The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-09
OPPOSITION OPENS FIRE ON PROPOSED
 NE W FARM CODE
Measure Called Revenue Bill In DiSguiSe-StoCk Law
 Section Attacked
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU !
 THE AGE-HERALD ! Montgomery, Ala. Aug, 8 ]

iLtt pIOpOSGu dSIlCLl UT al COue pre- pared by the recess legislative com mittee on agriculture was voiced at an all-day joint session of the house and senate committees on agriculture held in the supreme court chamber today. Final action was deferred. Opponents of the bill were in the ma jority, objecting to the proposed state board of agriculture and the vast increase in jobs and expense which, it was claimed, the code will entail. Opposition was also voiced by various agricultural interests to specific phases of the bill affecting their interests; and the name Df Prof. L. N. Duncan, director of ex- tension service, was brought into the argument, as one objection to the bill, though the personal reference was ruled out of order by Senator W. r. Garth, chairman.
 Edward A. O'Neal, president of the Alabama Farm Bureau federation, declared that the farm bureau is for the bill lock, stock and barrel" while George T. McElderry, presi- dent of the Alabama Farmers union, was a strong opponent of the bill. Several members of local farm bureau organizations differed with MT. O'Neal and opposed the bill.
 In addition to attacks directed at the bill in it's entirety the stock law" provisions were opposed by delegations from southwest Ala bama. Dairymen of the black belt objected to the regulations proposed for the dairy industry; and the pro- visions relating to fruit growing also met opposition, as well as in dorsement, from those who ad- dressed the committee.
 Called "Ieap In Dark"
 Representative Mike sollie of Dale appeared before the committee in opposition to the bill, which he declared to be "a leap in the dark" and the enactment of which would, he said. create the greatest political machine in the state, without whose sanction no candidate could hope To attain office. He stated that the de- partment of agriculture today pays into the general funds S5O,O00 per year, while under the new bill and appropriation of $225,000 is sought for the department Judge Sollie stated further that enactment of the 2 bill will create scores and perhaps hundreds of new jobs besides creat- ing a board not responsible to the people, to levy and expend taxes and make rules which shall have the force of law.
 c. E. Mauldin, a representative of the Shelby county farm bureau, estimated that new jobs to be Iayers $1,25O,000 in four years for - salaries alone. He stated that the crea tion of the new board of agri culture strips the authority of the commissioner of agriculture and places it in the hands of officials of Auburn and appointees of the gov ernor.
 Mr. Mauldin stated that the bill is designed to eliminate Dr. c. A. Cary, veterinarian at Auburn, a statement which brought a protest from Repre- sentative Burn of Talladega, a mem Der of the committee, on the ground that such personal references were out of order.
 Nurserymen Object.
 H. B. Chase, nurseryman, objected to the bill in that greater representation is not given to horticultural interests. He suggested that the membership of the board be increased by two mem bers, one to be farmer skilled in problems of the citrus fruit industry ~ and one in the fruit business of the north Alabama zone. With this Amendment the bill will be satisfac- tory to the Alabama Nurserymen' s association, said MT. Chase. He IS president of the nurserymen organi. '. zation. The executive committee or which held meeting here today. ~7 Judge Dave H. Ellington, city re- corder of Mobile, headed the on- slaught against the provisions Of the bill which provide state law aRalnSt live SlOCh lullAAiS SAS -sN- S and requires fence to be punt ,. around a county which votes to let stock run at large. He stated that this enactment will simply eliminate the live stock industry or Mol pie county, where 4l,6OO head or catt4s are ranging over swamp, marsh ana cutover lands, which cannot be tenceo by the cattle owners.
 He stated that less than per cent of Mobile county is in crops, that compliance with the stock law pro- visions of the bill Is impossible Tn his county. and that passage of the neasure is the end of the cattle in dustry there. |. A similar statement was made iron, Baldwin county by Frank stone who appealed as spokesman or d mass meeting recently held at Day Minette. He stated that Baldwin IS a s county of vast potentialities, but that < at present only to 6 per cent Of It's acreage is cultivated.
 M. l.. Durant of Baldwin county adde his protest agalhst the S'A'' wide stock law.
 Representative J. W. Henson of washington county stated that live stock raising Is the chief industry .es of his county, that only about per cent of it's area Is cultivated, and that tbn massage of the "code" as 1t stands ,rtil ruin the live stock business.
 Favor Dairy Sections.
 Morgan Richards of Selma, speak inc for dairy interests and Clifton r Kirkpatrick, a Dallas county dairy man. expressed themselves in taVor of provisions regulating dalryihg' sam Fisher and E. J. Garrett, dalry men of Montgomery county, and H. A - ., Thompson, a Yowndes county dalry- 1l man strongly opposed the provisions 7N of the bill which deal with dairylng' They obtected to the right gwen the s rev board of agriculture to make s.e rules and regulations to govern the dairy industry. ,,
 MT. Thompson stated that the bill s involves a question of whether Au- burn shall run Alabama or Alabama shall run Auburn. Referring to the Auburn men who will be placed on the state board of agriculture,
 Lloyd Abbott president Of the Mo- bile farm bureau and represetlng also the Gulf Coast Produce eXchange' m dorsed the bill and thanked the recess committee for the zeal which #. he said, 1t had shown in the farmers. .. The conclusion of his remarks D. D. Jayne. Baldwin, and farm bureau member, suggested that the com mittee inquire into the matter, in which MT. Abbott became president a. of the Mobile county farm bureau. MT. Jayne stated that the farmers of Baldwin county and great many of those of Mobile opposed the bill, Called Revenue Bill.
 John B. Ward of Henry county who was candidate for commls- sioner of agriculture at the last cleo tion opposed the bill on the ground of added expenses and increased bur