The age-herald., 1901-07-14
The Convention Readopts the Present Clause on the
 Subject
THE STENOGRAPHIc REPORTS
"A Resolution Offered to Discontinue Them After Next Saturday, the Expiration of the Fifty-Day.
 Limit Fixed in Clause.
BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.

BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.
 Montgomery. July 13.-(Special.)- )-The Constitutional Convention decided today not to make any change in the present provisions of the constitution relative to the formation of new countless except to allow a new county to be formed out of portions of Henry, Dale and Geneva if the people wanted it. Most of the morn ing was spent in considering this matter The committee on State and county boun- daries had reported a section which au- thorized new counties of not less. than 300 square miles to be formed, with proviso that the formation of the new county should be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the people to be affected. This was a new proposition, as heretofore the formation of new counties has been left entirely with the Legislature. The con- vention rejected it and re-adopted the present law.
 A new section was adopted which pro- vides that no county line shall be changed so as to run within seven miles of the court house of any old county
 On Saturday, July 20, the fifty day limit of the convention will be reached and Mir Davis of Etowah offered resolution to discontinue the stenographic report after that date Many of the delegates have always been opposed to this report and another fight on 1t will probably be made.
 The convention decided not to hold an afternoon sesaion tQday and adjourned until Il o'clock Monday.
 ---.- Convention Opens.
 The forty-fourth days session of the constitutional convention was called to order at 9:S0 o'clock by President Knox. A prayer was offered by Rev. MT. Howell. Roll call showed SS members present.
 MT Sanford of Pike moved that when the convention adjourned today at the morning session that 1t adjourn to meet at Il o'clock Monday. This motion was adopted by a vote of 53 to 8.
 MT. Rogers of Sumter introduced reso- lution to prohibit stenographer from submitting his notes to any member for correction before 1t is published in the official report.
 MT Davis of Etowah offered a resolu- ton to discontinue the stenographic re- port after Saturday, July 20.
 MT. Whiteside of Calhoun had read petition from the bankers of Anniston and others asking that the railroad com missioners be elected by the people and paid by the State
 The convention then took up the pending question, which section of the re- port of the committee on State and coun- ty boundaries This read as follows:
 Section 3. The General Assembly shall have power, provided that each house, by a majority of the members elected there- to- shall vote in favor thereof to submit to vote of the people residing within the territory proposed to be taken from one \ county and given to another, change or alteration in county lines, but no such change or alteration shall be made unless such proposed change or alteration shall receive two-thirds of the votes of the qualified electors voting at such election, and provided, that no county line shall be changed or altered so as to reduce any old county below 800 square miles, or which shall reduce the inhabitants in any such county below the number of inhabi- tants to entbtle the number of one repre- sentative.
 The present minimum size of counties is 500 square miles. There were two mi nority reports of the committee, both of which recommended that old counties should not be reduced below 600 square miles, and that no new county should be of less size. There was also a substitute offered by MT. DeGraffenreid of Hale. which contained the same provision as Is in the present constitution.
 MT. Parker of Elmore, who had signed one of the minority reports, spoke in its favor.
 Mir Thompson of Bibb said that he favored the committee's report. He thought it's provisions were better safe guards to the people than the provisions of the minority reports as to the legisla- tive vote to change the counties. He H. frustrated how in the present large couns ties persons had to travel thirty or forty miles to reach the court house when they had to go there on business, or as wit uesses. He said under the committees report it would be still more difficult to form new county on account of the ad- ditional safeguards than 1t is at present.
 Size of Counties.
 MT Parker of Cullman, chairman of the committee, moved to lay the substitute of MT. DeGraffenreid upon the table. An aye and nay vote was demanded on this mo- tion and resulted in some confusion. The vote before being announced had to be verified, and some parliamentary discus sion ensued as to whether delegates who did not vote at first, but who had since entered the hall, could vote. Various points of order were mace and some dele gates wanted to change their votes. The chair had to look up some rules and Gov ernor Oates told what was the practice in Congress. The final vote as announced vase 45 to 53 and the convention refused to table the substitute.
 The previous question was then de- handed on the adoption of the substitute. The ayes and nays were demanded on this and the substitute offered by MT DeGraf- fenreid was adopted by a vote of 67 to 42. This leaves the law on this matter as 1t Is at present.
 MT Malone of Henry offered an amend ment which provided that out of the counties of Henry. Dale and Geneva new county can be formed without ieav-