The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-12
.ne Speaker of, .he Heu.e of Reprssent-

the Speaker of the House of Represent atives.
 MT. Merrill of Barbour. said the delegates had been elected to make 2 Constitution reforming suffrage ana | elections, and not to create new omces. | The very first work of the Convention was to undertake to cucumber Ala bama with a new officer. He therefore opposed the proposition.
 Reese Scores Politicians. Mr. Reese of Dallas, contended that | the Lieutenant-GovernOr would not De I a new officer. It was simply change | of name. He said that he could un- derstand that the politicians were loath l to give up the selection of the second | highest officer in the State. It might I occur that there would be a bare ma jority of one party in the Senate and | the Convention should safeguard the | people against such a contingency. A cry was going up from the people for i the election of all officers, and he | thought a Lieutenant-Gov would be approved by the people, as it would | not be regarded as a new office. 1 Afraid of Legislators. MT. Wilson of Washington. said he | had learned not to place too much | confidence in the General Assembly in matters of appropriation. If the au- thority of the General Assembly to fix I the salary of the Gieutenant-Governoi was limited he would vote for the sec | tion. Otherwise iMr. Wilson said he | would vote against 1t.
 Mir, Dent of Barbour. opposed the amendment of MT. Long. He said he regretted to disagree with his colleague l (Mr. MerrelD but he believed the peo- pie of Barbour County would favor the creation of the office of Lieutenant | Governor.
 MT. williams of Barbour. said he re. gretted that the delegates from "the State of Barbour" as 1t was sometimes called, should disagree upon this ques- ton. He favored the creation of a | Lieutenant- Governor, because the peo- | pie should elect the vice-Governor. Gen. Sanford's Remarks. General Sanford of Montgomery, earnestly opposed the amendment of Mir. Long. General Sanford said he took an active part in the campaign for the adoption of the Constitution Of 1875 which had been framed by Dem ocrats to overthrow Republican rule. Any objection made to the office Of Lieutenant Governor at that time was not valid today. It was created by Constitution which Congress had im- posed upon Alabama and for this req son it was objectionable to the people of Alabama in 1875. Alabama was uro- gressing and this was now step to- ward improvement in government.
 MT Blackwell of Morgan, said as a candidate for delegate to this Conven- tion he had told the people that he favored the proposition to give the peo- pie the right to select a Lieutenant Governor. He had not found a man who opposed giving them the right to pass upon the qualification of a man who is to be next to the highest omcer in Alabama. Therefore he hoped the section of the report creating the of- fee would be adopted.
 Martin Opposed to Present Plan.
 MT. Martin of Calhoun, said the people jealously regarded their right to select their Chief Magistrate. In the event of the death of Governor, he asked who would select his successor. He declared that the people of Alabama have no voice in the election or selec- ton of the President of the senate. He might preside with great dignity and great learning, but unless he Is elected by the people it was wrong that he should be called to the high office of Governor. Therefore he earn estly. favored the proposition to permit the people to elect two men, one to preside as Governor, and the other to take his place in the event of disabil- ity.
 Captain White of Jefferson. said he had great confidence in the people and he believed they would always approve that which is right. By the Chief Ex- ecutive the people of a State are judged. By him the laws are enforced. t1Ao daRtnah by him. He stands above every officer in the State in dignity, in authority and in power. If the Governor meets these requirements, Captain White asked if his successor should not as well be required to fill these require ments. This very Committee report contemplates the extension of the term of the Governor to four years ana this in itself was an argument in favor of a Lieutenant-GoVerno If the people selected the wrong man for the place they were responsible.
 An Embarrassing Contingency.
 Captain White then spoke of a prob able deadlock in the State Senate in the matter of choosing a President, which might cause embarrassment to the people, This, he said, was one of the strong, the potent reasons in favor of a Lieutenant-Govern He said he looked to the past and present for guid- ance in the future, and while he dis liked to disagree with his distinguished friend from Walker (Mr. LonO he hoped the amendment would be defeat ed.
 At 1920 o'clock MT. O'Neal of Lau- derdale moved the previous" question and on motion of Governor Jones the section as amended was adopted.
 Second Section of Article.
 The second section of the article was then read and on motion of Governor Oates Section ? was adopted. It is as follows:
 Sec. ?. The Supreme Executive power of this State shall be vested in a Chief Magistrate who shall be styled The Governor of the State of Alaba- ma."
 The Clerk read Section 3 which re- lates to the election of Executive offi- cers and fixes their terms at four years. After several minor amend ments Governor oates moved to amend by striking out the word Attorney General" He said he thought the At torney General should be appointed by the Governor. He was part of the Governors administration and he be- lieved it would insure the selection of an able lawyer. He said since the article sought to elect a Governor for four years and make him ineligible for re- election, it would remove any objec7 ton which would be made on the ground of Governor building political fences"
 Governor Oates disclaimed any in- tention refecting upon any gentleman