The age-herald., 1901-07-10
The Constitutional Convention Prescribes What LegisIa-
 lures Shall Do
GENERAL LAWS SPECIFIED
Mir. Beddow of Jefferson Offers an Or dnance Prohibiting the Leasing
 of Convicts of January 1,
 19o4-Printers' Petition.
BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.

BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER. Montgomery, July 9.-iSpecial.)-The convention today took up the report of the committee on local legislation, which committee in the article proposed by them had enumerated a long list of subjects on which the Legislature was prohibited from passing any local or special laws MT. O'Neal of Lauderdale, the chairman of the committee, in his opening remarks illustrated the evils of local legislation saying that special, local and private laws were condemned because they consume time, destroy the harmony of the law and give opportunities for jobs and corruption Governor Oates said that he had ln- yestigated the work of the Legislature be- fore the last and found that they had passed AS general laws and 949 local laws. which cost the State from $50 to slOO each in their passage. The convention adopted the committees report up to subdivision nineteen, with few changes. This was as far as they went today, and if the Legislatures in the years to come will find that compared to the Legislatures of the "good old days that their wings have been considerably clipped.
 Convention Opens.
 The fortieth days session of the consti- tutional convention was called to order by President Knox at 10 clock. A prayer was offered by Rev. MT. Dix. Roll call showed 116 members present. Several leaves of absence were asked for and granted.
 General Sanford of Montgomery, MT. Weatherly of Jefferson and MT. Brooks or Mobile arose to correct errors in the stem ographic report The committee on jour nal reported 1t was correct.
 The roll was then called to enable dele gates to introduce resolutions and ordi- nances
 MT Beddow of Jefferson offered an or dinance to prohibit the leasing of convicts after January l. 1904. Convicts thereafter are to be worked for the benefit of the State.
 MT. Boone of Mobile presented peti- tion from some of the workingmen of Mo bile asking that the printing of the con- yention be done by members of the Typo graphical Union.
 Governor Jones presented a petition from the Montgomery Printers Protective Fraternity asking that the printing be not limited to the union printers.
 The convention then took up the report of the committee on local legislation. MT. O'Neal the chairman, asked that an ad- ditional section be added to the report which had been inadvertently omitted. This was allowed.
 Section one of the ordinance was then considered. This reads as follows:
 Section One.
 Section l. The General Assembly shall not pass a special, private or local law in any of the following cases:
 l. Granting a divorce
 2. Relieving any minor of the disabili- ties of homage.
 8. Changing the name of any corpora tion, association or individual.
 Providing for the adoption or legiti- mixing of any child.
 5. Incorporating town, city or village. 6. Granting a charter to any corpora tion, association or individual.
 I. Establishing rules of descent or dis tribution.
 8. Regulating the time within which a civil or criminal action may be begun 6. Exempting any person, corporation, county, township, municipality or asso- citation from the operation of any general law.
 TO- Providing for the sale of the proper ty of any individual or estate.
 Il. Changing locating a county seat. 12. Providing for change of venue in any case.
 13. Regulating the rate of interest
 A. Granting any exclusive or special privilege, immunity or franchise what ever.
 IS. Fixing the punishment of crime or misdemeanors
 16 Providing for or regulating either the assessment or collection of taxes. f. Giving effect to invalid will deed or other instrument.
 IS. Legalizing the invalid act of any officer.
 19. Authorizing any township, city, town village to issue bonds or other securities.
 20. Amending. confirming or extending the charter of any corporation or remit ting the forfeiture thereof.
 H. Creating extending or impairing any lien.
 22. Chartering or licening any ferry, road or bridge.
 23. Regulating the Jurisdiction and fees of justices of the peace or the fees of constables.
 24 Establishing separate school dis tricts.
 a. Establishing separate stock dis tricts.
 26. Creating, increasing or decreasing fees, percentage or allowances of public officers. No special. private or local law, except law fixing the time of holding courts, shall be enacted in any case, which is provided for by a general law, CT when the relief sought can be given by any court of this State, and the courts and not the General Assembly shall judge as to whether the matter of said law is pro- vided for by general law and as to whether the relief sought can be given by any court; nor shall the General Assembly indirectly enact any such special, private or local law by the partial repeal of a general law. The General Assembly shall pass general laws for the cases enumer- hted in this section.
 The committee on legislative department