The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-26
KILBY'S EXTRA SESSION REASONS COVER CURRENT
 STATE POLITICAL HISTORY
Premier Reason for Proclamation Is Provide Funds for Better Highway System-Next Comes Soldier
 Amendment-Others of Less Importance Follow
By FRED II. GORMLEY Montgomery Bureau, The Age -Heral6 221-2 First National Rank Ruild


 cial.)--Every movement has a reason all its own may be applied to Gov ernor Kilby's proclamation of Satur- day night calling the legislature of Alabama into extraordinary session at noon Tuesday, October {. An in- depreciation of the IS subjects in the call will make a concise but practi- cally complete history of current po- liticai and official affairs of Ala bama. It is not possible for any per son In the state to know just what vas In the governors mind as he wrote the various subjects into his call and no one can know until his message Is given to the legislature Tuesday week, but persons who have been associated constantly with the executive department have & very good idea of the reasons which brought each subject into the procla- nation.
 Subject No. This will give the legislature the power to consider such legislation as is necessary for the resubmiSsion of the highway bond issue, for the amendment of the highway commission act and for the amendment of the code sections which provide for road improvement work by municipalities.
 Premier Reason for Session
 Of course, this subject is the pre- mier reason for the extra session. It. has resulted from the decision of the supreme court early in the year holding the S25,000,000 bond issue, which the people voted by an over- whelming majority, to be invalid be- cause the legislature delegated to the governor the power of setting the < date for the election. The supreros court held that the governor had nothing to do with the submission of amendments to the constitution and that the legislature should have fixed the date.
 As soon as this decision was rem dered, persons who had been in touch With the situation realized an extra session would be unavoidable. Ala bama has a large amount of money in Washington now from the fed eral appropriation for highway work which cannot be obtained until the state has matched It dollar for 6ol- lar. It cannot be matched except with bond issue. If this state had authority and could issue bonds to- day it could start road work in every county. This state has in Washing ton now more than $1,500,00 which cannot be matched without a bond issue, and In addition it will be onls few days until the conference com , mittee agrees on the new appropri- ation bill which will give the state more than s1,soo,O0o additional
 In an -fforts ty protect as much of the federal fund as possible with out the ond issue, the highway de- pertinent has anticipated the revenue to the department from all sources through the entire fiscal year of 1922 which will begin October I and, aft CT anticipating this revenue, it is found the state will be unable to match more than $3,0o0.0o when the new appropriation has become avail able. The state reached the point where it was either resubmt the bond amendment or lose a great part of the federal appropriation.
 Subject No.
 Subject No. 2. Following the de- cision in the bond issue case, the supreme court held the amendment exempting soldiers, sailors and ma rines from the payment of a poll tax until October 1, 1928, to be invalid. This was because the bill submit ing this amendment also delegated to the governor the power of set ting the date for the election.
 This decision disfranchised thou
 
 defense of the nation and Governor Kilby decided immediately after the decision was rendered that this sub ject would be included in the call Not only were many men disfran- chised, but a score or more ex-serv- ice men who have been elected to public office were forced to vacate them.
 Subject No. 8. Governor Klby de- cided to put in the call the subject of improving the port of Mobile. river systems and water fronts for the reason that he was convinced the voters did not have the oppor- tunity of making the proper study of tho measure when they voted on 1t in November. 1920 He is con vinced that the opportunity was not given because of the other issues which were before the voters at the same time.
 Prjudice on Taxes
 For instance, the voters were also called upon to say whether or not . special tax should be levied by the counties for road improvement pur- poses At that moment there was being engendered prejudice against further taxation. This is regarded as having had it's effect on the vot- CTS when they defeated the port amendment by a very small major ity.
 If the legislature resubmits this subject to vote it is probable |; will come at the general election in November, 1929, and at time when not another issue will be before the people The state harbor commis sion proposes to make statewide campaign. in the meantime, which will acquaint the people of the state with the needs of the port and with the benefits which will accrue to h the entire state by the building up of the port into a competitor with other ports on the gulf.
 Subject No. {. For several years there has been agitation regarding the amendment of the acts providing for the observance of the Sabbath Governor Kilby became convinced that the laws should be made uni form and that discriminations should be stopped He will make this rec ommendation in his message. For instance, under the decisions of the courts drug store can now sell any thing. including cigars and soft drinks, while soft drink and cigar stands are not permitted to remain open on Sunday at all.
 All or None
 Governor Kilby is expected to sug- gest that the legislature either per init all to open or require all 10 close.
 The story goes that the Governor Is not in favor of any blue laws, but prevail However, he is supposed to be unalterably opposed to Sunday baseball and Sunday moving pictures. GOvernnr Kilhv also Droposed