The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-16

Legislature, under the present consti- tuition, is so loaded down with local measures, their time is 50 taken up and 1t Is quite natural that every mem Der of either House shall want to dis pose of and obtain the passage of measures which are of the greatest in- terest to his people of local nature
 that they neglect the general legislation uhtli the last and then dump the most important bills almost altogether dur ing the last day and night on the Governor.
 NowH believe the better way to rem edy this evil Is to provide that no gen. eral law should be passed--no general bill shall be passed during the three last days of the General Assembly. Then they would pass them before that time and 1t would give the Governor at least that many days to consider them. No general bill should be passed unless It was on reconsideration dur ing those days, and that would give the Governor time to read them MT. Jones tMontgomery)-W will the General Assembly do if you cut them off from local legislation and do not permit them to pass any general Legislation In those last three Gays? Mir. Oates-They would find plenty to do. When they cut off the local legs- lation, as this Convention probably will, there will be residuum, so that they will have under consideration at each session several local bills, and would have it provided that they cannot pass any general law during the three last days of the session except upon recon alteration.
 l Now, the provision reported by the Committee. and which is now before this Convention, to allow the General Assembly when the Governor vetoes or practically objects to any features In bill to amend that bill. I think that Is wise and highly proper. The Legislature would find plenty to do during the three last days, and it is better to put the limitation there than 1t is to make an exception to the al- most universal rule for there are very few States, and I didn't hear the Chairman mention but one, to wit, New
 York, which allows the Governor after the adjournment of the Legislature to approve any bill. And suppose that he sees proper to kin off any bill that comes before him and that he may not want to veto and send to the General Assembly. He will just let 1t lie by until after the adjournment and do nothing to it. and kill it in that way. Wherever he vetoes a bill. let it go back to the General Assembly and give them a chance to pass upon 1t. Now, there never has been an excep- tion to that rule and my friend the dis tiEguished Chairman of this Commit tee when in the Executive Chair Of the State for four years 1 venture to say never undertook to approve bill after the adjournment of the Ieneral As. I sembly. l had very able argument put up before me by a delegate on this floor, a distinguished lawyer, cit- ing authorities, to sign bill after the Legislature adjourned but as there was no precedent on the part of the Gov. ernor of scarcely and of the States in the Union except where special pro. vision in the Constitution allowed 1t, declined to do so. This is breaking a precedent that is almost universal. It is not deemed wise that the Gov. ernor should have this power of ap- proving bills after the Legislature has adjourned and gone away. Why, go to the Congress of the United States, and the President never attempts to ap- prove anything after the adjournment of Congress.
 MT. O'Neal-Will the gentleman al- low me to ask him question?
 LMr. Oates-Certainly.
 MT. O'Neal-Would you permit the Legislature to consider local bills dur ing the last three days?
 MT. sOates-Of course if they are pro- hibited from passing any general bill at that time, they might occupy their time as stated awhile ago.
 Mir. ONeai-Are not local bills fre- quently as Vicious and dangerous to the State as general bills?
 Mr. Oates-Yes, but every man knows that local bills are very short and easy to read, and you can read them with out any trouble. The great long bills are mostly general laws a.h those are tie ones which require the greatest con- sideration.
 MT. Watts-If the Legislature has passed upon a bill, by both houses, what harm can there be to allow the Governor to approve it within ten days afterwards. as well as to approve it during the session of the Legislature? This don't say 'disapprove," it says , approve"
 MT. oates-There is a precedent to . the contrary that is unbroken except in one or two States. and do not think this innovation is at all necessary. That is my answer to your question. . think we had better maintain the old practice of limiting and restricting the , Legislature from passing general laws 2 during the three last days. If there are local bills that are of considerable , length, the Governor will manage very l NSll to SSel alOnS Nlt HIneH. Iney , are not so important to the public as the general laws by any means, and l with that limitation which, I am au- thorized to state authoritatively l think l can state confidently the Committee , on Legislative Department, when 1t . makes it's report will report. I think the matter will be in the best possible [ shape.
 Mir. Wilson (Clarke)-I would liks o : ask the gentleman a question. If 2 Il ! Is passed by both houses of the e ral Assembly and sent to the GoverT less
 than five days before the final sourn- ment. if the Governor simply Wlthholds
 his eproval, what becomes of tEe bill- if he neither approves nor dlsapproves? |. MT. Jones (Montgomery)-It Is dead.
 Mir Oates-Do you mean what effect !, !, it would hGve?
 . Mir. Wilson-Yes. sir.
 MT. Oates-It would fail; but that i, would be a departure from what is generally done, and it is not to be pre- , sumed that the Governor would dc , that.
 7 Mir. Cobb--It occurs to me that this ? provision reported by the Committee on Executive Department is an exceed B ingly wise one. The Governor of the 9 State of Alabama. is. i5 a very im- , portant sense, a part of it's legislative 3 department. In the Constitution, we
 provide before any act in the nature of f legislation shaN become a law, 1t shall
 have the approval and assent of the . Governor. The supposition and inten-