The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-01
MANY NEW ORDINANCES
Effort to Annul Shelby Court
 House Act.
Propositions Submitted to Increase Salaries of Governor and Supreme
 Court Justices-Resolution to
 Cancel stenographic Contract

The Constitutional Convention closed its second week yesterday afternoon al 1 o'clock when it adjourned until Mon- day at 12 o'clock to give the ,commit- tees an opportunity to consider the large number of ordinances and reso- lutions which have been referred to them.
 The Convention has had nine work Ing days and in that time eo5 ordi- uances and s7 resolutions have been sent to the desk of the Secretary by the members of the body. These ordi- nances and resolutions cover wide range of subjects. The suffrage dues- tion is, of course. the principal sub feet to be considered by the Conven- tion and fully twenty propositions for its reform have been presented.
 Many of the ordinances introduced are reiterations of clauses of'the pres ent State Constitution and resolution reported by the Rules Committee yes terday morning to put stop 10 the introduction of useless matter prec!pi- tated considerable debate. The Com mittee proposed that the Constitution of 1875 be adopted by the Convention as basis for the new instrument apd s that in future ordinances should be ln- troduced as amendments unless they covered entirely new subjects.
 The resolution of the Rules Commit tee was discussed by Messr3. White of Jefferson. Smith of Mobile. ,deGraffen- reid of Hale. Cunningham of Jeffer- son. Browne of Tall2dega and O'Ncal of LauderdaIe. Mir. O'Neal was the euthor of. the resolution. Finally MT. Pillafs of Mobile, offered as substi- tute to the o'Neal resolution a resolu- tion that it was the sense of the Con- vention that ell new ordipances shall be confined to new matter without reference to old matter of the Constl- tuition. This substitute was accepred by MT. O'Neal and on motion of MT. Ashcraft of Lauderdale, the entire matter was recommitted to the Rules Committee.
 Wants the Roll Called.
 Soon after the Convention assembled at Il o'clock yesterday morning some discussion was caused by a motion sby MT. deGraffenreid of Hale, to dispense with the daily call Of the roll. Obtec- tion was made by General Oates and the rule of Congress in regard to the call of the roll for the ascerrainment if a quorum was present was discussed. The Convention refused to dispense with the roll call indN31 :lembsrs sn- swered to their names.
 About twenty-five members were granted leaves of absence until Tues day and delegate made the point that the Secretary should ascertain if there would be a quorum with 50 many ab- sentees. President Knox assured him that there would be quorum.
 For the first time the Seer etary was yesterday instructed to begin the call of the committees for reports. It was but few minutes before the hour of adjournment and when he had called four committees. General Oates sug- gested that the call was unnecessary as none of the Committees would. be ready to make report until the mid de of next week. The call of Commit tees was then suspended.
 Shelby County Court House.
 The Shelby County court house mat ter reached the Convention yesterday morning when Mir. Beavers. the Dem ocratic delegate from that County, sent to the Secretary's desk and had read a lengthy memorial ito the Convention signedy by 1the "Citizens Committee" !" The memorial appeals to the Convsn- tion to set aside the act Of he last legislature authorizing che removal of the court house of Shelby County from Columbiana to Calera. The memorial states that seNenty-four members of the General Assembly to whom letters were written rephed that sheW mad no knowledge of the bill until after the adjournment Of the legislature. It also states that thirty eight of the sixty nine members of the House who ap- pear from the journal to have voted for the bill, say that they never heard of such a bill.
 letter from Hon. w. E. Striplin Representative of Elmore County, is included in the memorial. MT. Strip lin was member of the Committee on Counties and County BoundarIes which is said to have reported the Shelby Court House bill favorably. His name is signed on the back of .he Dill as re- turning a favorable report although Hs states in letter that he has no recollection of having heard of the bill.
 When the memorial had been read MT. Beavers presented an ordinance declaring null and void the, act of the General Assembly authorizing the re- moyaI of the Shelby County court house. The ordinance was referred to the Committee on State and County Boundaries of which Hon. George H Parker of Cullman is chairman.
 Electors Must Believe in God.
 Several additional ordinances for sui frage reform were introduced yesteR- day, The only one containing new features was presented by MT. Sanders of Limestone He proposes that & qualified elector shall have expressed his belief in the existence of Supreme Being. This is one of many ether tests which MT. Sanders would have. the other qualifications having been covered by other delegates.
 General Sanford of Montgomery, pro- poses to prohibit the General Assem- by from abolishing the military features at the State University at Tuscaloosa and the Polytechnic In- siitute at Auburn. He introduced an ordinance to this effect. The venera- be member from Montgomery also pre- sented an ordinance authorizing the State to own and operate works of in-