The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-27
Equal Suffragists and Par liamentary Law Class
 Participate
MESSAGE IS READ
 FROM "GOVERNOR"
Many Bills Introduced Relative to the Status of Women and Several Freak Measures-Mrs. French
 Acts as Speaker

Both instructive and amusing was the mock extra session of the Alabama leg islature held yesterday afternoon at the Cable hall with Mrs. l.. Crozier Freneh's class in parliamentary law as the prin- eipals and the members of the Birming- ham Equal Suffrage association as the members. A number of bills were intro dueed that will be presented at the next session of the legislature such as bills relating to child labor, compulsory eduea- tion, women on school boards equal pay for equal work, co-guardianship of chil- dren and others of like nature, all of which were ably presented and discussed pro and con. To spice up the meeting several freak bills were presented. such as "a bill to regulate the length of l trousers taxation of bachelors" and 'bill to regulate the dress of women,' all of which were very amusing.
 Mrs. French acted as speaker and show ed much ability as a presiding officer, both as to the general routine of legisla- tive business and rulings on questions of parliamentary law, The members di- vided into two factions, the liberals with
 
 and the conservatives, led by Mrs. Myr- 1 telle w. Shell. Miss Amelia worthing- ton was clerk, Mrs. Louise Owings Charl- ton, page, and Mrs. Mae Kendel Hanpum as messenger.
 In opening the session Mrs French made an address on the status of women in the body polite of all states. She then announced the several committees with fha f..lin oh, Laura Sharpe, education. Miss Florence | McCrossin; house. Mrs Marilou Arm strong Cory, health, Miss Kate Eubank Blackburn; industrial work, Mrs. OctaYia F. Frazier, Among the first 'business transacted was a motion to limit the speeches to five minutes and to adjourn at o'clock: both of which carried. The messenger introduced the governors s Ines- sage as follows:
 Governors" Message
 ''State of Alabama, Office of Governor
 ITO the General Assembly: You have assembled in obedience to your con science, to exercise your legislative power for the honor and welfare of the people of Alabama, including women and ehil- dren.
 "Keenly alive as you are to the far reaching importance of your great trust I now give you information of the state ol the government, ana aCKnOWledBe tnai through your lofty purposes, we are about | to enter upon a better era of happiness 1 T regret that l cannot go into detai as to the needs of our state in this mes I sage for the reason that 1 am very bus, at present, preparing my next speech il l favor of the election of my worthy sue cessor, A. B. Homes
 With this masterful effort completed have to fulfil an important engagement with Horace Wood of the Peoples Joar- nal from whom I expect to gain many points upon the question of better state service.
 'The Condition of the Treasury-From recent detailed financial statement, l would recommend that the appropriations committee make no appropriation for school purposes, since there is only about 90 cents left in the treasury Because of my unquestioned loyalty to the cause of woman suffrage, I confi- dently hope that all other shortcomings of his administration be overlooked.
 Tn closing, l would ask that of all the legislation which has been urged from this executive department I wish to stress most the stringent prohibition laws, for which I have always so firmly stood.
 "R. R. REPEAL, Governor"