The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-15

the good of my State and the honor of it's people, which induces me, after what seems to be an overwhelming vote against the proposition embodied in the majority report, to ask delegates to pause a little while, before they make up their minds.
 There are some occasions, MT. Presi- dent, when a man may be pardoned for speaking of personal experience It is known to members on this floor that for four years I had the honor to hold that office. Like many others, the of- flee out of possession seemed to De a thing to strive for and to sacrifice for, and worth more than the prize when in possession. For four years, l en- dured, what I believe every man of moderate means who ever held the of- flee endured-a life to some extent of humiliation. Fellow delegates, under the present salary. you cut out four fifths of the best men of this State for aspiring to the Governors office. The office. year after year, has become less attractive to the young men and to the old men of Alabama. We have seen, year after year, its gifted and bravest and best sons seeking seats in Con- gress. or employment in other political pursuits, where the pay was greater. They could not live on honor alone.
 
 if the people-the hill billies about whom so much has been said-would condemn or censure if we passed this ordinance. There is hardly day in the Governors experince that some poor woman, often with a child at the breast, does not come to him to appeal for a pardon. Some times she is sent here by subscription from her neigh bors, who give her just enough to come here. When she bids you good bye, it may be with tears in her eyes, she says. Governor, I have no place to go to tonight, can't you help me? What man could resist such an appeal? Many a time, if it had not been for the kindness of Dave Fleming, when my own means were exhausted, poor people who came here to ask for par don and for mercy, ould have been turned out on these streets at night, because I had neither the private for tune nor contingent fund to help these unfortunates who came here to ask mercy from their State. Fellow dele gates, may be pardoned for mention ing some other experiences. Just at the close of my term. I was invited to Mobile to attend the ceremonies about the cruiser Montgomery. I knew they did not want Tom Jones, but they did want the Governor of this State. The people of Mobile were as kind to me as people could be. I had an elegant suite of rooms. I was the guest of the city There was much hospitality ten dered me by naval officers and strang- CTS for the sake of Alabama. I was bound to return, for I revered the of flee and had respect for those l repre- sented. My salary for the month of November was $250 and my expenses $278 Fellow delegates, many time letters of introduction are brought to the Governor of Alabama from other Governors. or distinguished men, ask ing some attention for honored Visi- tors. Time and time again oppressed by lack of means as Governor of Ala bama. I heaved a sigh when such de- mands came. and there was tempta- ton. strengthened as l was, not to act the host as became my high office. But love of my people said no-and for the sake of Alabama I did what l could ill-afford. Fellow delegates, you need not be afraid of our people. We have, as some say. disfranchised the Cover nor. We have said to him, you are in office for four years. you shall hold no office after that for one year, Senate nor anything else. Will the people of Alabama blame us, will they not ap- prove us. when we say, under those cir i cumstances, we will give your Cover | nor money enough, if he Is poor man,
 that he can live decently, and we won't | be ashamed of him.
 I remember. MT. President, a visit of Governor Holiday of Virginia. He came to Montgomery one summer
 some years ago. I had known him during the war, splendid old Virginia
 gentleman he was. I said to him; | "Governor, there is nobody at home
 I am up on the hill where 1t Is cool
 You had better come up and stay with me tonight" He replied. II am sorry but I have accepted the hospitality Of the Governor of Alabama" saw him
 next morning. He looked thin and worn. He quietly said he had not
 slept wink that night at the Ex- change Hotel, and the next time come
 to Alabama, I won't accept the Gov ernor's hospitality.
 Do we want to put our Governor 1T
 that attitude? Don't the people ol
 Alabama have respect for the ofnce'
 Isn't he the man who can appoint z
 Chief Justice. appoint Senator, pu
 all of you under arms, who Is Presl
 dent of your colleges, whose voice ant
 will is equal to one-half of all the Sen
 ators and Representatives? Does no
 he typify your dignity. power and ma
 jesty. Isn't there a feeling about this
 like that a boy has about his sweet
 heart or a man about his wife. WheI
 he likes to see her dress well and Wea
 flowers? Isn't there something in thl
 besides dollars and cents? Gentlemen I don't believe, on any stump in Ala bama, when this issue Is fairly made
 that you will find one hill-billie in tel who would not say, thank God yo' have at last done something to sustain
 the honor and dignity of this otf1c
 which belongs to us.
 It has been urged that the Constitu
 tion has never undertaken anythlni
 like this. My friend from Walker (Ml
 Long) is mistaken. In the Constltu
 ton of 1875. when we were just recoN ering from the horrors of reconstruc ] ton, he will find a provision Tequirin . the legislature. at it's first session al ter the adoption of this Constitution to reduce the salaries 20 per cent Delegate-Twenty-f per cent
 MT. Long-My statement was that was not fixed in any Constitution sine
 1879.
 MT. Jones-I understood the gentle . man to say that the principle as t increase or decrease, or commands a 5 to what the General Assembly ought
 do had never been in the Constitution ] Are we in the condition today, M
 President that Alabama was in 1875 l Is Alabama just emerging from rui 1 and desolation? Will we have it g D out to the world that we are unWillin to pay any more salary to keep up tn
 dignity and power of this office, that W :, did in our days of poverty and despair | We are entering into new era. Ot
 State is rich. we will be richer. w