The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-21
CARMICHAEL WOULD. HAVE ALL IMPORTANT
 BILLS CONSIDERED
 IN JOINT MEETINGS
Speaker of the House Has Scheme for Shortening Legislative Session and Saving Time
By l.. S. BETTY

Fly IL. $. BETTY
 Montgomery, July 2O.-(Special.)
 To the end that much valuable
 time may be saved in the consid-
 eration of important bills before
 the legislature, and with the fur
 ther end in view of adjournment
 on the thirty-fifth lesislative day,
 Speaker \. H.. Carmichael of the
 house of representatives believes
 the two houses should resolve
 themselves into q general commit-
 tee, or caucus, and decide upon
 definite action In regard to the
 numerous bills before the as-
 sembIy.
 q have always favored this plan" said the speaker in discussing the feasi- bilty of the method "The legislature might easily determine to meet in a gen. eral committee or caucus and spend sev- eral days if necessary. in working out some of the tedious problems before the two bodies. Then on the next legislative day the measures could be put on their final passage and little time would be lost"
 According to Speaker Carmichael there has not yet been any agreement among the legislative leaders as to adjournment for another split session. He admits that the question has been informally dis cussed, however. but without any definite conclusion having been reached
 Favors Split Session
 cvlit said the speaker. ''In my opinion. we can accomplish enough in 15 days to war rant another recess: that is. provided the members are willing to work. But we cannot accomplish all that we hope to achieve, in my opinion, unless We de- eide to meet as general committee, conference, or caucus, and reach some definite agreement on many of the inn portant bills before the two legislative bodies"
 Speaker Carmichael referred particu- larly to the time that might be consumed in considering the numerous court bills proposed by the recess committee on the Judiciary; the prison commission bill, the new revenue law, the bill providing for the removal of the medical college J from Mobile to Birmingham and other important measures. The greater part of these bills should be considered by the legislature in caucus, thinks the speaker of the house.
 l. is probable that some definite agree ment1 regarding another split session will . be reached in a day or two. Those who favor another long recess believe the legislature should consume l5 working days at this session. and adjourn on the thirty-fifth day until next January. There gre some who favor adjournment until next August.
 Governor Opposed to Recess
 Governor Henderson does not see the necessity for another split session, and he has so informed certain members of the legislature. The governor believes it is contrary to the spirit of the constitu- ton to extend a legislative session over a period of more than year.
 But the governors principal opposi- ton to another split session is based on the grounds that he Is particularly anxious to see his proposed bond issue enacted into law as speedily as pos- sible. Should the legislature adjourn on the thirty-fifth legislative day until next January, or August, then 1t will be three months. under the constitution, before the people of the state will be allowed to vote on the proposed bond issue even though 1t should pass the senate at this session. For, as is well known, a con- stitutional amendment cannot be submit ted to the people of the state until three months after the final adjournment of the legislature.
 Hence the state would be compelled to wait until the administration was nearly two years old before financial relief could be extended through the medium of bond issue. During that time, the governor might be put to the extraordinary task of financing the state by means of loans and other methods For that reason, the governor would like to see the legislature remain in ses- sion until the fiftieth legislative day, which would insure an election on the proposed amendment late in the fall Therefore, it is expected that he will use his influence to prevent another split session. x~