The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-21
THE aUEsT1oN NOT SETTLED.

We are sorry to see that our esteem ed contemporary, The Mobile Register has gotten tired of the fight on the official pass evil. It has quit the cam paisn,- because 1t thinks the question has been settled for good and all by the speech of it's fellow-townsman' Hon. Gregory l.. Smith. Here is Ths Registers utterance in full:
 The pass question is settled. The con ventioil refused to put a penalty upon the use of passes by public officials ana the law regulating this matter, or not regulating 1t at all, as is the case, remains say about It. We think the use of passes by public officials should be condemned. That is what the present Constitution ai- fleets to do. It says the use Of passes is ,s much as if to say: The pass business is wrong, but go along and use passes 1T you want to. Mir. Smith of Mobile mace a strong argument Wednesday to the ei- feet that he did not believe any penaity would be effective. He had seen 1t tried in Mississippi and 1t did not work there. Tn fact. it is a failure in Missiseippi-Just such k as it was proposed Io puI M ha force inW Wziabama. He said he would pc glad to get rid of the use of passes, but he did not believe it could be done There was not a strong public sentiment oehinu 1t. and officials would get the passes one way or another. This argument m rressed the convention and the vote de- riared that no effort should be maae 10 nunish any one for issuing or for accept- Ing a pass or using the same.
 We beg leave to differ with our con- temporary. The pass question is not settled. nor did MT. Smiths speech so impress the Convention as to lead to the alleged settlement.
 The best proof that the question IS not settled is the reversal of the ruling by General Harrison, acting President Eridav afternoon. He decided. like The Register. that the question was settled, and that another amendment on the subject was out of order. On an l aupeal from his decision. the ConVen' tion by a vote of two to one declared that the issue was not settled. The implication was distinct that the Con- vention intended to deal with the mat ter yet in an effective way.
 Our contemporary is equally in errol as to the impression created by its distinsuished fellow -townsman's speech It was an excellent effort from his pessirnistio standpoint - that the pass evil Is firmly rooted and that it Is hopeless under taking to remedy 1t by legislation. But 1t did not convince the Convention, fol soon afterwards. before the Convention adjourned at that sitting, it refused to table MT. Murphrees amendment or the subject. 1t Is true that in the af ternoon session there were two refus als to adopt other amendments Cor sim liar purposes, but Mir. Smiths warm est admirer in the body would hardly claim that this change of twenty odd votes was due to his eloquence in thu forenoon, Other causes were too man ifest.
 We beg our contemporary to talk hope. There has been a big chang
 in sentiment on the pass evil in tn last few days. The action of the Con vention has stirred up public opinior
 and that great power is making itsel
 felt in spite of the silence of the bull
 of the Press on the subject. The Reg
 ister was one of the few papers tha
 had rallied to our side, and it grieve
 us to see it so quickly discouraged
 Keeping everlastingly at it brings sue
 cess.
 The Advertiser is not at all discour
 aged. 1t sincerely believes the major
 ity of the Convention will yet do righ
 in this matter