Birmingham state herald., 1897-04-29
Win Representatives From All fhe Principal Cities
 Of the State In Attendance.
WILL HAVE AN EXHIBIT AT NASHVILLE, TENN.
Which Will Reflect Great Credit Upon the State,
 Decided Upon.

To the Officers and Members of the
 Commercial and Industrial Association
 of Alabama:
 Your committee, to whom was entrust- ed the work of constitutional reform, Leg to report that sQon after the special meeting of the association in BiHming- ham, Oct. ', 1896, the committee was or ganized with Fl. L. Mckee as chairman and the Honorable Sam'l D. Weakley as vfce-chairman of the executive commit tee, and Mir. Sigfrisd Steiner chairman of the finance committee.
 The committee undertook a correspond- ence with leading man in every county in the state, and secured several hundred
 The state press, with but few excep- expressed hearty approval of the plan of a Constitutional Convention, and as sured the committee of their earnest CO., operation whenever needed. Out of some eight hundred letters received by MT Weakley from lawyers in the state with whom he corresponded, a large ma jority of those responding were in sym rdthy with the work of the committee this fact by going to the capital and lending their efforts to secure the passage of the measure.
 The state press, with but few exceeep- tions, heartily joined in the canvass, and with no uncertain sound gave out their opinions.
 During the weeks before the general as- sembly convened the committee sent out a small pamphlet by the thousand to all parts of the state containing the address ses of the Hon. Edwin Craghead of Mo- bile, and MT. s. D. Weakley, of Bir- mingham, and some other valuable mat ter on the school question prepared by Professor Phillips.
 The report to MT. J. A. Rountree, chair man of the committee, was introduct- 0ry, showing the purpose of the associl- tion in bringing this matter before the people as business question. This work was productive of much good and opened the way for cur efforts in Montgomery when the legislature met.
 A large number Of the committee was present at the capitol continuously dur ing the session of the assembly until the matter was disposed of. Frequent con- ferences were held of larger part of the committee either in Birmingham or Mont |. g'on4ry. 5l
 The result is known, and the causes of failure are known to you, so they need net be rehearsed.
 It is the judgment of the committee that the Intelligent classes are largely in faVor Of the measure, and will when they get 1t submitted to them, vote for it. It rests with you to say whether you will pursue the task undertaken or not. The committee has performed it's duty with the means in hand, and the short time allowed, to the best of it's ability.
 As considerable comment has been made by some of the pap=rs in this state, desire to state that the expenses of the committee and the expenditures mad= by the committee in furthering it's cause were borne by friends of constitutional reform who contributed to th= finance committee. All of the legitimate ex- penses of members of the committee and it's coadjutors were paid, but no on@ to my Knowledge received any compensa- ton whatever for the time, efforts or ser tod fr h ,k1s- that to my knowledge not one dollar has been illegally applied, and that no ques- tionable methods have been adopted to bring about th4 desired result Funds which were raised through the finance committee have been used toward. creat- ing sentiment in favor of a constitu- tional convention. This was deem d proper and essential; and, if the hope of a constitutional convention is to be real . iz: by the efforts of any set of men, it is not likely to succeed without considera- ble expenditure of money used in the way of educating the voters as to the nece5si- ty of a change in our fundamental and organic law. It is to be hop:d that the dominant political party in this state may make the necessity of a constitution al convention plank in its platform and make it an issue upon which it should elect it's representatives to the two leg islativ= bodies. A. bill then passed by the general assembly, submitting the matter to the vote of the people, would in the opinion of the committee, carry the election in favor of such convention
 InSeonclusion, beg to convey my high personal appreciation to each and every member of the committee. I can testify to the ardor and zeal displayed, and the untiring efforts on the part of so many of the committee were entirely commenda- ble TEs committees persistency and determination deserved success in an un- dertaking of even greater magnitude. In consid .rng the many conflicting inter ests and political issues existing in the different sections of the state, the great obstacles and the fierce opposition on the part of so many clements the accomplish ment of the committee is creditable, hav- ing, passed the bill through the lower { house by a ma ajorty of four out of mem bership of 100, whereas at the comm nee ment of our lahors it was highly inn probable that even a favorable report would be made by either of the legisla- tive committees.
 s+-~s Respectfully submitted.
 M H. l.. M'KEE, Chairman.
 sThe report was referred to a committee of three. consisting of B. Steiner, of Bir- mingham; R. E. Pettus, Huntsville, and A. M. McGehre. of Tuscumhia.
 REMARKS BY B.. STEINER.
 As soon as the president had finished reading his report MT. B. Steiner, of the Birmingham delegation. was recognized MT. Steiner moved that the report b. ac- ceptd, and that the thanks of the Com mercial and Industrial association, of Alabama, 4be rendered to the committee on constitutional convention for the la borss tn sysperfprmed in their campaign; and that tsthe. committee be continued, and that the executive committee thereof 1,o a.,ft tr, mo Ixn 1of, pnar if,