The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-25


 same time to report to them the req sons for our work, and also an expla- nation of 1t. The same argument. and the same discussion that convinces the members of this Convention and causes them to adopt or to propose Consti- tutin. when sent out broadcast to all of our constituents and the people oi the State of Alabama, will, if we were properly convinced, in turn convince and will cause them to ratify the Con- stitution that we propose.
 Those. MT. President, are the req sons that caused me to change my mind. and to be in favor of steno- graphic report when I was at first op- posed to it. l do not know now that l would have favored it. If 1t were not
 for the fact that by this means we get
 a thousand copies laid upon our desk
 for our own use, and at the same time
 we send to all of the people of Ala
 bama every day, a full stenographic
 report of every thing we do, and the
 reasons therefor and explanation
 thereof.
 MT. Spragins-The minority report of
 this committee has not received at the
 hands of this convention the attention
 which I think the merit of the contro-
 versy entities 1t to, and it urges me
 as a member of this Convention at
 this time to put in my oar. The mem-
 bers of the majority urge upon this Convention many reasols for the adop- tion of the majority report. It may De said. sir. with equal truth, that there are many reasons more potent in SUD-
 port of the minority report.
 It is said that the public is entitled to free and untrammeled inspection of what occurs before this Convention, as if the omnipresent newspaper re- porter had not found a local habitation and name in Montgomery. The gentle man from Jefferson on my extreme right says in protection of the mar ried man. that if steace-aphic report
 had been preserved of his proposal, that many of us would be sowing our wild oats. To the strangers in this Convention to the gentleman from Jefferson. that is a confession that the gentleman Is a married man, and seems to think that he and all of us are anxious to get out from under the bond and yoke that our wives have upon our collars. Gaughter)
 MT. President, we have come here to discuss matters that will be submitted before this Convention, but I submit sir. that we have not come here for the purpose of preserving these discus. sions at the expense of the State of Alabama. (Applause.) If there is any man within this Convention who de- sires to preserve his eloquence. I am sure that The Advertiser can furnish him with as many copies of The Advertiser as will be necessary to carry out the scheme. The only argu- ment. sir, that the advocates for the adoption of the majority report have urged upon this floor is that in the L.
 sidered by the courts of the country, what we say in making that Constitu- ton will be valuable to the court in getting at our intention. The Honored Chairman of the Committee, who makes the majority report, has confi- dence in the intelligence and the pat riotism of this body. He talks much to you about relying upon the wisdom of the members of this Convention. but he tells you at the same time. sir. that we must put a clause in the Constitu- tion and then in the record of the Con- vention we must say, gentlemen, what we mean by it. I have, sir, a higher respect for the wisdom and learning of the members of this Convention than has the gentleman from Mont gomery. l believe, sir, that we will frame Constitution that will be 30 plain that it can be understood by all men. even by. the Supreme Court of the United States.
 I hope, gentlemen of the convention, that you will not put the State of Ala bama to this useless expense.
 MT. Samford-Mr. President, I hesi. tate and did hesitate for some time be- fore decided to make any remarks on a question that had been passed upon by committee of members for whom l have such high esteem, but it occurs to me that to the observant man, one thing has been made plain to the mem- bers who form this convention, and that is that every thoughtful man in this convention is advancing towards the work that has been allotted it to do. with extreme caution, and in a very gingerly manner. It is an open secret in Alabama that a majority of the people are in favor of eliminating the negro from politics, without inter fering with the rights of any white man, and while I agree with the gen. tleman from Jefferson in saying that We ought to take into our confidence every citizen of the State of Alabama, and every person who has any interest in this matter, I hold to the view that outside of the confines of this State, nobody has got anything to do with our business, and adverse criticism Is never relished from ones enemies, and if the verbatim reports of this conven- tion could be confined to those who are vitally interested in it's work. l might favor the passage and the adoption of the majority report of this committee, notwithstanding the unnecessary eX- pense that the State of Alabama will be put to on account of it. Now, Mr. President, the question of expense Is no small item. They speak of q thou sand or two thousand, or three thou sand dollars as if money grew on trees and we had It to squander. or to ex- pend as our caprice or whims might dictate. I will state for the informa- tion of this body, perhaps some of the members are not aware of the fact. that only a limited amount has been set apart and appropriated for the pro- ceedings of this convention. I will | also state for the benefit of others, | that it is not incumbent upon us to expend every dollar that has been ap- | Eighteen hundred dollars two thousand dollars, three thousand | dollars, what does 1t avail? What | does it avail? In the first place, it | goes to our enemies beyond the con- | fines of the State. perhaps furnishing | sticks to crack our heads with in times | of trouble that are likely to follow. | And within the confines of the State | it gives to some men-some men l say | there are very thoughtful men who | desire to have their views recorded III | bound volumes for the enlightenment | of posterity, but 1t gives to some men | in this convention and I will say only