The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-18
FREE PASSES
 PERMITTED Convention Defeated the
 Amendment. IT WILL COME UP AGAIN Ten Sections of Legislative
 Article Adopted. Provision Made for Increasing Num- Der of Senators and Representa- tives-Committe on Judiciary
 Makes Its Report.
IT WILL COME UP AGAIN

Wednesday was the forty-seventh working day of the Constitutional Con- vention and the body completed ten sections of the Article on Legislative Department and received the report of the Committee or Judiciary. The most radical feature of this report is pro- vision for the election of Solicitors by the people and seven members of the committee submitted a minority re- port dissenting from the proposition.
 The question of prohibiting members of the Legislature and other State of- fcials from accepting free passes from railroad companies reached the Con- vention by way of an amendment and provoked a lively debate. It was de- feated by a narrow margin and the vote showed that when the matter again comes up while the Article on Corpo- rations is under consideration 1t will be a live subject.
 The Convention adopted an amend ment to the Legislative Article pro- viding for an increase of members of the House of Representatives to 1OS and an increase of Senators from thirty three to thirty-five. This is in accord with the Article on Representation which has not yet been considered.
 Another important matter under con- sideration by the Convention yesterday was the question of allowing tile courts to determine the correctness Of the
 L kNNr Af lOU islature. 1t came up by way Of an amendment offered by General San ford of Montgomery whos made an earnest argument in support of the preposition Notwithstanding he showed that numerous bills were passed by the last Legislature without Quo- rum being present and declared that the journal showed otherwise. the Con- vention refused to adopt the amend ment.
 The Advertiser yesterday it'll into an error by stating that MT. Beddow of Jefferson appealed from decision of President Knox Tuesday morning. The appeal was from a decision of the tenn porary President. Judge Robinson of Chambers, who had ruled contrary to a previous ruling by President Knox and the appeal was in the nature Of sustaining a ruling by MT. Knox, but the temporary President was sustained. The Convention was opened yester- day morning with prayer by Rev. MT. MoDaniel. and 11S delegates answered to the call of the roll
 After the call of the roll and call of committees, Governor Jones' in accord anoe with previous notice, moved to reconsider Section of the Article on Legislative Department, by which qLadrennial sessions of the Legislature were provided for. He made an argu- ment in support of his proposition to reconsider and against the idea of hav- ing sessions of the Legislature every four years.
 MT. O'Neal of Lauderdale argued in favor of reconsideration. He made the point that four years-sessions of the Legislature would allow corporations to abuse the people without relief.
 MT. Rogers of Sumter, who led the fight Tuesday for quadrennial sessions of the General Assembly spoke against reconsideration. He repudiated the statement that the action was taken in the interest of corporations.
 On motion of MT. Rogers, the motion to reconsider was tabled by vote of 67 to 55
 The Article on Judiciary.
 The Committee on Judiciary, through its chairman Hon. G. L. Smith of Mo bile. sent forward its report. It was accompanied by two minority reports and the reports were ordered to lie on the table and be printed. The new Ar ticle gives the Legislature more power to regulate the judiciary system of the State. The most radical change made is that Solicitors shall be elected by the people. Chambers. Kirk of Colbert, Graham of Montgomery, Heflin of Randolph and Lowe of Jefferson dissented from the majority report as to electing Solici- tors by the people, and Messrs. Fitts of Tuscaloosa, Duke of Chambers and NeSmith of Lamar made minority report in favor of electing Justices of the Supreme Court for eight-year terms and Circuit Clerks for four-year terms.
 The complete report of the commit tee is published in the official proveed- ings.
 The Convention then took up the Ar ticle on Legislative Department, and the clerk read Section 6, which pro- Vides for per diem and mileage of mem bers of the Legislature the same as under the existing Constitution.
 MT. Murphree of Pike, sent up an
 
 cents. providing that members who ride on passes shall not be paid mileage. He addressed the Convention on the amendment. It seemed clear, he said, that members should not require the State to pay three times as much mile age as was actually charged by rail- roads.
 The question was divided and a mo- ton to table that part of the amend ment reducing mileage from ten cents to five cents was adopted, on motion of MT. Nesmith of Lamar.
 By an aye and nay vote of 46 to B that part of the amendment that members who ride on passes shall not accept mileage was not tabled.
 Captain White of Jefferson. sent up a substitute that members of the legis- lature who accept railroad passes shall be saailty of c misdemeanor and upon