The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-05

of the house read a letter from C. Brooks smith. former state auditor, in which he requested that the recess investigation committee designate what officials dur ing the former administration had re- ceived rebates In the matter of letting the states printing contracts A similar letter was read In the senate yesterday.
 Representative Merritt of Macon moved that the excess baggage bill be taken from the adverse calendar. Representative Bradshaw of Lauderdale opposed the mo- ton on the ground that the committee on commerce and common carriers, of which he is chairman, had made an adverse re- port on the bill because 1t was found to be loaded. The Merritt motion finally prevailed.
 The rules committee reported favorably a resolution making the bill creating a prison commission and the bill abolishing the convict lease system special orders for the next legislative day.
 To Prohibit Sunday Baseball
 Despite the fact that the Bonner anti Sunday baseball bill was defeated in the senate yesterday by a large vote. Repre- sentative Green of Dallas introduced in the house today similar measure. Other bills introduced were measures by Repre- sentative Morris of Dale imposing a tax on caffein drinks and by Representative Smith of Crenshaw creating the office of superintendent of the capitol
 The house then resolved itself into a committee of the whole and began the further consideration of subdivision 72 of section 1 of the license bill, which leves a tax of s1 on deeds where the consideration is more than 5000 and 50 cents on deeds where the consideration Is less than $1000
 The committee then took up section aft CT section of the bill. and the work of adopting the bill proceeded in rapid order The only fight came when subdivision S2 was reached, which imposes a license of $100 on each peddler of medicine or other articles in every county in which he operates, $50 of which goes to the state
 Representative John of Dallas offered an amendment fixing the license at s200 instead of $100 and offered amendment fixing the license tax on peddlers of spec tacles or eyeglasses at s25 instead of S5 as fixed in the bill, and another amend ment fixing the license on peddlers of medicine with vocal or Instrumental music S3o0 instead of S100. as fixed in the bill
 Several speeches were made in support of the amendment Representatives Rog- CTS of Sumter, Justice of Fillmore and White of Franklin urging the adoption of tho amendment on the grounds that such peddlers prey upon the ignorant and poor CT classes of people. Representative Dar- den of Coosa thought all such peddlers should be driven out of the state
 Representative Judge of Shelby support ed tue license tax as fixed by the com mittee and moved to table the amend ment. The motion carried by a vote of @ to 42.
 License Tax on Corporations
 Other subdivisions of the bill were then adopted with little opposition, only one amendment of consequence being adopted before the subdivision relating to licenses to be paid by public utility corporations was reached
 This was an amendment reducing the license of persons dealing in pistols, brass knucks, rifles and other instruments of like kind from sl00 to 350 An attempt was made by Representative John of Dallas to increase the tax on poolrooms from s25 to slOo. but failed, Representatives Gray son and Chamberlain of Mobile opposing the proposed amendment.
 When subdivision 91 of section | fixing a license tax equal to 1 mill on each dol lar of the gross receipts of public utility corporations was called up for adoption. Chairman Weaklely of the recess com mittee on finances and taxation and chair man of the house committee on ways and means, explained to the committee that he would not vote on the question because of his connection with the Decatur Water- works and the Anniston waterworks.
 Representative Darden of Coosa then off, fered an amendment to increase the li- cense tax to 2 mills on each dollar of the gross receipts, and this amendment, after some little debate. was adopted by a vote of 50 to 40. The amendment was opposed by Representative Tunstall of