The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-04

VictS IN coal lnineS on university Janus.
Changing the name of the Alabama
! Public Utilities commission to the Ala
bama public utilities and railroad COM
mission, enlarging it's powers and in
creasng salaries of the commissioners.
In the event this bill passes it will take
from the municipalities of the state ev-
cry power they now have with reference
to the regulation of charges and fares,
service and franchise contracts they now
possess.
Changing the name of the department
OF game and fish to the department of
conservation with enlarged powers, ex-
tending to the protection of salt water
fish as well as the fresh water varieties.
Representative Hawkins of jefferson is
the author of a bill requiring jitney
operators to give bond for the protec-
ton of their passengers against personal
injuries Mr.. Hawkins is determined to
put this bill through the legislature If it
is possible to do so. In urging its pas
sage he declared that the jitneys are
operated by persons who have no prop
erty other than their machines, mostly
of the cheap kind, and in the event of
injuries resulting from reckless handling
OF the cars, the passengers have no
means Of collecting compensation there
for. He recited a number of incidents
either coming under his observation or
called to his attention by others where
rights of pedestrians and with an APP
parent reckless disregard for the safety
Of their passengers or for persons on
the streets, ran their machines at ex-
cessive speed and failed or refused to
slow up when nearing dangerous cross
ings or approaching pedestrians whose
presence they could not help but see.
INSURANCE CONTROL
Several pending bills also seek to reg
Lot ont no i,,-r1 voc
in the state. One of these bills, aimed
at the so-called fire insurance trust, pro-
vides that every contract or policy of
Insurance made or issued after the pass
age of this act shall be construed to
mean that in the event of loss or dam
age hereunder may, in addition to the
actual loss or damage suffered, recover
% per cent of the amount of such actual
loss any provision or stipulation in such
contract or policy to the contrary not
W;thstanding; provided at the time of
the making of such contract or policy
of insurance, or subsequently before the
time of trial the insurer belonged to, or
was a member of. or in any way con-
nected with any tariff association or
such like thing by whatever name called,
or who had made any agreement or had
any understanding with any other per-
son, corporation or association engaged
in the business of insurance as agent
or otherwise about any particular rata
OF premium which should be charged or
fixed for any kind. or class of insurance
risk; and provided further, no stipu-
lation or agreement in such contract or
policy of insurance to arbitrate loss or
damage nor to give notice or make
proofs Of loss or damage shall in any
such case be binding on the insured or
beneficiary, but right of action accrues
| Immediately upon loss or damage.
| The bill provides further that member
| ship in or connection with such rate
making organization may be established
| by preponderance of the weight of the
| testimony, and also provides that the
act shall be literally construed, to ac-
complish its object.
Another bin makes it unlawful for any
person or corporation to engage or agree
with other persons or corporations to
enter directly or indirectly into any
combination, pool, trust or confederation
| to regulate or fix the price of any article
| or commodity to be sold or produced
within this state or to fix the price of
insurance, or to limit the quantity of the
| article or commodity produced shall, on
conviction be fined not less than $500
nor more than $500.
| A third bill requires the payment OF
| the full amount on which premiums
| have been paid in the case of total de-
/
| of partial loss, then an amount equal to
| the ratio such loss bears to the full
amount of the policy
Mr.. Lynne of Morgan county intro
duced all three OF these bills Immediately
upon his return to Montgomery about
4 two weeks ago.
The public healthS BILL sponsored by
the state medical association, is pend
ing in committee. public hearing was
scheduled for last Wednesday night but
! it was postponed until after the dis
posal of the revenue bill.
The legislature has just II more days
of the present session and it is not be-
lieved it will be able to enact half of
the really important measures now pend
ing, and the educational bill, dealing
with one Of the most important subjects
to come before the legislature, has not
yet been introduced. Neither has the
appropriations bill been introduced.