The age-herald., 1901-07-13

that the Governor is member of the oard of Trustees of Auburn and of cer- tain agricultural schools Is no reason why he should be a member of the University board. It is recommended that this board be authorized to elect its own presiding officers. The superintendent of educa- tion is to be a member ex-officio of the board and no change Is recommended in reference to the manner of appointing the trustees. The reason urged for not hav- ing the governor on the board is that the appointing power should not be a member of the board appointed The minority re- port was signed by Erie ettus, J. T. Ash craft, w. Hodges, Jno. A. Rodgers, D. s. ethune, Jere N. Williams and Henry Opp.
 It is sigifcant in this convection that the Alumni Association of the University at the last commencement adopted resolu- ton asking for a change of the charac- ter recommended and then sresolu- tion was advocated by some of the oldest and most conservative almuni
 The committee lonnamending the con- stitution reported favorably MT. Merril's ordinance to validate certain acts of the Legislature to consolidate the bonded in debtedness of the State sF
 The Pending Question.
 The convention then took up the pend- ing question which was section of the article on local legislation. This read as follows:
 Section 5. The General Assembly may by general law confer upon courts of County Commissioners, Boards of Rev enue or other courts, such power of local legislation and administration, touching all matters and things not provided for by general law, and not Inconsistent with the provisions of this constitution as the General Assembly may from time to time deem expedient.
 Governor Oates had offered an ordi- nance substituting section 25 of article of the present constitution.
 MT. ONeal, chairman of the committee, offered a substitute which embraced the original section as reported by the com mittee, with the addition that the words
 other courts or trimunals as may be created by the General Assembly, were included.
 E, MT. ONeal explained the section and MT. Sentell of Crenshaw opposed 1t.
 Governor Oates spoke against the sec tion as reported. He thought 1t unwise to confer legislative powers on the coun- " commissioners, or such courts The Legislature is capable of enacting these laws and why not let them do it.
 MT Bulger of Tallapoosa said the con vention was going as far wrong in linn ltlng the powers of the Legislature as to local laws as the Legislature had gone wrong in the past in passing local laws Nhis section if adopted will not make the laws better, for no commissioners court is as capable of legislating for a county as the General Assembly.
 MT. Rogers of Sumter favored the sec ton. He said there would be no mid night sessions of local county boards and that no bills would be slipped through There would be no Shelby county affairs. 1T the people of the state had sense enough to select such delegates as our selves, have they not sense enough to slect county board? Have they ex- hausted all their sense in xlecting us?
 General Harrison of Lee moved A sus- pension Of the rules and offered a reso- lution extending the privileges of the floor to Hon. John B. Little, speaker of the House of Representatives of Geor- gia and Hon. B. s. Miller, a member of the Georgia assembly. This was adopted
 MT. Sorrell of Tallapoosa opposed the section. He did not wish to cast any reflections on the boards of county commissioners. but he did not think thev had the capacity to enact these local laws. He wanted the matter left to the legislature. The ordinance proposed was unsafe and unwise.
 To Save Money.
 MT. Blackwell of Morgan, said he was in hearty sympathy with the ordinance proposed Dy. the committee. If we take away the power of local laws from the legislature we must place it somewhere, and it would be less expensive to have the boards of county commissioners en- act these local laws than to have the legislature enact them He illustrated local laws passing the legislature to name county liners and said each liner probably cost the state s20o.
 Judge Howse of Jefferson thought that the original section as reported by the committee was preferable to the substi- ute. He did not think the county com missioners should become or act as legislature. He thoucht they should be made make of a court to deal with cer- tain local matters so that the costs could be made -charaeable to the parties benefited If they are made a legis- lature they will not have the right to tax to parties benefited the costs of their delfberations.
 Mir Weatherdly asked Judge Howze why Governor Oates amendment which left the legislature free scope in the matter would not be better. Judge Howze did