The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-09
CINE RAJ SIB [ RT
 MAY HEAD STATE ROAD COMMISSION
Judge c. E. Thomas And I. M. Jones Also Mentioned
 For Board Chairman
STATE CAPITAL RUREAU !
 THE AGE-HERALD
Montgomery, Ala, Sept. 8

THE AGE-HERALD
 Montgomery, Ala, Sept.
 Election of a state highway com mission and the continuation of the effort to find additional sources of revenue will feature the tenth week of the quadrennial session of the legislature.
 The action of the house of repre- sentatives Friday in passing the bill providing for the election of the state highway commission by the legislature from list of nominations made by Governor Brandon will bring scores of persons to Mont gomery in the interest of those whose names will be sent to the house for consideration.
 Many reports were made Saturday regarding the governors selections. Governor Brandon declined to indi- cate what names he will suggest. However, in political and official cir cles 1t was generally reported that Governor Brandon will propose the names of General W. l. sibert. Judge c. E. Thomas of Prattville, and prob ably T. M. Jones of Decatur, for chairman of the commission. The law provides that the governor shall nominate three persons for chairman and that the legislature shall make the selection from this list. Failing to name one of the three would cause the governor to send in an additional list,
 The same procedure will be fol- lowed in the selection of the two as- sociate members. However, the gov ernor will send in six names for the two positions.
 Requested By Brandon.
 Adoption of the amendment put ting the election of the highway com mission on the legislature came at the request of Governor Brandon, ac- oording to statements made on the floor of the house when the amend ment was adopted. Governor Brandon was said to have preferred to let the legislative body share the responsi- | bility for the work of the highway department in view of the fact that the construction of the system of public roads must be done under laws enacted by the legislature.
 Many names have been mentioned for associate commissioners, but nc one professes to know what persons Governor Brandon has in mind. T. has been talked that the governor, however. has prepared the list which he desires to submit for the consid- eration of the legislature.
 Because of the personal element involved 1t is probable that the e1ec- tion of the highway commission will create the greatest interest during the week.
 REVENUE TO BE CONSIDERED
 Revenue will be second in impor- tance. The Duncan Walton sever ance tax bill was placed on the house calendar Friday. If it becom es law during the remaining days of the session it must be passed by the house Tuesday, since the constitution requires that all revenue producing bills must be delivered to the gov ernor not later than the forty-fift legislative day. If the bill be passed Tuesday, which will be the forty third day, it must receive it's first reading in the senate on the same day, it's second reading on the fol- lowing day and it's third reading on the next day, which will be the forty fifth
 The license schedule, introduced during the early part of the ad- joutned session. is still on the house calendar. Although the luxury tax bills did not receive favorable re- ports from the house ways, means and appropriations committee Fri day the last day for reports on reve- nue bills, it is possible that license schedules imposing luxury taxes on the commodities mentioned in the other bills, including tobacco, cigars, cigarettes and candy, may be pre- sented to the house as amendments to the license bill.
 The feature of the ninth week of the session was the abandonment of the fight for the submission of a constitutional amendment proposing 4mill tax for public education. The fight was abandoned by friends of the measure Thursday when 1t was realized that the constitutional ma jority of 64 could not be obtained.
 N N
 No Hope Of Mil Tax.
 However, during the weekend there were reports that opponents of the measure will seek to obtain a vote during the session, thus put ting the house on record In opposi- tion to the measure. Whispers have been that the opposition fears those who want the constitutional amend ment will confer with members of the legislature after adjournment and. when they believe the consti- tutional majority can be obtained, will ask Governor Brandon to call an extra session of the legislature.
 Two bills regarded as of impor- tance to the state were passed by the house during the week. in addi- ton to the highway commission bill. One of the measures gives the pub lie service commission authority to require railroads to establish con- Centratlon privileges on cotton when consigned from one point in Ala bama to another point in the state. The Alabama Farm Bureau fedora ton made the fight for the bill after the railroads had refused to estab- fish the privileges at the rates which the federation thought proper.
 The other bill gives the public service commission the right to order railroads to construct new depots when, in the opinion of the commits sion, the old buildings are inade- quate. This measure is intended to re-establish the commissions orders for the construction of stations at Attalla. Etowah county. and Ope- lika, Lee county. The supreme court in a decision involving the Attalla depot. held that the commission could not force a railroad to rage an old station and construct new one when the old one could be re- modelled so as to meet the needs of the people served by it.
 Franchise Tax Raised.
 The senate during the week passed the Long bill increasing the fran chise tax on corporations from so cents to one dollar on each thousand dollars. Various estimates have been made that this increase will give the state from $300000 to $500, 900 more annually The tax must be paid by domestic corporations on all capital stock while 1t must be paid by for eign corporations on the actual in ;,. Ioh