The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-11

pose in . manner that may be pre-. scribed by law; provided, the Generai Assembly may pass special laws to re- fund bonds issued before the date or the ratification of this Constitution. That would simply be saying to the Legislature that you must not pass special law authorizing the issuance Of bond In any city or county in this State until 1t is authorised by an elec- ton of the people held in the manner prescribed by law. and we will leave it to the Legislature to prescribe the manner in which such election can be held, and the vote be shown afirma- tively-of course that Is a matter of legal detail. as to how it can be shown. The, gentleman from Morgan moves to strike out and so does the gentleman from Henry. 1 assure the Convention that this provision does not interfere with dispensaries. There seems to be an idea prevailing in this Convention that to prevent the possi- bility of any provision in reference to local law affecting dispensaries. to strike down every safeguard which we have incorporated in this provision against the evils of local legislation. Everything else must be subordinated hO SAS iAHuOh HI Iiib SLdtc anu the evils of Local Legislation. lobby ing, intrigue exists in other States must be ratified in this Convention for fear of interfering with some dispen- sary or local liquor law in some county. This provision has nothing to do with a dispensary or liquor traffic, and beg this Convention to pause long and well before they strike down this provision, because-gentleman look at this book of acts of the last Legisla- ture-over three-fourths off this book consists of charters of corpora tions au- thorizing the issuance of bonds. Each of these acts, according to the secre- tary of State, costs $50 to s150, so the people of Alabama are taxed with thousands of dollars for the issuance of these bonds, and in the list of Acts Of the General Assembly the local laws are four times that of the others. Three-fourths of them consisting of acts authorizing the issuance of bonds and charters of corporations. Now we don't propose to say that you shall not allow corporations, cities or counties to issue bonds, but we do say that you ought not to permit 1t to be done until the authority comes from the people Of county or the locality to be affected. If you do not put in this safeguard, it will result in bankruptcy to many cities and towns in this commonwealth Whenever you say to the people of Alabama in every county, district, city or municipality in this State. if you desire to create debt. a bonded debt, let the people of your locality ratify and sanction 1t, and then the Legislature can pass a special law and meet the objection made by the gentleman from Jefferson. that bond buyers won't pur- chase bonds tbat are not issued by special act of the Legislature. All we seek. to do is to remedy this evil. It Is ah evil which the people of Ala bama are demanding with one voice that we remedy. Now, we heed their appeal, an appeal coming from every portion of the state, which we pledged upon the stump we would grant them when this Convention was held-we come here and strike down the only provision in this article on local law which gives you relief from this great and alarming and dangerous evil in this commonwealth.
 MT. Oates-Will the gentleman per init an interruption? l simply want to suggest to the delegate from Lauder dale that in his amendment he makes the same provision, almost Identical, with the Constitution and law of the great State of Illinois, and 1t has been tried there with great satisfaction. It is a proper safeguard to throw around the people.
 MT. O'Neal-You will find the same provision iQ nearly every Constitution that has been adopted in the past twenty-five years.
 MT. Boone-May I ask the gentle man a question? I favor your amend ment, and I wish to ask if you have offered it-I did not hear you offeS it.
 Mir. O,Neal-I cannot offer it now, because there is an amendment and substitute, but if the Conven- tion will vote down the amendment and
 substitute I will offer it now. One
 word more. we all recognize the fact
 that the greatest evil from local leg
 islatIon arises from counties and cit-
 ies coming before the Legislature in
 the guise of local laws to secure spe- cial privileges and advantages. If you strike down this provision you allow
 that to be done: and any county in
 the State or any city or Board of AL
 dermen or Commissioners Court may
 go to their repre- e natives and ask them
 to go down to Montgomery and au-
 thoirize the issuance of millions of
 dollars of bonds. And the people of vour county would wake up some morning and find that they were sad dled wit ha bonded debt. They protest against 1t. But what Is the necessity of their protesting? You are too late, the law has passed. 1 desire to make a motion to lay the amendment and substitute on the table.
 Mir. Dent-I move to table the amend ment and substitute.
 MT. President-The gentleman from Barbour (Mr. DenO moves to table the substitute and amendment
 And upon a vote being taken 1t was carried.
 Mr. O'Neal-I offer thiS amendment
 to Section 1, Subdivision 19
 The Clerk then read the amendment
 as follows
 Amend Section 1, Subdivision 19. Ar ticle - Local Legislation, by adding the word county" before the word
 township" and adding at the end of
 said subdivision the following: except
 in cases in which the issuance of said
 bonds or other securities l>lS been au-
 thorized bv a vote of the duly quali-
 fled electors of such county. township city. town or village. at an election held for such purpose In the manner that may be prescribed by law. Provid- cd. the General Assembly may pass special laws to refund bonds. iseued be Tore tbe date of the ratiacs tion of this Constitution.
 Mir President-The question is on the adoption Of the amendment proposed
 by the gentleman from Lauderiale. Is the Convention ready for the question Mir Sanford-I N0lld like tO ask