The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-17

that shows that we wtii not need General Assembly every two years as much as we do now for the purpose of general legislation.
 The President--The time of the gen. tleman has expired.
 Mir. Br6oks--f make the point of order that l am not discussing any amend ment but provision in the report am entitled to speak thirty minutes.
 MT. Oates----l agreed with the gen- tleman from Lee (Mr. Harrison) that he would offer an amendment.
 Mir. Jones-T object. I had the floor to offer an amendment and yielded and have not yet had a chance to of- fer my amendment
 The President--It seems to the Chair that the gentleman from Mobile Is cor rect. He Is opposing the adoption Of the section.
 Mir. Brooks-I do not want to inflict myself on the Convention, but ! do want to be heard attentively IT can he for I have fixed convictions In re- gard to this section.
 Now so much for the question of substituting quadrennial sessions for biennial sessions on the ground that there is no need for our representa- tlves to come together every Tour years, I am opposed to 1t.
 MT. Foster-will the gentleman per init me to ask him . question in the way of suggestion?
 MT. Brooks--Yes, sir.
 Mir. Foster--Does the gentleman knew of civilized State in the world that has quadrennial sessions?
 MT. Brooks-I am glad the gentle man called my attention to that. be-
 all nf ha five States in the Union have biennial elections and biennial sessions with the exception of seven of the States which have annual elections. namely. Maine, Massachusetts. Connecticut. Rhode Is- mad. New Jersey. New York and Pennsylvania. and the single exception of the State of Mississippi, which has auadrennial elections and quadrennial sessions and those quadrennial sessions are divided into two, one for general laws and the other to deal with local legislation alternating every two years. That seems to be the concensus or opinion based on the experience of all the States and a majority of them hav- ing the same constitutional provisions that we have adopted in regard to To- cal legislat!n. They are all having bi- ennial elections and sessions with the exception Of the seven which have an nual elections and sessions and with the exception of Mississippi. which as has been suggested. is a purely agri- cultural community.
 I remember a good many years ago that brilliant Virginia statesman, Henry A. Wise. made an eloquent ad- dress to the people in behalf or the claims of the Old Dominion for the af its al and hest men in State affairs. He contended that their best men were attracted more bv the honors of Federal elections and Federal preferment than by those of
 the State. He argued that the State was the repository of those great gov ernmental powers and agencies with which the people were most brought into contact, and that their liberty and happiness and protection depended more upon the just administration or State affairs than Federal matters. IT that was true then. it is equally true now. when there IS tendency to cen tralization of Federal power. when that power constantly impinged upon the rights of local self government and when the dominating influence of Fed eral affairs are more and more appar- ent, But while the State offers to her best men the highest field for the medication of statesmenlike views ana for the exercise of the highest quail ties of political genius. it is true also that the interests of the State demand that the people should from time to time have an opportunity frequently to assert themselces in the election of their representa- tives and to have cor responding opportunity through repre- sentationcoming fresh from the people, to revise. review and modify. if need be. in the legislative halls. their gov ernmental powers and agencies in 90 far as needs and requirements make 1t necessary.
 Now we have enlarged the powers Of the Executive and we propose to give the Executive some quasi legal power in the matter of revenue bills. but l submit that the interval of four years is too long and that we ought to re- tain the constitutional provision which we now have for biennial elections and biennnial sessions. The best safeguard against the corroding influence Of stagnation among the people is to let them have a free movement in all that pertains to their interest. in com ing together from time to time and electing their representatives and get
  | fluence of free institutions upon the l hustings in speeches and discussions and then have an opportunity Of go- | ing 10 their Legislature once in two years and having their needs and re- | u,lirements looked into and subserved. Not only that, @It we live in an axe | of rapid thought and progress and quick in great development, going sometimes by leaps and bounds. And who knows what may occur within two years, much less four years when 1t may be necessary for the law-mak- ing body of the people to assemble to. l gether to modify existing laws or en- upon the peculiar or particular circum-
 stances that may then exist?
 Now, MT. President, this section In my opinion needs to be amSlded in two or three particulars. do not care about amending it as to the time of holding elections and on that point I am in line with the provisions as re- ported by the chairman of the commit tee and believe our State election should ..e held in August. I do mol believe they ever should be and cer- tainly hope in my life time they never will be on the same day that Federal elections are held. for the simple req son that although the Federal laws which have heretofore interfered with our elections may have been repealed and although 1t may not be the purpose of Congress to ever enact such Jaws again, still the moral effect of having State elections on the same day as Fed eral elections is bad. and tell you the I-..A