The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-11-19
INAUGURAL DATE OF GOVERNO R-ELECI NOT YET DECIDED
Elaborate Preparations For
 Legislatures Converting . and Speakership Fight
 Probably Live Issa5
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU
 THE AGE-HERALD

When will the Alabama legislature meet in January in quadrenniaI ses- sion?
 When will Gov -elect W. ". Dran- don take over the reins of govern ment from Gov. Thomas E. Kilby?
 A great majority of citizens of Alabama know that the two events will occur in January but probably. no more than 10 per cent, if that number. could say what date the legislature will meet and what data. Governor elect Brandon will be in-- augurated.
 The Alabama legislature will begin it's quadrennial session the second Tuesday in January. which will be. January 9 next year. In six more days or on January Is, 1922, Gov- ernor- elect Brandon will stand on the front gallery of the historic capi-s tol of Alabama and repeat the words which will establish himself as the. governor of Alabama.
 Elaborate preparations are already being made for the assembling. of. the legislature and for the inaugurar tion of the next governor. Several weeks ago three persons started cams paigns for speaker of the house, an. honorary position which will fur- nish the interest in the organization of the legislature. The candidates are Judge Hugh D. Merrill of Am niston, Charles B. Verne of Tusca- loosa and ]. Lee Long of Greenyilley- Long Active
 Mir. Long has made an active per sonal campaign and in recent weeks has visited great majority of tho members of the next house of repre- sentatives. according to reports which. have drfted into the capitol. Just now he Is held at his home at Green,- vile by broken collar bone. which was sustained on a return journey to Greenville after a trip through a section of Alabama. Mir. Longs col- lar bone was broken when his auto= mobile was struck by heavier cars Reports do not indicate that his in.-, jures are serious.
 Judge Merrill and Mir. Werner also have been very active. though re- ports indicate that their activity has been through the mails and through the personal work of their friends. @ J. B. Ellis of Selma is expected to receive the honorary position of. president pro tenn of the senate with out fight. No other candi date hAz entered the field. and when it bes came definitely known several weeks
  loosa would not seek the honor friends of Mir. Ellis claimed that he would be elected by the unanimous vote of the senate. ~ Brsndon May Hold off osy
 Governor Brandon up to this time has not indicated that he will take any part in the fight for the or sanization of the legislature. Many of his friends claim to believe that Judge Brandon will not take any part for the reason that there are mo- factions this time and he can have no choice between friends. In days gone by the legislature has developed factions. the losing side always hays~ ing appreciable representation in the house and senate. But this year it fs not probable that a corporafs guard could be mustered as the representa- tive of the losing side in the last election.
 If Governor Brandon does not en- ter the legislative organization fight it will be something unusual for Alabama. It is recalled that Gov ernor ONeal in 1911 did his part in the organization movement; that Governor Henderson tried and failed in 1915, and that Governor Kilby sue ceeded in 1919.
 Another. fight of other days always centered about the naming of com mittees Tn the senate, the right being claimed by the president pro tenn of the senate and by the person who will become lieutenant governor a week after the legislature is organ ized The president pro tenn has claimed the right because the com mitrees must function during the first week and the new lieutenant governor cannot become the presld- ing officer of the senate until a week after the legislature has started it's sessions.
 In the organization of the legis- latures of 1915 and 1919 the new lieu- tenant governor has named the committees The practice has been for the lieutenant governor to make the selection of committees and to certify the selections to his predeces- sor in office, who will preside dur ing the first week. the appointments being made by the retiring lieutenant governor.
 But this fight will not come up In January. Lieutenant Governor Charles S. Mcdowell and Senator James B. Ellis. who probably wifi be president pro tenn. are close friends and it Is considered certain that Lieutenant Governor McDow-- ell will name the committees in con. ference with the man who will pre- side during the absence of the lieu. tenant governor.