The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-27
THE TAG TAX
 IS DISCUSSED An Amendment to Taxa ton Article. DEBATE CONSUMED DAY Mir. Opp of C0vingt0n Made Brilliant Speech.
Committee on State and County Boundaries Recommends Nulli- fcation of Shelby Court House
 Act-Convention's 3oth Day.

The features of the thirtieth day of the Constitutional Convention were the report of the Committee on State and County Boundaries: a number of peti- tions praying that the Convention pro- vide for the election of Railroad Com- missioners by the people and a prac- ticaily all-day discussion of an amend ment to Section 1 of the Article on Taxation, which provides that no tax shall be levied for the inspection of fertilizers.
 The feature Of the debate on the fer tllizer tag tax was a brilliant speech made at the afternoon session by Hon. Henry Opp. delegate from Covington County. It was the maiden effort in the Convention of Mir. Opp and he was frequently applauded. His language was choice and his logic forcible. He opposed the amendment and took oc- casion to roundly score the delegates for consuming so much time in the con- sideration of unimportant matters.
 The amendment was tabled just be- fore adjournment, by a close vote and CdAhlOIu OL 4 lACs Ahc 1ubhOAb saw notice that he would move today to take 1t from the table.
 Captain White. the distinguished del- egate from Jefferson, however, rushed into the breach and re-opened the mat ter by presenting an amendment more sweeping in it's effect. It provides that no special tax shall be levied for the inspection of any article of nIerchan- disc greater than the actual cost of such inspection. Captain White was addressing the Convention when the hour of adjournment arrived.
 The matter of removing the Conven- tion to Monte Sano, which has been discussed on the streets by delegates. did not come up yesterday. A telegram was read late yesterday afternoon from W. R. Riser of Huntsville, suggesting that Monte Sano Is a cooler place than Montgomery but it was not received se- rlously by the Convention.
 One hundred and forty-one members were present when the Convention met at 10 o'clock yesterday morning. Prayer was offered by Rev. Mir. Elliott of Montgomery.
 Petitions asking the Convention to provide for the election of Railroad Commissioners were sent to the Secre- tary's desk by Messrs. Greer of Perry, Ashcraft of Lauderdale and Banks of Russell.
 MT. Winn of Barbour submitted a similar petition accompanied by an ordinance. The petition declares the present system of appointing Commie- sioners is a failure. The ordinance seeks to elect Commissioners by the people and give them plenary power.
 The ordinances were introduced ard referred as follows:
 By MT. Mulkey of Gensva-.Relating to executory contracts.
 By Gov. Jones-Giving families of civil officers killed or disabled in de- lending prisoners against mobs right of action against a county md il e county action against members of a mob.
 Mir. Parker of Cullman. Chairman of the Committes on State and County Boundaries, submitted the report of bIs committee. It is published in .hc offi- cial proceedings in todays Advertiser
 The principal feature of the article reported by the committee is the nuI:i- fication of the act of the Legi Jlature providing for the removal of the Col;Tt House of Shelby County from Cc .UnI- biana to Calera. Messrs. Sen.ell of Crenshaw and Gilmore of Clarke pre- scented a minority report dissenting rom the SecLlOn TeldLinB 10 -nS SneiDy county Court House.
 The article reported by the commit tee reduces the areas of counties from eOe square miles to 800 square miles and endorses the proposition to annex Western Florida to Alabama.
 After the report of the com nittee was read and ordered printed Mir. Stanford of Pike called up his amendm mt rro- vidinG for the relief to the farmers of Alabama from the tag tax law and Mir. Graham of TaladeRa addressed the Convention in opposition to the amendment. He made an earnest ar- gument and pleaded with the q al eRates not to destroy the Agricultural Schools of Alabama.
 MT. Espy of Henry spoke In favor of the amendment and Gen. Harrison of Lee opposed 1t. MT. Pettus of Lime stone also spoke in opposition to the amendment.
 MT. Palmer of Washington moved to table the amendment. but yielded to MT. Opp of Covington who was ar dressing the Convention when it re- rNgA