The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-09
MT. Craig Wins Victory
 in Convention. WILL BE RED LETTER DAY Suffrage Open to Women in
 Special Elections.
The Article on Municipal Corpora tions Practically Completed Yes terday Afternoon-Efort to Reconsider Action Concern
 ing Solicitors Defeated

The sixty-sixth day of the Constitu- tional Convention will go down m ms tory as a red letter day because II Was on this day that the Convention tooh the first step towards womans' sunraee in Alabama Late yesterday afterhooA Mir. Craig of Dallas, who mas Ire ouentlv announced his views on tne subject. succeeded in getting before the body an amendment providing that wo- men taxpayers in Alabama may pe a lowed to vote in special elections caiieo for the purpose of determining whether bonds shall be issued or debts incurred bv political subdivisions of the state There were but few persons In the gallery and not female figure was to he seen. but Mir. Fitts of Tusca!oosa' eloouently champiored the cause of the women taxpayers of the state anu called for an aye and nay Vote' 1he Craig amendment was aooPteu. of Iafer an amendmen. by MT. deGra1- fenreid of Hale was adopted. It re- stricts the voting capacity or Wodile" to those who own real estate 10 the value of $500, and who live Tn the po utlcal subdivision affected and are over 21 wears of age. MT. Greer or CaIliouli' made a fervid appeal to the ConNen- tion not to make itself rldiculoue D' disfrsnchising the negro man ana en franchising his wife. but the amehu ment was adopted amid the greatest applause. ,t.,.o, .rornora- +ions was practically completed yes terday, and the Article on Representa- tion will probably be taken up tonaS'
 ta6 lions of the Article on Munlc'pal Col nora tions. notwithstanding. many oeie eates expressed the opinion mat IL vas one of the most able and up-to- date papers that had been presenteu to the body. Among those was non; Henry Opp of Covington, who declareo That rhe Article was beyond most ol the delegates who did not seem 10 uh- derstand the necessities of most ol lhe cities and towns of the State.
 Another effort Was made yesterday +o have the Convention reconsider It's former action concerning Solcltors' nu' tbe movement died aborning and MT deGraffenreid of Hale, who led the movement against the proposition 10 ahoIish circuit Solicitors, introduced an ordinance proVldlhS TUT liie i0PN of the Section.
 Proceedings of Convention.
 The Convention met al o'clock yes terdav morning with eighty-two dele gates present, and was opened with ,nraver by Rev. A. l.. Andrews or the Dexter Avenue Methodist Church.
 Messrs. Banks of Russell, NorWood of Lowndes, Malone of Henry. ana Handley of Randolph, sent up pe'tlons from citizens of their respective coun- ties protesting agalhst the tlee l"Hio ooN pass evil.
 Mr. deGraffenreid of Hale, under +ook to have his motion for recon sideration of the vote by which the Ju- dietary Article was ordered to be en- crossed set down as special order but his motion was defeated by tie Vote of 49 to 49.
 Then Mir, deGraffenreid moved to reconsider the vote at once by which inc Article was ordered to be engrossed. This motion was lost by d second tie vote of 50 to 50.
 Behind these motions was an effort to get before the Convention again the proposition of County Solicitors and the Convention declined to further consider the question.
 The regular order was conSidera ton of the article on Municipal Corpora tions and MT. Boone of Mobile moved to take from the table Section ]. For the purpose of offering an amendment that municipal corporations shall sue and be sued.
 Mir. Boone to take the section rom the table prevailed.
 Mir. Boone then presented the fore going amendment which brought about considerabl discussion, participated in Inv Nessrs Boone Hood of Etowah, Judee Coleman. Judge Walker and Captain White of Jefferson.
 By a vote cf 40 to 43 the Boone sub TitLtc was lost
 NIT. Weakey of Lauderdalo moved to Ike from the table Section of the .ticle on Municipal Corporations and mat it be referred to the Committee Q on Corporations. Afte" some uarlamen- tary wrangling it was so ordered.
 On motion of Mr. WeakleY Section of the @rticle was taken from he table and he offered a substitute that fran chises may be sold to he highest hid der for fifty years after due notice had been given, provided it shall not apply tn trunk lines of railroads and eNclud- ing cities of less than 5.000 population
 Messrs. Boone of Mobile and Gun ningham of Jefferson spoke in support of the substitute and Messrs. Hood oi Etowah and Merrill of Barbour argued against it.
 The substitute Was tabled by vote of 50 to 26.
 Section 10 Considered
 The next order of business was con S iteration of Section 10 of the article on Municipal Corporations which wa: read by the Clerk. It authorizes the Legislature to divide the towns aIr cities of Alabama into four classes whose powers shall be defined by law Cities of 10000 population or more ar' authorized to create boz "ds to frame charters. the details If winch plan ar' elaborated by the section.
 General Sanford Of Montgomery, member of the CoriTr'ttee, submitted minority report, dissenting from tn