The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-18

a statement 1 withdraw the motion
 Mir. Knight-I feel called upon. as member of the last Legislature. to con- tradict the statement made by the gen. tleman from Montgomery. was member of and a regular attendant upon the last House. and never saw m the whole session of the Legislature a bill passed when 1t was not thought there was a quorum present. If there was not a quorum present it had not been discovered.
 Mir. Sanford (Montgomery)-I said that Mir. Sentell made that statement The gentleman from crenshaw made the statement that bills were passed here when there were not more than a dozen members upon the floor.
 most emphatically.
 MT. sanford-He said that in a speech here last Monday.
 Mir. Knight--I most emphatically dis pute 1t, and say that 1t was not the case.
 Mr. Sanford (Montgomery)--It Is a question between you. sir. and the gen. tleman from Crenshaw.
 Upon a vote being taken the motion to table the amendment was carried.
 MT. Freeman-I offer an amendment.
 The amendment was read as follows: Amend Section F by striking out in the second line of said sectiony after the word adjournment" down to and including the word secrecy" in the third line.
 MT. Greer (Calhoun)-I move to lay the amendment on the table.
 Upon a vote being taken the motion to table prevailed. and upon a further vote the section was adopted.
 Section 13 was read as follows:
 Sec. 13. Members of the Legislature shall in all cases except treason. fell
 ony. violation of their oath of office, and breach of the peace. be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses,
 and in going to and returning from
 the same. and for any speech or debate
 in either House they shall not be ques-
 tioned in any other place.
 Mir. Oates-That Is the same as Tn
 the present Constitution.
 Upon a vote being taken the section
 was adopted.
 Section 14 was read as follows: Sec. IA. The doors of each House shall be opened except on such occa-
 sions as, in the opinion of the house,
 may. require secrecy, but no person
 shall be admitted to the floor of either House while the same Is in session except members of the Legislature. the officers and employees of the two
 Houses, the Governor and his secre- tariss. representatives of the press. and such other persons to whom either House by unanimous vote may extend the privileges of Its floor. Mir. Heflin (Randolph)--I deslre to offer an amendment.
 The amendment was read as follows: Amend Section IA by striking out the word "unanimous' in the fifth line ana insert in lieu thereof the words "and majority"
 Mr. Heflin (Randolph)-If this Sec tion Is adopted as reported by the Committed, one member of the House of Representatives might thwart the will of 104 members. and one member of the Senate might thwart the will of thirty-four and insist, MT. Presi-
 dent, 1t is undemocratic. and believ- ing in the. doctrine that majority should rule, on all questions. I hope that this amendment will be adopted. NJ. Oates-Tho delegates doctrine Is wholly Napplicable and his amendment | wholly unnecessary and think 1t can be seen. The emendation of this Sec ton from the way 1t stood before, Is simply to clothe each House of the Legislature with the power easily to protect itself from the encroachment of outsiders Now, sir under the rules en- forced heretofore men have had a del- | icacy of feeling about excluding per sons who intrude, and I say 1t re- gretfully but l have seen men in among the Representatives and Sena- tors taking seats among them and but | toHhnlin0 thnn1 tn OAf them fn vote | for some job or 8 scheme which they | may feel an interest in. This Is for | the protection of the members of each House, and the amendment looks to a mere majority vote to turn in anybody and everybody. Why, sir in the future presume we will no tall continue to | be practically of one political party. Take the case where parties are pretty equally divided, one party of course will predominate over the other, and | that party could vote unanimously to- | gether every time and admit to the | privileges of the floor all that they | saw proper. who would be their own party associates, and exclude every body else. Unless it be by a unani- nous vote, to extend to any one, the honor and privileges of the floor, they | should not have 1t. It is quite an { honor to any one, and it is extended
 usually only to distinguished person. | ages, men who have made a record after long and patient service. Other.
 wise bodies of this kind do not hurry
 to extend the privileges to every one | but if a motion be made to admit tC | the privileges of the floor any person | who Is worthy of it, 1t would be the rarest of occurrences that one might
 look for that any member of either House will get Up and object to it. | Mr. Heflin (Randolph)-I would like
 to ask the gentleman if one member oi
 either House on account of politica | prejudice or for any other reason, coulc | not deny the President of the United States or one of our own Senators, ol
 any other distinguished gentleman, the | privileges of the floor?
 | Mir. Oates-I do hot think that any l one would have the cheek to do that. | Mir. HefTm (Randolph)-But answer the question. Could they do 1t? 1 MT. Oates-Oh, they could, but dc
 not wish to make any exceptions. Ths Committee did not see proper to do it l We knew we had 1t from unmistakab blt
 authority that each House had beer
 invaded and it was the habit to admit
 every one and any one who saw fl
 to come in. and mix among the mem
 bers. Why, sir. a member should bt
 exempt from that kind of solicitation | We have in the present Constitution
 one or two sections against corrupt SO 1 licitation. and many times there Is tot
 much solicitation, too much anxiet,
 upon the part of those who come int
 the legislative halls. and if we onl- | knew 1t there is corruption connecNet | with it If is not easily nroyen bou,