The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-12


 that has run from time immemcrial, the selection of the Governor of Ala bama would deyolve upon nine men, who in some way happened to tumble into that Senate.
 Mir. President. am fully aware that | the politicians have had long ride | and long lease of enjoyment Upon the l selection of this officer, next in si.cces- sion to the Governor. They have en- | joyed it ever since '7o, and the statute of limitations has almost run against them. and I can see that they would be | loathe to give it up. They would be sorry to surrender to the people of Alabama vested rights which they think they hold. and ought to have by reason of long enjoyment. hut, MT. | President. If there is one ting al par | ent in the sentiment of ;he people of | Alabama at this time, It is the pro- gressive spirit that has moved them along the lines, to exercise a greater voice and interference in the lrenage- | ment of their own affairs and the se- | lection of their officers. The cry can | be heard all over Alabama. and there | are thousands of people in Alabama, | that favor a proposition 10 eject every | thins in the State of Alabama fTem a | Constable to United States Senator. l The people would like. they would pre- | fer. to have the choice of naming the man who shall be Governor. Why should they be compelled to put that authority possible in the hands of rine men, who would constitute a majority of the caucus of one party in the Ser- ate. It Is not the creation or a new office. It is the changing of a name, and placing the appointment or selec- | tfon back where it rightly belongs. to the people who will have to be govern | ed by this man, should he become Ccv- ernor AssuminS( therefore, MT Pres ident. that a provision will be put in there that will safely guard the people from having or permitting the legis- lature to pay this man for any service that he does not perform, I am hear tily in favor of the office and l say | that the people ought to be permitted l to have a voice m the selection of a | man that may. perhaps, be their Gov- ernor.
 MT. Wilson (Washington)-Mr. Pres ident. the chief objection to this office | that has been heard, so far, seems to | be the expense attached thereto. In my very few years observation l have | learned not to place too much trust in
 the General Assembly. when it comes to matters of appropriations. It seems | to me though, that this objection has
  | to my left, in the shape of proposed | amendment. which has been consented to by the Chairman of the Committee, | and to further this idea would like to ask the Chairman of the Committee. if 1 he will consent, to further amend l ment placing a restriction on the leg islature by prohibiting them from in- | creasing or changing the pay of the
 Lieutenant Governor. ArxyN- r | dent, as the gentleman asks the queS-
 ton I will say that I cannot answer | for the Comuittee, but personally,
 would not be willing to deal with that
 in the Constitution.
 MT. Wilson (Washington)-Then, MT.
 President since the Committee declines
 to make the people absolutely secure
 against an increase of salary. l shall
 vote no.
 MT. Dent-I had not expected to say
 anything upon this question. While l
 have very decided views about it and
 I regret very much that l differ with
 my colleague, I believe that this office | is a wise one, and a useful one. and speaking for myself, l do not appre-
 hend any difficulty in going before my
 people, and giving good and sufnclent | reasons why this office ought to De | created. and I believe when that IS
 done they will endorse the action Of
 this Convention. if it so act in creat-
 ing that office. MT. President, several
 questions have been referred to in con- l nection with this office, but there Is one
 remark made by the gentleman from | Bibb. who first addressed this Con-
 vention, in which the services or the | last Lieutenant Governor which Ala
 bama had. were commended. By the
 simple fact that he happened to have
 that office at that time 1t prevented
 trouble and perhaps a riot ana plooo- shed. I endorse what that gentleman
 says. because I know something or ihe
 history of those times.
 MT. Merrill-Would not the President
 of the Senate. if a proper man, nave | rendered the same services.
 | MT. Dent-He might, and might rot.
 We have had an experience in refer
 ence to the office of Lieutenant ao. er-
 nor. and am willing to stand on 1t.
 MT. Jones (Montgomery)-I would
 like to ask the gentleman from Bar l hour a question. Wasn't the President
 of the Senate at that time a person
 who was a conspirator in an effort
 then on foot. the object of which was
 to throttle the will of the people Of l Alabama?
 Nr. Dent-I am reminded that that
 was the fact, and he was man that
 was particularly odious to large ma
 iority of the people of Alabama. But as say, if there were no other reason
 why that office should be created, l think that the very reason which has
 been glver upon this floor repeatedly ] is q sufficient one, and that Is, that tho people themselves should say who l should be the successor of the Governor l in tho event of his death. or inability
 to discharge the duties of that ofhce. Mr. Williams (Barbour)-l have some | personal regret that the state of Bar
 bour," as 1t is sometimes called, is at some difference upon this question, ana | I cannot allow my friend who has just
 spoken upon this subject to speak for | me. l do not agree with him. I have l some personal recollection, too, of the inconvenience and bitterness of those l days in which the Lieutenant-GoVer-
 nor was forced upon us. 1 hated him worse than I ever hated any mortal on 1 earth, but my feeling towards him | N as more largely because of the crowd 1 tc came out of than the fact he was i holding new office. It was one that
 was made in that time for the oppres-
 sion of our people. and 1t was so used
 but, MT. Pl resident. have not recent
 events shown us the propriety of hav- | ing a man of this rank in this office?
 Does not everybody here remember how
 the hearts of the people ached within 1 less than twelve months past, when | the present Governor, it was thought. ! had come to his end? When the ques- | ton was as to who should succeed, when the presiding officer of the Sen ate had not been elected. and the prob
 abiIitv waS that the then incumbent