Thomas E. Kilby. the next lieu tenant governor, will appoint the commit tees, will be known as a joke job. gew- gaw to be worn about the neck of It's owner as trophy by means of which the folks down home" might be deceived into believing that Jim or John or Tom is some pumpkins'i after all
 The candidates9Rre G. Ernest Jones of Barbour, Thomas L. Bulger of Tallapoosa, J. c. Milner of Lamar, and Oscar l.. Lewis of Macon H matters little who wins. The president pro tem of tho seh- Ate during tto nGxt r6G1Iar eon1loqg ok