The age-herald., 1901-07-23


 provided for by the first Legislature af- ter the adoption of the new constitution. The previous question was then ordered and Governor Oates in concluding the de- bate, said it would take from one to two years to do this work and If one wanted until 1906 for the Legislature to authorize it, it would be 1910, unless a special ses- sion was called. before the work could be accepted by the Legislature. He thought the section as reported should be adopted.
 The Watts amendment was then de- feated by a listless vote, and the Walker amendment was likewise defeated The original section was then adopted
 DuelIing and Concealed Weapons.
 Section 45 was read as follows:
 Section 40. The Legislature shall pass such penal laws as they may deem ex- pedient to suppress the evil practice of duelling.
 MT. Murphree of Pike moved to add the words and carrying concealed pistols" This, on motion, was tabled and the sec ton adopted
 Section 46 was adopted as follows:
 Section 46. It shall be the duty of the Legislature to regulate by law the cases In which deduction shall be made from the salaries of public officers for neglect of duty in their official capacities and the amount of such deduction. Section 47 was read as follows
 Section 47. It shall be the duty of the Legislature to require the several coun- ties of this State to make adequate pro- vision for the maintenance of the poor, and indigent idiots and insane persons.
 MT. Sanford Of Pike moved to strike out of the section the words and insane persons" He said the State made pro- vision for the insane and 1t was not necessary to put this burden on the coun- ties.
 MT. O'Neal of Lauderdale moved to amend so as to require the Legislature to make adequate provision for insane persons.
 MT. Smith of Mobile said the State did not at present make adequate provision for the insane. There were frequently in sane persons in the county jails, kept there because there was no room at the asylum.
 Mr. ONeal explained that this was the object of his amendment.
 MT. Ashcraft of Lauderdale' and Judge Coleman of Walker favored the Sanford amendment
 Three Thousand Idiots.
 MT. Foster of Tuscaloosa said there were now 1900 patients in the insane asy- lum, but that there were over 5000 persons in the State who ought to be cared for as
  ton of providing means for their accom- modation. He thought the Legislature would always take care of the insane, but that he favored the amendment, as he did not want a madhouse in each county. If the true facts were known as to the his tory of the treatment of these insane persons in counties 1t would cause scan dal which would shake the State.
 The ONeal amendment was then de- feated
 MT. Long of Walker moved to strike out all after the word poor" This amendment was adopted. and the section as amended adopted.
 Section 4S was adopted as follows:
 Sec. 4S. The Legislature shall not have power to authorize any municipal corpor- ation to pass any laws inconsistent with the general laws of this State.
 Section 49 was read as follows:
 Sec 49 In the event of annexation of any foreign territory to this State. the Legislature shall enact laws extending to the inhabitants of the acquired territory all the rights and privileges which may be required by the terms of the acquisi- tion, anyting in this constitution to the. contrary notwithstanding. MT. Jones of Wilcox moved to strike out the words anything in this constitution to the contrary notwithstanding" Some discussion followed as to the possibility
  Judge Coleman of Walker asked MT Smith of Mobile whether in the event any foreign territory was acquired by Ala bama he thought the constitution would follow the flag Gaughter)
 MT. Dent of Barbour moved to add to the end of the Jones amendment as substitute the words mot inconsistent with the constitution
 The Jones amendment as amended was adopted and the section as amended adopted.
 Section Fifty.
 Section 50 was read as follows:
 Sec. 50. The Legislature shall not tax the property, real or personal, of the State counties or other municipal corpor- ations, or cemeteries; nor lots in incor- porated cities or towns,, or within one mile of any city or town, to the extent of one acre, nor lots one mile or more dis tant from such cities or town to the ex- tent of five acres, with the buildings thereon, when the same are used ex- clusively for religious worship, for public school or for purposes purely charitable MT. Watts moved to strike out all after the word cemeteries' in the second line. This amendment was defeated and the section as reported adopted.
 Section 51 was adopted as follows:
 Section 51. The Legislature shall, by law, prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary to ascertain the value of. personal and real property ex- empted from sale under legal process by this constitution, and to secure the same to the claimant thereof as selected
 Internal Improvements.
 Section 52 was read as follows:
 Section 52. The State may construct and own works of internal improvement hav- ing for their object the conveyance or transportation of passengers and freight, but shall not sell or mortgage such i'm provements, nor lend its money or credit in add of such nor shall the State be in terested in any private or corporate en- terprise, or lend money or its credit to any individual, association or corporation. MT. Handley of Randolph offered a sub- stitute to prohibit the State engaging in private enterprises or lending its credit for the building of internal improve ments.
 Mr. Handley spoke in favor of his amendment, and said this question was a matter which had been laid upon the ta- ble for over fifty years. The State did not need to go into business; 1t had done 1t in the past and had lost money every time. This was the most dangerous section he had met with during the sessions of the convention He did not want Alabama to be digging canals, building furnaces or boring for oil.
 General Sanford, the author if this sec ton. said Alabama had never gone into the work of internal improvements. It had loaned its credit and lost money, but this was under the carpet-bagger admin istration He cited the Erie canal in New York as an example of such works which