The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-12-10
LOBBYISTS ACTIVE
At CAPITAL READY
FOR NEXT SESSION
These Persons on Scene Ready
For Converting of Quadren-
NAL Struggle Early
Next Year
STATE cnriTAL BUREAU |
THE AGE-HEHALD
Montgomery, Ala. Dec. 0


One month. from Saturday the Lexis.
lature of Alabama, which the demo.
Gratis selected in their primary in Au-
gust, will begin its session at the
capitol Few persons except those
personally involved in politics realize
that the quadrennial struggle is
about to start and that nest of next
year will be devoted to the contest
In which will be involved the enact
ment or defeat of legislation which
Will affect the people.
Little general interest has been
manifested in the assembling of the
lawmakers and there has been little
talk about the meeting. However.
those who will be involved-thCse
who want certain Legislation or
those who want proposed legislation
defeated-have been holding their
conferences for several weeks and
preparing for the coming 1f the
legislators
Not many persons believe harmony
VIII reign at the state house while
the Lawmakers are turning out the
laws which Will govern during the
next quadrennium. The legislature
which took office in 1918, faced
more important problems than any
up to that time, but the legislature
apTut TO begin functioning. probably
VIII face still greater problems
This legislature will be part OF
an administration committed to n
reduction in taxation wherever pos
sible without injuring the states
educational and eleemosynary insti
tuuons. And the big problem will be
IN finding means for reducing tax
alton without injuring the very in
,stitutit ms which the administration
rs committed to maintain and sup
port. Records show that state funds
TO state officials and employees are
an infinitesimal part of the revenuo
and that practically all of the states
annual income of $4,000. 900 ts
invested In the educational and
eleemosynary institutions. If every
salary were cut 80 per cent the RELIEF
90 the tax payers would hardly be
Appeal For Education
a. tne very beginning of the SEES
sion Alabama will hear an Apbeal for
better support of the educationaI In
stitutions and for appropriations
which Will provide buildings neces-
sary fer the orderly expansion of the
institutions. '''0
The matter of taxation and an
preparations will be only one OF tha
many problems for the Consideration
OF the law makers. The perennial cali
ior the exemption sections Ct the
coue VIII be heard Already thosa
opposing exemptions are organizinr
Tor the battle and 1t will be no sur
PRISE II bills proposing the repeal
OF the exemption statutes are intro
duced the first day of the session
Another fight will come on amend
ments to the workmen's compensa-
ton act. Alabama's workmen's com
pensation law is less than four years
ga put the operation of the law
mas shown that certain changes
should be made. In Birmingham iris
week a conference was held regard
ing the advisability of strengthen
ing the law and widening the scope
OF activity. 1t seemed to be agreed
tnat compensation Commission
should be created which would he
gwen the responsibility OF enft rcing
the law. In proposing amendments q
iignt may be expected because two
classes are interested and Involved
on the one hand the Corporations. ana
on the other the employees of cor-
porations. The present compensation
law Is compromise but II is NOT
written in the stars that the next
law VIII be so easy of enactment.
Early Adjournment
EVERY indication Is that the ieeis-
iatures VIII be in sessie n only few
legislative days and that an adjourn
ment VIII be taken untif late in tha
summer. The fact is an adiomrnad
session Is necessary in order that the
code now In course OF preparation
may be adopted Judge James +
Mayfield. former associate Justice az
the supreme court, has devoted his
time during the past three years III,
the premration OF a new code. This
code Will be ready for submission
next year. The laws enacted during
the early session of 1923 must he
included in the code. Therefore II
Is necessary that the law-makers
mold short session and adjourn I'M
I'll later In the year SO the new laws
may be cCdified
Another reason for the split ses-
sion is that Gov w. w. Brandon
VIII desire time in which 10 make
study OF the state government be-
lore suggesting changes in the laws
regarding administration. The law
makers will have started their sss-
sion when Governor Brandon is in
ausurated. II an adjourned session
were not held the governor could
have little part in proposing legis-
iation because he would not have an
opportunity to make study of the
states needs.
The legislature of 1915 established
the policy Il split sessions The legis-
iature OF 1919 ordered a split ses-
sion. ~ met January IA and remained
in session until February 10 when il
recessed until July 8. Returning to
the capitol july s. the lawmakers
remained in session until Septem-
Der 20. During the adjourned scs-
sion practically all of the laws writ
ten by the legislature that year
were placed on the statute books.