The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-03

me otnsr ouestioas M The President--It has been reported but 1t is not up for considerati,n at this time.
 MT. Reynolds--Could t not be taken up with this report3 The Presidential is In the power Of the Convention to do so if it vhooses.
 MT. Reese--f rise to a question of in. ouiry. Can a motion to table have tackled to 1t tha. it should be consid- cred at some contingent period when something else is to be considered? The President-The Chair Is uf tle opinion that when an amendment or resolution or ordinance Is laid 1pon the table, 1t may be taken up at any time at the pleasure of theConvea,ion MT. Reese-Then that part of the mo- tion that 1t shall be considered at a certain time will not be considered?
 The Presidential seems to the Chair that the Convention can take is up when it chooses MT. whiteAwen't the effect of this motion if carried be to postpone the con- sideration of this until that particular time?
 The president-That is the effect of It, put the COnNUNttoH Couio tdhc " up immediately If 1t pleases. MT. Reese--I make the point of order that the motion Is out of order because 1t Is not :. motion to table and that part of 1t is out of order which pro- Tvides for the time when it shall be taken up.
 The President--The point of order is overruIed.
 A vote being taken the motion to table was carried.
 The President-The Secretary will read the next Section.
 The Section was read as follows:
 Sec. S. The General Assembly shall not have the power to require the coun- ties or other municipal corporations to pay any charges which are now pay able out of the State Treasury.
 MT. Carmichael (Coffee)-I move that the Section be adopted.
 MT. Graham (Montgomery)-Bef that Section Is adopted I would be pleased to hear the Chairman of the Committee to explain what it means. 1 don't understand what that means.
 MT. O'Neal-Is not that same pro- vision ip the present Constitution?
 Mr.. Browne-That has been in the Constitution since 1875. And it means that the Legislature shall not have the power to require counties and muni- cipalities to pay any of the charges that are now payable out of the State Treasury.
 Mr. Graham tMontgomery)-1 don't understand what that means.
 Mf. White-Does that include the judges salaries?
 MT. Browne-I suppose so. If 1t were not for such a provision in the Constitution the General Assembly could require one county to pay the salary of the Governor.
 MT. Rogers (Sumter)-That Is an ex- act copy of the old Constitution, is it riot1
 MT. Browne-I did not want to in- form the gentlemen 1t was. wanted them to vote on their own convictions l thought the lawyers wouli know 1t was copy of old Secticn g.
 A vote being taken the Section was adopted.
 The President-The Clerk will read the next Section:
 The next Secticn was read as follows:
 Sec. g. No county shall become in- debted in an amount greater than 5 per centum of the taxable value of the property thereof; Provided. this Section shall>not apply to any indebtedness in excess of such 5 per centun, which has already been created, or author- ized by law to. be created.
 MT. Weakley- T desire to offer an amendment to that Section.
 The amendment was read as follows: ' Amend Section by striking out the word "nve" in the first line and in- sertlng instead the word ,"three."
 MT. Browne--l will state that the committe is willing to accept that amendment.
 Mir. Hefiin (Chambers)-Then move the adootion of the section aS amend cd.
 Mr Browne--I will state that I am authorized by the committe to say we accept the amendment making 1t three. The ordinance was originally intro- duced by the gentleman from Lee. Mr. Harrison, at three per cent. and the committe changed it to five. in order that the Convention could lower 1t if they saw fit
 Mir O'Neal lLauderdale)-wiii the gentleman state, for the information of the Convention. what counties, if any. in Alabama, have an indebtedness of more than per cent. of the taxable value of property.
 Mir. Browne-We know of none.
 MT. O'Neal CLauderdale)-What is the largest percentage in any county at this time?
 Mir. Browne-I cannot answer the question. My county keeps out of deot. so I was not interested in It.
 MT. Lowe (Jefferson)-This seems to me to be an innovation, and 1t strikes me as being a very dangerous innova- ton. certainly do not know ,and ev- idently the Chairman of the committee. does not know, the average indebted ness of the counties in Alabama today, but we do know those counties which perhaps the greatest debts are in the most prosperous condition. There are counties in Alabama today which are progressive. building roads and making improvements that are absolutely es- sential to the development and pros perity of the county. Now this Consti- tutional Convention ought not to think that it can supplant the local authori- ties in determining what Is best for every county in Alabama. Every coun- ty in Alabama, before 1t issues bonds, will have to have the sanction of the General Assembly. and 1t will also have to have the sanction of the Commis- sioners' Court. the immediate repre- sentatives of the people of the county. I am willing, if this Convention in its wisdom thinks it proper to do so. that a limitation be put upon the counties, though challenge the gentleman to show in any one instance in All the history of Alabama since the Repub- lican days. when 1t has been necessary for the Constitutional Convention to limit the power or the right of tho county to borrow money for local pur-