The age-herald., 1901-07-04
Those That Now Exceed That Amount May Add an Extra
 1 1-2 Per Gent
CONVENTION TAXES HOLIDAY
Question of Limiting Municipal Debts To Per Cent of Property Values Recommended By Committee 
 is Being Considered.
BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.

BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.
 Montgomery, July S.-(Special) = The committee on the order, consistency and harmony of the constitution, usually spoken of as the committee on Harmon ics,'' was given it's first job today. The article on executive was turned over to it after the convention had listened to a speech from Mir. Reese of Dallas, who wanted section 30, relating to sheriffs, changed MT. Reese in the course of his remarks. spoke of the election irregulari- ties in the Black Belt. There has been a great deal of discussion in the con- vention about this section relating to sheriffs, and MT. Beddow moved to lay MT. Reeses motion on the table, saying that for one he was tired of this con tinual conglomerated mass of heterogene- ous magriloquence. This remark was greeted with laughter and applause and MT. Reeses motion was tabled,
 Having got this matter off it's mind the convention took up the question whether it should take holiday on the Glorious Fourth At the morning session it decided it would not, but changed it's mind in the afternoon and decided it would.
 Section of the article on taxation was then taken up. As finally passed 1t limits the debt of counties to 31 per cent of their assessed taxable valuation, with a proviso that any county whose debt has already reached that limit may incur ad- ditional debt to the extent of 11s per cent for the purpose of erecting necessary public buildings.
 The entire afternoon session was spent in discussing the debt limit to be placed on cities. The committee on taxa tion reported per cent limit with an extra per cent for sewerage, water works, etc., and the committee on mu- nicipal corporation reported a substitute fixing the limit at per cent, which was not to include bonds issued for sewers and water works and street improve ment bonds which were to be assessed against property. The debate on this question will be continued -riday.
 MT. Ferguson made his first speech fa- voring as low limit possible and MT. Lowe wanted the convention to keep its hands off of Birmingham and let her grow.
 Convention Opens.
 The thirty-sixth days session of the
 
 order by President Knox at 9:30 a. m A prayer was offered by Rev. Mr Patter- son. Roll call showed 113 members present. Several leaves of absence were asked for and granted.
 The convention then began considera- ton of the article executive which was read the third time yesterday. Mr. Reese of Dallas had given notice yester- day that he would move to strike out of section 30 of the article that clause which allowed the Governor to remove Sheriff from office pending impeach- ment proceedings against him. Mir Reese addressed the convention in SUD- port of his motion. He thought the adoption of this section was due to Gov ernor Jones' eloquence and an undue re- gard for sentiment. These officers were selected by the electors of their counties and the only proper way to impeach them was before jury. The sheriffs and clerks of the black belt had been the bulwark and safety of the country They had saved the day at the election in 1892 when white supremacy was in danger. We have been charged in Dallas County with being little careless in election figures and prior to 1892 it was remarked that messages had been sent to the sheriff not to hurry with the election returns Whatever irregularities may have existed in my county, there is not a member present who has failed to avail himself of them. Before he came to the con- vention he thought the sheriffs were a very clever set of fellows. Tn Dallas County they had been about the most popular men in the county. He had seen no occasion when they failed to perform their duty In 1892 the sheriff in his county dragged a United States marshal from the booth and kept him from in- terfering with an honest count of the election Daughter and applause) He aft AfIx ofos Of f1.A 1ay.nxy ne the sheriffs of Dallas county. The sher- ifs have stood up to the Democratic party and the holier-than-thou gentle men from North Alabama have never re- fused to profit from our irregularities In fact in quiet way tkey have been approved.
 Sheriff Matter Ended.
 Mir Beddow of Jefferson said that for one he was tired of this conglomerated heterogeneous compound mass of elo- quence; that no sheriff who did his duty need fear the law, and he moved to ta- ble MT. Reese's motion. This was done by vote of "A to 23
 MT. Sentell of Crenshaw offered reso- lution to adjourn for the Fourth of July. MT. Reese of Dallas opposed adjourning. He said out of the 155 members probably not five had observed the last Fourth of July. That the reason given to adjourn was for the members to spend the day with their families at home. He ventur- ed to say that last Fourth of July not one-tenth of the delegates had thought of observing the day with their families. although they may have been within three blocks of them.
 Dr. Cunningham moved to amend the resolution by providing that no per diem X be paid delegates for that day. This was N,adopted by vote of 105 to 21.,
 Mir Sentell's resolution to adjourn was then defeated by a vote of S5 to fl.
 The committee on rules reported a sub- stitute for a resolution of Mir. Reese of Dallas. This fixed the limit of the roll call for the introduction of ordinances each day at 10:30 o'clock.
 The committee reported substitute for . resolution by Mir. Cornwell This re- quired a two-thirds vote of the delegates present to suspend the rules and requir- ed unanimous consent to extend the ten minute rule.
 Governor Jones opposed that part of the