The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-25

me statements made. The result IS, Whetner It is desired or not, mighty machine is built up by the appointment or the Governor to these terms. These thousand men a year make 4,000 during the term Of the Governor and that Is sixty men to a county that the Gov ernof appoints and 9i per cent. or those are the advocates of things that the Governor may want even If a year elapses between the time he goes out Of office and he Is again eligible. This l gives the people the power just as soon as 1t Is possible to give 1t to them to | fill these places.
 The objection to the amendment of the delegate from Hale is that he trans l fers the power to make these appoint >ments to the commissioners courts and probate judges. The Governor is en- tirely removed from all local influences and he is not entirely dependent on the county for reelection as the probate judges and commissioners courts are and would think he would be less likely to be affected by in- fiuences that will warp his Judgment than the commissioners and probate | judges, freer from selfish interests, and, therefore, I hope the amendment oner will be adopted, giving the rlgnt to temporarily appoint until the people elect. 1
 MT .Jacixson-If this were left to the probate judges, and to the commits sioners, would 1t not be more in the hands of the people than if left to the Governor.
 Mir. Blackweil-I think not. I think | as q matter of fact the probate judges and the commissioners are elected by one county and that county alone and if political influence were brought to bear upon them in that county to make the appointment they might be more influenced to make certain appoint ments than the Governor could be. who Is not elected by one county alone. Therefore, I think the Governor is the
 best repository for this power. MT. Samford-I don't see any neces- sity for adding this section. l think the Convention has taken up entirely too mush time on this amendment, and I move to lay the amendment on the table. Mr. deGraffenried-I will ask you to withdraw that motion for me second. Mir Samford-I will, if you will re- new it.
 MT. deGraffenried--I will yield the floor to you for that purpose. The object of my amendment IS simply to bring as close to the people of the State as possible the filling or the offices. This is a government Of the people.
 MT. Beddow-Under your plan sup pose a vacancy should occur in the of- | flee of Circuit Court Judge or Soiici- | tor2
 MT. deGraffenried-Circu Court Judges and Solicitors are not county Of
 ficers. This applies only to county or | flcers.
 Mr. Beddow-I did not understand ] it.
 Mir. deGraffenried-As was going to
 say, the very argument the gentleman
 makes and the very concession Tn ms amendment tbat the Governor should not fill for the entire unexpired term | because of the fact that the people who are interested are the people who should fill that unexpired term, Is an argument to this Convention in favor | of the amendment which has been of- | fered by me as a substitute. The law
 has already placed In the hands Of the | Court Of County Commissioners the power to fill vacancies in the case or the Treasurer. Section 1427 of the Code
 of Alabama provides that vacancies Tn
 the office of county treasurer are nlled
 by appointment of the Court of County | Commissioners.
 MT. Samford-Is there anything in this Constitution which would prohibit | the Legislature from making these other county officers appointed by the | Court of County Commissioners? MT. deGraffenreid-None in the
 world.
 MT. Sanford-Then would 1t not be urwise for the Convention to be put ting in any clauses about that! MT. deGraffenried-I don't think lt
 would be improper for this Convention | to limit the power of the Legislature Tn
 that regard. and say that the people
 who stood nearest to these ollcers
 should have the appointing power ln- stead of the Governor. The very
 nronosition that the Convention has
 nroceeded upon that the GoVernoI should not be his own successor mas
 grown out of the proposition tnat the | Govarnor can use his office for his own | ends ar for the ends of his friends ana
 as the people themselves nave Ine
 power to elect the county onicers, U
 seems 1t would be getting nearer 10 tne
 people if We put this power m sns
 Court of County Commissioners
 than the Governor. | Son,athine was said this morning
 ahout the fact that on Saturday after
 noon members didn't have time to COT
 slider an important question: II l ,snel | is any merit in the amendment olLeLeo | bv me or in the Amendment olleleu SS tLa gentleman for which mine IS a SUD-
 stitute time and discussion ana con | sI1erotion will show it, and If the gen | tIeman will permit me in oroer tha'
 this Convention may have time 10 con | sider it. we have not a full oody hefe | this morning, I move that the con | sidaration of this matter be lalo over
 until tomorrow.
 Mr. Duke-I move to lay that mo-
 ton on the table. ., o,
 tabled. ,,. that
 we table the substitute offered oy tht
 gentleman from Hale. ,o, | A vote being taken the suO9ect Was
 tabled. ,o,
 MT. Samford-I move that we lay
 on the table the amendment proposeu
 by the gentleman from Morgan: | The motion was carried on dlvlslon
 Inv a vote of sixty-six ayes and twenty
 eight noes. ,..,o, o, | MT. Samford-I move the adoption oi
 the entire Article and upon that cal
 for the previous question.
 Mir. Burns-I have the consent or tne
 distinguished member of the Execu-
 five Committee to offer an amendment
 MT. Jones (Montgomery)-I nope the
 gentleman will withdraw the call iol
 the previous question and allo" thlS
 amendment to be offered.
 The motion for the previous questlor
 was withdrawn and the amendmen, ! of the delegate from Dallas was Fede | as follows:
 Amend the entire Article by adding