The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-01
hey really meet biennially.

years, put Tn point or IdCt ,Iney nave
 biennial sessions of the Legislature.
 Now I want to say that l do not be- Iieve the people of this State call for any such radical departure, and I do not believe that they understand now, or that they have any idea that this great right of meeting frequently and electing their representatives. freshly. from them, when new questions spring up, and the right to come together, at least in sessions every two years. has been taken away from them, by this Constitution, and I think they will wake up some day to find themselves In a position that they never dreamed this Convention was putting them in, and for that reason, 1, object and will vote against the adoption of the article on Legislative Department.
 MT. Rogers (Sumter)-Old "Probono Publico," "Watchman," and the bal
 ance of that family have been warn ing the people of the State. through the newspapers. that this Convention has taken away from them the right to meet every two years. have been reading it in these papers myself, but I have never yet heard an expression from the people that did not favor the
 four year term. They have paid no
 
 ''watchman," "X Rays" and other people who stand as the guardians of
 the rights of the people of Alabama.
 Upon the other hand. every expression
 you can hear from the business inter- ests of the State of Alabama and the business interests is the man who fol- lows the blow, as well as the one who manages the great corporations in the State of Alabama, favors meeting every four years. It Is the universal expression of the wish of the people of the State of Alabama. If we had not taken out of the hands of the Leg islature local legislation, why then of course, 1t would be well to meet every two years, and let the people pass local legislation, but when we have said that the legislature should not pass upon local legislation, when we have said there should be other means of pro- viding for local laws, then it is safe | for them to meet every four years. The Governor has the right to call the Legislature into session whenever the | interest of the people of Alabama are | menaced. We have not taken away | from the people any right. We are | simply doing what the people want us 1 to do. They want us simply to let | them alone and let them pursue their | business, and thefr pleasure, and look out for their happiness in the State of Alabama. Now the gentleman from Mobile says that the people of the State of Alabama do not know what
 we are doing. think he casts re- fection upon the intelligence of the people of the State of Alabama. Let him show me one single objection from the people and this has been heralded ali over the State of Alabama, about the four year term. except may be from that "Probono Publico'' family I hardly think 1t is necessary, MT. President to say anything more on this question.
 Mr. Boone-Can't you move the pre- vious question on the article? MT. Rogers (Sumter)-I am not suf- 1 ficiently informed as to parliamentary usage, to know whether We can or not. MT. Boone-Try 1t.
 | MT. Rogers-I move the previous question upon the third reading. The President-The gentleman from | Sumter moves the previous question
 upon the third reading of the article
 as reported. MT. O'Neal-I desire to make point of order. Would a motion be in order now to strike out any section of that report.
 The President-The question is upon the adoption of the article as a whole. MT. O'Neal-We have to vote upon the whole.
 The President-Either accept or re- ject the whole. ,,- r MT. O'Neal-So a discussion of this question would be fruitless at present. The President-Unless the Conven- ton desires to reject the whole article. The question is as to whether the main question shall be put.
 MT. Sanford (Montgomery)-Can this question be discussed as to whether we shall meet every four years or every two.
 The Presidential can be discussed if the Convention declines the call for the
 previous question.
 MT. ONeal-I desire to make a par liamentary inqury: Would motion to re-commit the entire article to the Committee with instructions to report as to the biennial sessions be in order? The Presidential Is not the province
 of the Chair to suggest what motion would be in order. but tdAsubmit mo- tions that are made.
 The President-The question Is upon the motion for the previous question. MT. o NSdl-l HlONc lO lay LuC article on the table.
 Upon a vote being taken. the mo- ton. to table was lost.
 The President-The question is on
 the motion of the gentleman from
 Sumter. Shall the main question be now put?
 Upon a vote being taken. the main question was ordered
 The PTesident-The question is on the
 reading and adoption of the article.
 The Secretary will read the article.
 The article was read as Allows:
 An ordinance to create and define the Legislative Department.
 Be 1t ordained by the people of Ala
 bama in Convention assembled, That
 Article W of the Constitution be stricken out. and the following Article
 inserted in lieu thereof:
 ARTICLE -.
 Legislative Department.
 Section 1. The Legislative power of this StA.e shall be vested in Legis- lature, which shall consist of Senate and House of Representatives.
 Sec. 2. The etyle of the laws of this State shall De: Be 1t enacted by the Legislature of Alabama" which need
 not be repeated, but the act shall be divided into sections for convenience,
 according to substance, and the sec
 Each law shall contain but one sub
 tions designated merely by figures.
 ject, which shall be clearly expressed
 in i.s title, except general appropria- tion bills, general revenue bills, and | bills adopting a code, digest. or revision | of statutes; and no law shall be re- NFfx 1a1 hA f-fx