The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-18
ALABAMA's NEW CONSTITUTION.

From the meagre returns at hand, it
would appear that the new constitution of
Alabama has been ratified by large ma
jority of the popular vote. In many, per-
haps in most, respects, the new instru-
ment is a vast improvement on the one
which it supercedes. The old constitution
framed by convention called into exist
ence by the military power of the United
States and its delegates selected from, and
elected by, limited number of the cti-
zens of the state and those among the
least intelligent of the number, was, per-
haps, well enough adapted for the ''recon-
struction" era of the state, period when
the state was passing from rebellion to
peaceful government, but it was, as
were nearly all of the other state constitu.
tions adopted in that section of the coun-
try at the time, mere 'hotch pot" bun
die of incongruities, which could be re-
pedient with which to bridge over the
transition period. Most of the provisions
of that instrument, save perhaps the usual
generalities for which we always look, had
outlived their usefulness, and the time had
come for thorough revision, and that
work has now been done and accepted by
the people.
1t is proper to say that the republicans
saw fit to consider themselves responsible
for the constitution of 1867, because, for
sooth, it was framed and adopted under q
80 called republican rule, to wit under mil
itary orders, and therefore opposed the
calling of convention but were, as might
have been expected, defeated by large
majority The convention was in session
twenty-seven days and, at its conclusion,
the proposed constitution was signed by all
of the delegates except six republicans. Sc
far as the issues which we are wont to say,
and very properly too, were settled by the
war, are concerned, the convention made
no attempt to disturb them, and the provi-
sions of the new constitution ought to be,
as we presume they are, satisfactory even
to the most advanced" republican. 1t is
declared that "the people of this state ac-
"cept as final the established fact that
d" from the federal Union there can be no
" secession of any state" The provision
relative to the right of suffrage and hold
ing office is equally explicit, 1t being de-
clared that ''no educational or property
qualification for suffrage or office, mol
" any restraint upon the same on account
=" of race, color, or previous condition OF
" servltude, shall be made by law" Thus
have the people of Alabama declared in
the most solemn manner possible their full
acceptance of these, the most important OF
the, issues growing out of, and settled by,
the war.
Among the other important provisions
of the constitution are the following The
general assembly is prohibited from loan
ing the money or credit of the state to, OIL
in aid of, any work of internal improve
ments, or from levying taxes for state pur.
poses exceeding the rate of three.fourth OF
one per cent per annum, and from all leg
islation of a local character which can be
provided for by general laws. The time
of holding state elections is separated from
that of elections for members of congress
or presidential electors. The liability OF
stockholders in private corporations is linn.
tied to the amount of their unpaid stock
The taking of a state census every ten
years is done away with. The office Of
leutenant-governor, the board of educa
ton, and the bureau of industrial resources
are abolished reduction of some twenty.
five per cent is provided for in the salaries
of all executive and judicial officers and
the per diem of members of the genera
assembly is fixed at four dollars, ant
mileage at ten cents mile. 1t IS said tina,
these provislons-th for the reduction
of salaries, abolition of offices and limita
ton of the amount of taxes-wll make {
reduction in the cost of the government OF
some one hundred and sixty thousand dol
lars annually, and the people of Alabamf
are certainly to be congratulated on this
annual saving.
But this sum of one hundred and sixt,
thousand dollars does not represent titht
of the annual saving, and the limitation al
to taxation was not made merely to secure
this-and here we come to the most OBJ
jectionable part of the constitution. While
we believe in limitation of the power Of
legislatures and municipalities as regards
taxation, so there should be a limitation OF
the limitation. A state, as well as NUM-
cipality, requires certain amount oil
money annually, and it cannot properly
dischargeits functions without that amount
The object of this Limitation, In Alabama,
is not to produce more economical ad
ministration of the government, but to pre-
vent, to prohibit, the payment by the state
of its just indebtedness, both principal and
interest. This Limitation of the power OF
the legislature to levy taxes tor state pur.
poses, at rate exceeding three fourth OF
one per cent per annum, will prevent the
payment by the state of the interest on at
least two-thrds of its public debt, and this
was its object. The annual saving in this
way is placed at one million three hundred
and thirty three thousand dollars-a sum
worth saving, to be sure, II 1t could be
a.-o.,I,, sauad hut for haitian yynuld II