The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-08


 the service suffered; haven't they got good men to discharge the duties; is not the interest of thS State protected? Now, MT. President, 1 submit this: 1 would be willing to abolish the deputy solicitors entirely. I would be Willing to say that the solicitor should never hold court in the circuit for which he is elected but one time. Why? l think 1t is of the utmost importance that the solicitor should be above reproach; that | they should be outside of temptation. Some men say you elect your judges; what is the difference? The difference is this, the judge acts in the open; ev- erything he does from the bench is subject to inspection, whereas the so- | licitor does his business in the grand | jury room: he takes the witnesses, and goes into the consultation room, and returns to the court room and says, If your honor please, there is nothing in | that case, and l desire to mol prosse it. Who knows whether there is anything | in the case or not? The lawyer trying the case before the judge says I accept the ruling of the court. Who excepts to the action of the solicitor? Who knows what has happened in the star chamber? I submit it is a dangerous ] thing; it would be a scramble. l insist l in all these counties it would institute a scramble among the law-breakers for the control of the solicitor, and for the election of a solicitor. Now those men who have been solicitors know how hard it is to prosecute a friend-a man to whom he was under obligation; a good man. There Is no duty on earth I that Is similar to 1t. To be called on to prosecute q man to whom you are un- der obligation. But suppose you are called upon to prosecute a bad man that you are under obligation to. Who can say that solicitors are not human beings; who will say that a man will not be inclined to meet the emergency? Here are two candidates running for solicitor. One of them proposes to make the race on a high plane, looking to law and order
 | MT. Hood-Do you undertake to say that the criminal law Is not enforced in those counties equally and effectually as they are in those counties that have circuit solicitors?
 | MT. Carmichael-I am not informed in all of those counties: in some of those counties I have no doubt that the law is enforced equally as well. | MT Hood-Do not the records show? | MT Carmichael-I will state for those counties they are not elected by the
 MT. Hood-Does not the record show that the criminal law Is equally en- forced7
 MT Carmichael-They are not elect ed by the people. And I would suggest | in that connection that we ought 10 have a man for solicitor who is spe- cialist-that is the practice of the age a specialist in that line. Now. MT. President, I move the previous ques- tion upon the motion to reconsider. | MT, Ashcraft-I trust the gentleman will I be in time to conclude the ar gument?
 The President-The gentleman who made the motion would be entitled to | close.
 MT. Ashcraft-I appeal to the gentle man to withdraw his motion.
 The President-The gentleman from Colbert moves the previous question. The question Is shall the main ques- tion be now put?
 The main question was ordered. | MT. Watts-I demand the ayes and noes.
 Mir. deGraffenreid-I believe I have the floor under the rules.
 The President-It seems to the Chair | under the rules, the gentleman who made the motion would have the right | to conclude.
 MT. Graham (Talladega)-I do not | consider. I would like to see the rules. | The President-The Chair will con- suit the rules.
 | Mir. deGraffenreid-The rule provides l that the mover of the resolution will have the right to close when the pre- vious question is ordered. | The Presidential seems to the Chair | that Rule IT reads: The previous question shall be in the following form: l ho | demanded by a vote of a majority of the delegates present, its effect shall be to cut off all debate and bring the | Convention to a direct vote, but the J mover of the question. or the Chairman of the Committee having charge of the | ordinance or resolution, shall have the right to close the debate, after the call | of the previous question has been sus- | tained, for not more than thirty min utes, unless the Convention extends that time. The demand for the pre- vious question may be limited by the mover to any subsidiary motion or motions not of a higher rank than the motion for the previous question or made to apply to the main question and all subsidiary Wotions."
 MT. Graham (Talladega)-I make the l point that this is neither an ordinance nor resolution.
 1 The PreSident-''Ihe mover or tne | question" but the mover of the ques- ton or Chairman of the Committee having charge of the ordinance or res olution shall have the right to close a | debate" It seems to the Chair that | the right to conclude rests with he | gentleman from Hale. The question is, whether he will yield any time to the other side.
 MT. Graham-Is that true. MT. Pres l ident, where ke has already made | speech on the matter.
 The President-That brings up an- other question.
 MT. deGraffenreid-Tha is true, no member shall speak more than once, but the mover of a resolution may speak twice. i The PEesdent-No delegate shall speak more than once to the same ques- ton, without leav of ConvnFion, un- less he be the mover or the Chairman of the Committee. It seems to the l Chair that the gentleman is entitled to l ciose.
 Mir. deGraffenreid-I want to say to the Convention that I shall occupy only two or three minutes of the time of the i Convention in my closing remarks. will simply call attention to the Con vention that will prevail in the event his motion to reconsider is adopted by the House. This discussion has taken d broader range than the cir cumstances justify because we have been discussing questions that will | hafora the Copvapfioo in,