The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-21

people on this question. than this Con. vention will. and I trust therefore. thal this resolution win be adoptfd and appeal to the gentlemen who may op. pose 1t. that we may unite in order tt relieve any question. Many of them are against 1t for the reason that many of us did not think 1t was the duty oi this Convention to Iegislate upon this subject, and that this amendment will be adopted. and think that will clear. ly express the views of a majority oi
 this Convention.
 Mir. Jones (Montgomery)--Be my
 friend from Lee resumes his seat,
 would like to ask him if he adopts the
 substitute offered by the gentleman
 from Greene what is the result of the substitute?
 MT. Harrison-what Is the result of it7 N.
 Mir. Jones (Monteomery)-Yes. what opinion do we express.
 Mir. Harrison-You express the opin- ion that you are in favor of 1t if the legislature agrees to 1t. think 1t Is
 their prerogative to pass on the eues-
 tion.
 MT. Tayloe took the Chair as Presi-
 dent pro tenn.
 MT. Knox-Mr. President. the amend
 ment proposed by the gentleman from | 1lCCtEC HI ClAuGt Atlt5 tuC ACcOiQttOi "
 ported by the Committee on Executive
 Department. It Is offered by an
 opponent to, the original pfopo-
 sition. and 1t Is ingeniously framed so as to kill the resolution. It simply says to the legislature. DO what you think is best, we express no opinion on the subject" If it was proper for the Constitutional Conven- ton of 1875, at time of great financial embarrassment. to declare in the Con stitaticn that salaries should be in the delegates to this Convention, declaring in favor of an increase when times have improved. and when
 1t is manifest that the salary which
 the people are paying to their Chief Executive is so meagre, especially when we have the testimony here of distinguished gentlemen who have fill
 ed that office who state to
 us that they were embarrassed
 because they were unable to
 maintain the dignity of the position them by the State. I say if 1t was proper in one Constitutional Conven- ton to reduce the salary, I can see no objection to the delegates to this Con- vention declaring their opinion that if the finances of the State will warrant 1t should be increased. Why. Mir. President, suppose there is not . wholesale merchant who would send out a salesman to negotiate the sale of his goods, that would not allow him reasonable expense money, that he might dress well and that he might stop at such hotels and live In such style as that he would be enabled to command the trade that he was sent to reach. The people of Alabama ouGf1t to supply the Chief Executive with such salary as that he can maintain the dignity of the State he represents, and therefore hope tAat the amendment offered by the gentle. man from Greene will not be adopted.
 Mfr. Biackwell-when we had this question up the other day voted and argued against any increase by this body of the salary of the Governor of the State for the very reason assigned by the gentleman from Greene. The dtf- ference between our reducing the sal- ary of the Governor of the State and other officers In 1875 and our increasing 1t now Is that then the question Awas before the people and we had pledged the people to reduce them and they had endorsed the pledge and demand ed that we reduce the salaries. Now we have not presented the matter to the people and have not had any ex- presslon from them and we do not know their will as we did when the salaries were reduced. As a matter of fact, can see nothing In the resolu- ton of the gentleman from Greene that would prevent the Legislature from believing that this Convention In its Judgment thought that the salary ought to be increased. The resolution simply avoids instructing. It is just advisory. advising rather than instruct ing them to do 1t. Instruction Is a different thing from advice and I favor the resolution of the delegate fronJ Greene because 1t leaves tt discretion ary with the Legislature, and as l un- l derstar,d we put ourselves on record | as saying we believe 1t ought to be done but we don't command that It be 1 done.
 MT. Knox resumed the Chair.
 MT. Cobb-Does not the amended res- olution leave 1t advisory with the Leg l islatureP
 MT Blackell-rhat Is why am ad- vocating 1t.
 MT. Cobb--The amendment which I | offered and which was accepted by the committee. does not that leave 1t en- tirely advisory
 MT. Blackwell-If 1t does. the gep- tlennan should not object to another that makes 1t clearer. This other Is clearer, better expressed and leads the to understand better that we are advising without the least shad- DIV of direction.
 Mr. Beddow--I move to lay the Of the delegate from Greene on the table.
 MT. CoIeman--wiil the gentleman withdraw that?
 MT. President--Will the gentleman withdraw for the purpose of hearing Judge Coleman?
 MT. Beddow-For that purpose only.
 MT. Coleman--Mr. President and del- ,Ratex of the Convention, l did not nave the resolution before me and 1t g impossible for any person to keep within his mind and memory as the Ientences are written, but offered an amendment which will install into 1t what consider ought to be done. The which have been made on his floor by distinguished men who lsve filled the office that they were in ,ecuniary distress and were not able o uphold the dignity of the office Rs f should have been. seems to De with ut force.
 Mir. oates-I desire to interrupt the gentleman. I did not put up such a ,lea, What I said was that 1t wAt wholly inadequate. I expended $5.OOO nore than I got out of 1t.
 MT. JoneS-I didn't put up poor mouth, but said many time was lnable to give assistance where 1t vas deserved. 1t cost me s20,000 to ,old the of1ce and I am not ashamed