The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-18

good men in it is evidenced by the fact that we have them here in this body.
 Now, if a good Legislature like that
 makes such mistakes as 1t did. do the friends of this measure want the ptoPlc of Alabama in like cases in the future to be tied and bound for four years be- fore they can meet and repeal their mistakes? It Is said, Mr. President, that the Governor may call tEe Legis- lature together. Two things generally restrain the Governor in a matter of that sort; one is that the people arc generally opposed to special sessions, and another one Is that generally Governor. where there .s much con- trariety of opinion on a public ques- ton. who calls the Legislature together to settle 1t. generally settles his own
 fate adversely to him. That is ths his tory of special legislative sessions in the States at least. and the Governors will net call them If possible to avoid 1t. I Seg our friends on the tther c,de to remember the other day when some of us had what they considered the temerity to vote for thre s-fourtbs verdict by jury. they filled this hall with protestations against the change in what was called the "blool bought rights" They spoke of Runnymede.
 They spoke of the habits of our people.
 They said for Gods sake don't strike down that ancient and divine institu-
 tion. Some of them went so far even as to intimate that gentlemen who thought as I did. and voted as I did, had a covert attack on corporations. That was an unjustifiable intimation. don't think 1t affected the minds of anybody. If such insinla.ions arose in that case. ask the gentleman who urged that argument, if the inquiry will not thrust itself forward in whose interest is it that the people of Ala bama are to be forbidden to legislate oftener than once in four years?
 MT. President. I regard this as one of the most serious questions that has come before this Convention. You are going out to tell the people that they are not fit to be trusted with the legis- lative power az their ancestors have exercised 1t for eighty years in this State. Only the most powerful reasons will answer. You cling to the ancient landmarks in other things, why do you
 trample them down in this? A few
 words in conclusion. It pleased some of my friends yesterday in debate to hold me up as having based my argu- ments upon this great proposition upon an auxiliary or incidental statement that one of the uses of frequent elec- tions was that 1t trained our young
 men in the duties of citizenship. There
 was not member on the floor of this Convention who did not realize that that was simply one of the incidents that mentioned as a reason why we should have frequent elections. I cir- culate somewhat among our people. I see all sorts and conditions of men. have not found any general, all7per- vading sentiment that you must get rid of legislation for four years. Some
 times a gentleman comes along, Rp1 says this will interfere with my bdsi- ness. some fool will be tinkering with the usuryJl laws, some fool will be tim kering with a mining law. some fool will be tinkering with other business matters. I don't want the Legislature of Alabama to assemble again for years" MT. President, that does not come from the people as such. Men get indignant and disgusted sometimes, and particularly at the Legislature, and
 sometimes a man says II wish they
 would never meet again in one hundred
 years" That is not the deliberate sen- timent of the people of Alabama. They
 want to have a voice in their own af- fairs oftener than once in four years. We have become world power. Ques- tions arise which agitate the country, att4 Al4 WAiAtu <AioOaAAd OuSuS IO udNG 1 voice. and that voice ought to be the voice of the people of Alabama: yet if this law
 passes and an inscrutable Providence were to deprive us of the two glorious old men who now represent the people in the United States Senate, the people could not make their voices heard. it may he for years. as to their su- s. sors. That is referred to the Governor who may not put a man in there whom the people wish, or whose views on public questions might be different to those held by a majority of the people. Let us be-consistent then. If we are going to follow the ancient land
 marks" if you are going to take the Constitution as 1t was except with q few changes, don't let us go out to the people of Alabama, with declaration on the part of their representatives, that in our opinion. however much you limit the subjects of legislative power, that 1t Is unwise and improper for the people to come into their own, but once in four years. If we cannot trust the Legislature to meet every two years. there is no institution in Alabama that we can look to for the preservation of our liberties and the elevation e our people. Republican government !s a failure if our people Ere so incoin ;e; ent and their Legislatures go worthless
 that we must say: 'I will not let you legislate but once in four years, be-
 cause you are not fit to be trusted with power oftener."
 MT. O'Neal Nauderdale)-I don't feel
 Mir President. after the vote on yestsr-
 day, that anything can say will change the opinion of this Convention, /and 1t Is only from an earnest sense of duty and from an earnest conviction that the minority were not accorded the rights which they were entitled to in this Convention that rise to speak up- on this provision. The distinguished gentleman from Sumter stated on yes terday that he knew the wishes of the people of Alabama. and that with one voice they were demanding this revo- lutionary change in our fundamental law. He stated that he had come in contact with them, and knew whereof he spoke. MT. President. we of the mi nority are also representatives in this Convention. and we are vain enough lo believe that we know the sentiments Of the people we represent. I say to tlis Convention that there Is no popular de- mand for this revolutionary procedure upon the part of the people of Ala bama It never was made the subject of discussion on the stump when the question ot the calling Of this Constitu- tionn Convention was In issue. It ever has been made the topic of cr1n- ment in the public press. and hereafter tnls Convention has assembled II sud-
 denly dawns uncn the minds of some Of the members that the entire people of kL&t- zh~