The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-10

md armed men, not amid the Dioody ehccl< of embattled legions. marshalied armies and floating navies. but with chat grander and stronger weapon truth. Truth and error are to meet, and truth is represented by the white people of the State of Alabama, and that means the white people from the hines of North Alabama to the white people from the magnolias in South Alabama, as one people moving for one common purpose, and that for the ele- vation and publication of the politics of the whole State of Alabama
 We recognize what the gentlemen of the black belt are sacrificing; we recognize the love they manifest here; we recognize that although we came when you asked us and went with Morgan in 1874. when Houston was our candidate for Governor and helped with him to roll beck the black belt waves that were submerging this part of Ala bama and make again the right of the Caucasian race permanent here we recognize that following that when oth- CT conflicts came and North Alabama divided and the white people needed the help of the black belt of Alabama, they came to our rescue and we rec ognize them as brothers and are in full sympathy with them. and are in hearty
  pose here and will support it. l move the previous question on the amend ment.
 The main question was ordered.
 MT. Cunningham--I believe, under the rules of the House, the Committee has the right to close.
 MT. O'Neal--This is an amendment.
 Mir. Cunningham-I understand that, but the Committee has not been heard from on this amendment.
 The President pro tem-Who Is the chairman of the Committee?
 MT. Cunningham-The acting chair man of the Committee has yielded the floor to me.
 MT. Rogers--I rise to a point of or der.
 MT. Cunningham-I desire to briefly discuss this question. I desire to say at the outset that this Committee, or at least a portion of it. seriously consid-, cred the aspect of the question now under discussion. Now, MT. President, it Is well for us to thoroughly under stand the method of amending the Con- stitution before we go into a discussion of the merits of pending amend rient. Un1sr the Constitution we now have, two-thirds of each house can pass an amendment to the Constitution; of the State of Alabama. The courts have decided. MT. President. that ma 5ority of the House is a constitutional quorum. whatever that is. In the State of Alabama, 1t is fifty-one members of the House and seventeen of the Sem ate Now. I ask particular attention on this point, because any amend ment to the present Constitution can be proposed by thirtyfive members of the House of Representatives and by twelve Senators in the Senate of your State The amendment that Is offered to the amendment, and the present Constitution providing for amendments 10 the Constitution. says three -flfths of the whole number elected to each House. It, therefore, follows that in the report of the Committee. as adopt ed. in order to amend the Constitution, it will require sixty members of the House of Representatives to vote for 1t and twenty Senators. Under the pres ent Constitution, thirty-five members of the House and twelve Senators can do it. Under the proposed Article that comes from your Committee. it will take sixty members of the House of Representatives and twenty Senators. Now. Mir. President, let us see how this applies to this section of the State as to which this question has been raised, and the fears of the gentlemen who are apprehensive that their basis of representation will be changed. It is we'll known that the representation from this section of the State is as fol- lows: In the House of Representatives, Barbour. 2; Russell. 2; Bullock. 9: Montgomery. 4; Marengo. ?; Wilcox, 2; Lowndes, 2; Dallas, 3; Hale, 2: Sumter, 2: Greene. 1: Autauga, 1; Wilcox 1; Clarke, 2; Perry, ?; making . total of thirty. In the Senate. Barbour, 1; Rus sell and Lee, 1: Bullock and Macon. 1: Montgomery, 1; Marengo, 1: Wilcox, 1; Perry and Bibb, 1; Dallas, 1; Hale and Greene. l; Autauga and Lowndes, l.; Sumter and Pickens, 1; Perry and Bibb, l; total of twelve. q
 Now. under the present Consti- tuition of the State of Alabama, if the Constitution we propose is defeated at the polls. and the great question of representation is raised in Alabama. under your present Constitution. two-thirds of a quorum can amend it. and I undertake to say that the provision of this Committee fixes forever the representations of the people in the black belt counties and of the people of the State, where as you are not secure under your present Constitution. If it becomes the choice of the black belt of Alabama as to whether they will have a Consti- tuton that provides three -fifths of the whole number of the house or two thirds of a quorum, I submit, as in telligent men that they will take the latter proposition. They will never as between two possible evils choose the greater. and therefore, with all due re- spect to the people of the black belt, l want to say l think it unfortunate that you have precipitated this discus sion on this great question. In regard to the policy pursued on this question, I agree with the gentleman from Wal ker. that we have no right to tie the hands of the people of Alabama, as to the methods of amending the Consti- tuition, in any particular. It Is bad policy to fix it for years to come, and until another Convention shall have been called. I say it is bad policy, and 1t is policy that I can not answer for upon the stump, if I am called upon to sustain it.
 MT. Oates-I suggest that the pres ant Constitution fixes the apportion- ynent for ten years and it can not be changed until after that time.
 MT. Cunningham-I believe that the basis of representation should be upon population. I believe that the people of Alabama will embrace that doctrine, for the white people of the black belt are responsible for the civilization of the colored people, for their education, for their suprort and for their protec- ton, and for one, am willing to tes- tify publ .siy, and will adhere to it, that they have a right to representation In the law making bodies of the State, and repreSenta tion in the State and