The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-01

State of Alabama, so long as continux a citizen thereof; and that I will faith-
 fully and honestly discharge the duties
 of the office upon which am about to
 enter. to the best of my ability. Sc help me God"
 This oath may be administered by the
 presiding officer of either house of the
 Legislature. or by any officer author.
 i2ed by law to administer an oath.
 MT. Beddow-I move that the Article be adopted.
 A vote being taken, the Article was
 adopted.
 The Secretary read Article XVII,
 Miscellaneous Provisions, as follows;
 ARTICLE XVII.
 Miscellaneous Provisions.
 279. No person holding an office of
 profit under the United States, except postmasters, whose annual salaries do not exceed two hundred dollars. shall during his continuance in such office
 hold any office of profit under this State; nor, unless otherwise provided in this Constitution. shall any person hold two offices of profit at one and the same time under this State, except justices of the peace, constables, ncta- ries public and commissioners of deeds. 2s0. The salary. fees or compensa- tion of any officer holding any civil office of profit under this State or any county or municipality thereof shall | not be increased or diminished during l the term for which he shall have been | elected or appointed.
 l 2s1. It is made the duty of the Leg islature to enact all laws necessary to give effect to the provisions of this l Constitution.
 MT. Beddow-I desire to offer an
 The Secretary read the amendment l as follows:
 After the first day of January, 1904. | the labor of convicts shall not be let out by contracts to any person, CO., partnership. company. or corporation. | and the Legislature shall by law pro- vide for the working of convicts for the benefit of the State and the various counties thereof"
 The President-The question is on the | amendment offered by the gentleman from Jefferson.
 MT. Beddow-I Fromise the President and the Convention that will not con- sume much of their time on this ques- | tion, though 1t Is one near to my heart, and near to the heart of my people. For a number of years the convicts of the entire State have been saddled up- on Jefferson County. They have been worked in the mines of that county for years, and every convict worked in the mines takes the place Of free labor, and all that we desire to do in this matter is to secure some plan simi a. to that in other States of the Union where the convicts are employed In matters of public improvement. For number of years we have been laboring to get rid of this incubus on Jefferson County. Every other division of this State has had some courtesy shown 1.-the Black Belt, South Alabama. and Mobile, but Jefferson County and North Alabama now ask to be relieved of this incubus, My amendment makes it the duty of the Legislature after the first of Jan uary, 1904, to remove from the mines of Jefferson County convict labor. In our recent Legislature, my colleague, Dr. Cunningham), made gallant fight along this line and lost. He is a mern- Der of this Convention and Is in hearty sympathy with this movement, and no doubt you will endorse this action by an able speech on this occasion. If you will do this for Jefferson County I. for one, would be willing to leave my office and devote my time from now on until the election upon the ratifica- tion of this Constitution, and proclaim 1t throughout the length and breadth of the State of Alabama, and to recon- mend 1t with my heart to everyone or our constituents. 1 believe that Jet- ferson County will march up as solid phalanx and unbgoke column to the support of this Constitution if you will do this for tlem, and it is asking no more than they deserve. They have borne this burden long enough. these convicts ought to be taken out or the mines and work upon pubic lm provementg and roads O. the State. ana without detaining you longer, gentle men of the Convention, 1 will close oy asking that you pass this resolution.
 NJ. deGraffenreid-I move to lay the amendment oi the gentleman rom Jet- ferson on the table.
 M. Cunningh&m-l call Tor the ayes and noes.
 The call was not sustained.
 A vote being taken, the motion to table prevailed.
 Mf. Beddow-I desire to offer another amendment.
 Tn, Secretary read the amendment al follows:
 Amend Article on Miseellaneous Provisions by adding new Section as follows: After January 1st, 1904, no convic: sentenced to hard labor for the county shall be let out by contract to any person. copartnership, company Or corporation outside Of the county in which conviction Is had, nor shall any persoI convicted O. misdemeanor be worked in any coal, ore, or other un- derground mine by serving sentence.
 N. Beddow-Th, difference between that Section that I have offered, and the one that has been voted down, is thi'. tha: 1: limits the convlcts that arc sent to the mines to felony cases. and prevents the counties all over the Jtatl sending such convicts as those that arG convicted of misdemeanors to the penitentlary 70 work out short sent encec, and l desire to yield my time to the gentleman from Jefferson on this question, D.. Cunningham.
 tMt. Cunningham-Thefe seems to be } kind O, disposition or insinuation up- on this great question of reform in the State of Alabama that the eX-Senator (. Jefferson Count and the present Representative from the Senatorial Dis trict O. Jefferson County is not honest and not sincere l want tc say, Mir. Presiden;, that in the great moral re- form in the State of Alabama looking to the reformation of the convict sys- tenn of Alabama, 1 not only brought to bear upon it every possible energy and every pussible ability that -Lpossassed, hut my whc,c heart and soul, and be- cause of it's defeat, sir, l voluntarily retired from politics in my county. So much fo: the personal aspect of this question.
 Now, let us come to the merits of the amendment offered by my colleague