The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-25

The legislature, chosen III ue'' 1898. assembled November 10. John r.
 Hubbard of Pike was the historic hgure
 i'm inc house The membership was
 found to consist mainly of men or the
 generation that had come on since Ap-
 ponattox John H. Wallace of Madison
 Erla Pettus of Limestone. ]. Thomas
 Heflin of Randolph, W. ". Brandon of
 Tuscaloosa. John Mcqueen of Jefferson.
 R. R. Poole of Marengo. Montgomery county sent W. C. Bibb. B. II. screws Bibb Graves and Horace Hood. Charles
 E. Waller of Hale. young man. was chosen speaker, and Massey Wilson ot Clarke, clerk
 On the senate roll were W. D. Jelks' |R. M. Cunningham, J. H. Nunnelee, A. E. Caffee, John w. Abercrombie. F. e'
 Moody. D. J. Meadow, A. A. Wiley w.. I Rovlen. Senator Cunningham was chosen president and John E. Proctor secretary.
 r,oyernor Johnston had come into ms second term with the enthusiastic m dorsement of the biennial state conven- tion that renominated him on the record of his first term. In his first communi- cation with the legislature he saio. l"But little legislation is needed, in my judgment. and l trust that our statute hooks shall not be encumbered with many local laws" The legislature, how ever, ordered to be bound in one volume the body of general laws and local laws. The book so composed consisted of 1903 pages, 1902 of which were local 1 laws
 We shall see, later on, how this de- 1 liant rejection of the governors adVlce exerted an influence upon the pending popular movement to commit the party | to great constitutional reform, little an- l ticipated by the law makers supernumerary circuit judge. in vested also with the powers of chan cellor was now added to the Judiciary. The vexed question of legal control of | traffic in alcoholic drinks was disposed of by the act allowing incorporated towns to abolish the barroom for the legally regulated dispensary. Pensions for Confederate veterans were increased. The public school sys- l tenn was enlarged by a special tax or | 10 cents on the $100 assessment, a pet | ter discipline for the system was pro vided by a uniform rule of examination of teachers prior to the issue or the | teachers license. The Alabama (white)
 Boys Industrial school was chartered
 near East Lake. Commissioners were | lappointed to select the large area or mineral lands donated by Congress
 from the public domain for the benent | of the Girls (white) Industrial schooi at Montevallo
 1 The governors favorite reform meas use the better assessment and collection | of taxes, was advanced by an enlarged | list of subjects of taxation. New rules aiso were prescribed regulating the method oi | the back tax commissioners, both state and county, looking to improved efficiency | in their work.
 l By act of 1897 the adjutant general oi | the state troops was made salarleo office, still retaining the clerk to thai l office on salary
 l There had been some friction from the 1 start between county officers and state 1 examiners of public accounts. Evidently | had there been no ground for this kine | of disturbance the office of state examiner must have been superfuous- Proof Of th' friction in that quarter had led the p'en nial party convention of 1893 specially U recommend Governor Johnston to puph' confidence inasmuch as 1t was py m urgency that the work of the examiners had become more inquisitorial and moro conclusive of results in the public III terest.
 The governor sent the report of ASSES tant Examiner Cowan on the books O l the offices of Jefferson county by specia message to the legislature. The messas offered Assistant Examiner Cowans re port in evidence. that the elective boar of four commissioners of Jefferson shoui' be abolished and in lieu thereof poar' of revenue for the county be appolnte' by the governor to take office immedi ately and hold until their successors migh be elected and qualify at the next ensuing general election.
 The house took up the bill to enforce the governors recommendation by putting | the four elected county commissioners out their duties to fall to a board of revenue appointed by the executive. Debate rar high. After consideration from 4 o'clocl in the afternoon until at night, the bl pa assed, 57 to 23. After protracted and ex
 citing consideration, the senate adopted
 the house bill. 12 to 5, bare quorum
 voting.
 The waters were not yet calm. Tn,
 four Jefferson county commissioners re
 fused to acknowledge the governors boart