The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-01
0FFIClAL REPORT OF TIE PROCEEDINGS OF
 TIE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF ALABAMA
Ex0HTIETH DAY.
MONTGOMERY. ALA: ..

< Journment, was called to order Dy the Rrtni1enE and opened with prayer by Her. 1lr. Mafshall as follows:
 70 Lord. our Lord how excellent is Thy name in sil the earth. who hath G1f Thy glory above the Heavens. We would coIne before Thee this morning Acknowledging our unworthiness of Thee and Thy blessings. and yet pray inx that Thou wouldst this day bless t1s according to our needs. We feel khis morning that we are dependent upon Thee for the life that we have, and for the strength that we have. and we come before Thee praying that Thou Wonldst help us, that we may put our {ruGt in Thee. Bless this days de- Alterations. and may the Constitution Aerp made be such as will elevate the mornIs of our State. and improve 1t in everx respect. Bless each and every , member of this Convention; bless their Aernes and their famiIies. and keep us by Thy power. Forgive our sins. and 4s lnet in Heaven save us. we ask for 1! QhFlet saIxa Amen"
 Upon q call of the roll sl delegates re9Donded to their names.
 The report of the Committee on Jour nal was read, stating that the journal for the ssventy-ninth day had been examined and found correct. and the same was adopted.
 Mf. smith (Mobiie)--I desire to sub init . report of the Rules Committee pn one question. others will be sub mttted later.
 The report was read as follows:
 Substitute by Rules Committee for resolution 322 by Mr. Long of Walker.
 Resolved, that the Committee on Or der, Harmony and Consistency of the Whole Constitution be and it is hereby Instructed to prepare and report to the Convention an ordinance extendinEythe Aerrns of office of the present Sheriffs for two additional years, and making fhelr successors elective in 1908 for terms of four years; aud that the com may Dc necessary to harmonize the Constitution with the ordinance so to be reported by 1t.
 Mir dsGrafrcnreid--I have a minority report.
 The minority report was read an fol- lows;
 MINORITY REPORT.
 The undersigned member of tine Committee on Rules begs leave to say that he Is not able to concur in the report of the majority of the Commit tee on Rules in recommending the ex- tension of the terms of the present t@ME1AAS TUT tWO JcArb. lt uAs be6H at least forty dave since this Conven- ton determined to establish quad. .n. niai elections in this State. but not un- gil this Convention. on day before ysr- terday, refused to allow Sheriffs to suc- ceed themselves, was it proposed that this Convention should extend the terra of the present Sherifts for any period whatever. To now do so might not be Improperly construed as an effore 10 placate officers. whose demands upon us have not been met. While 1t may he thought by some that the Constitu- zion to be adopted by this Convention VIII be popularlzed and its ratification assured if the Sheriff who Is tho re- turning officer of elections in each county is directly interested in the election held for that purpose. the in- expediency and impropriety of the measure proposed, 1t seems to me, are beyond question.
 While this Convention has lengthen- ed the terms of the Senators whose terms expire fin 1904 for two years, such Senators will draw no salaries and will perform no duties unless the Legislature is convened in extraofdf- nary session. The Si1eriffs, on the Eth- CT hand are officers of influence aiid power, with active duties to perform, and to their olfices, in large plumber of eases. are attached handsome per quisites Unless the Legislature should, at its next session, in like manner, cx- tend the terms of the present Tax Collectors Tax Assessors and County Commissioners, which was certainly not contemplated when those officers were elected. for two years. an election in 1904 win be necessary, and as this is true, there Is no reason why Sherlffs n E .f- yns vention has, In the article on the Ex- eeusive Department, which has been formally adopted and is now in the hands of the Committee on Engross- nent. provided that the Sheriff elected in leoz shall hold office for term of six years, and that all succeeding Sheriffs shah hold office for term of four years. This renders the proposed acc &fon recommended by the committee Nnnecazsary.
 Believing as do that we should ccn- zine ourselves tn/ /the business for which 4his Convention, was called by the peo- ole, and that the action proposed s unnecessary and without precedent, I Feaonmeud that .be said report of the Committee on Rules be not adopted.
 Ed. deGraffenreid,
 Of the Committee on Rules.
 Afr. deGrafkenreid--Mr. President, the reason why oppose the action of the Comuittee on Rules in recommending to this Convention that the terms of 1lae present Eheriffs be extended two years ia plainly set forth in the minor lty report. There have been several naaasufea introduced in this Convention since we met. with reference to the of- ace of sheriff. and this Convention kas acted several times upon these matters, and at the instance of those who profess to represent the Sheriffs. have several. times changed it's action. AS stated in the minority report, on day before yesterday, this Convention, by clcee vote. after mature consid- srMticn, while number of Sheriffs were in Montgomery, refused Co change the existing laws ard allow two terms. 1muaediately upon the heels of that ac- flon. comes this proposed measure. Be- fore that time, and since the recess, this Convention had adopted the article on che Executive Department, which provides that the SheFiffs elected in 1904 shall hold office for six years. By doing that every election in the State of Alabama is harmonized, and if the propoeed measure now introduced from the Committee on Rules is adopted, the 1.eglg1ature following the precedent es- tabSshed by this Convention, to avoid an election in 1904, will have to extend the terms of office of the Tax Assessor and the Tax Collector andthe County CofnmissionerVand the Superintendent of Education in each county for two