The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-11
SUNDAY MORNING.
Beayers-That

l want to state another thing, that MT. Spears went before that Commit tee and made very enthusiastic speech in favor of the original request of this Committee to give these people up there new county. So far as Shell by County is concerned. three-fourths pr four-fifths of Shelby County want this new county. There can be no op- position from Shelby County to this measure unless it come from Columbi- ana. and as 1 stated. these gentlemen agreed with me through their repre- sentative. MT. w. B. Browne not to tight this matter. l want to say that l agitated this matter on every stump tn Shelby County in the campaign, ana ! want to say that but for this propo- eition. l could never have been here representing Shelby County as a Dem- Dcrat. Now. 1 want to state as to the topography of the country up there, that these people need some relief. They tell me that they want new bounty. They have come down here And asked the Convention twice. and lrNd them to take some action where by they could secure a new county up 1here They tell me that you won't put them in a position so as to get the legislature to give them county-l1 you won't give them a. piece of bread, they will take the crumbs. they will hake this 1t is a great deal better than pothing at all. because those people In the upper part of the country, in or Yer to get to their court house, have lo 20 a distance of anywhere from twenty-five to forty miles through the country. The roads are not very good In Shelby County, and to go by train they must go to Talladega and come Dround or to Jefferson by Birmingham lnd come around. there is no way Of retting to the court house without go- Ing out of the county by train, l mean otherwise than by private conveyance | want to lay these facts before the Convention so they can do what IS right in the premises. There is no doubt but these people want a new county up there. There may be some little opposition from the county sites that opposition has not been coming before in the argument before the Committee on State and County Boun- daries. The gentlemen could have come there discussed the question ana opposed 1t. They never did do 1t. On the other hand. the people from St: Clair came before the Committee ana urged for the new county.
 The President-The time of the gen. tleman has expired.
 Mir Hefin (Chambers)-I move that the time of the gentleman be extended ten minutes.
 The motion to extend the time was adopted.
 MT. Dent-wil the gentleman yield for a question?
 MT. Beavers-Yes, sir.
 Mir. Dent-What would be the size of the county you propose?
 Mir Beavers-Under the ordinance
 tvlyn weeks ago and which this Committee passed upon and gave a unanimous re- port. is to allow them to form a county with not less than 400 square miles so as to leave the other county with not less than 800 square miles. l will state to the gentleman that there are 1,497 square miles in the two counties which would enable these people to have a county with 479 miles and leave each of the old counties with 800 miles-70 miles is left in there for the lines to be satisfactory to the people. I laid down the proposition that this Convention has decided that it would be just not to reduce the minimum area. to leave it at 500 for old and new counties, that as mat ter of expediency and for the best in terests of the people of Alabama, it Is best not to reduce this area. l say that in special cases like St. Clair and Shelby. where there is no question, there cannot be a single argument made upon the floor of this Convention to show, that this section of country does not need a new county. No man can rise here and state one thing as a valid reason why this section should not have a new county. The taxable values are here. they are able to sup port it. I will state that the popula- tion is not quite sufficient to do 1t now. l would say that there are anywhere from 15,000 to 10000 persons in there now, but in a few years they will nave double the necessary population. l say. gentlemen. when we finish this proposed Constitution. and it is rati- fled by the people of Alabama. as believe it will be. that 1t ties the peo- nle in this section of the country for perhaps fifty years. because when we complete this Constitution l think It will be such a wise instrument that 1t will not be disturbed within fifty years to come That being true, these peo- ple will be bound hand and foot.
 They want to go out for themselves and form a new county so as to glve them a county site and work on the road. macadamize their roads. and all the other advantages that come with a county seat I say that they would he absolutely cut off from 1t. And why? Simply because they lack few square miles of coming within the re- ouirements of the Constitution. ana when they are able to comply with every other requirement. This Con yention has already granted just what these people want in the matter or the counties of Geneva Dale and Henry. 5Ue want to come in under that, but @f~this Convention sees fit not to give the people what they want. then as say they will take whatever you give them because they are in q bad shape ,,n there. Now. MT. President. thlnK 1t would be wise for this Convention +o take that course. and l am going $o make a motion and test the sense cr-the Convention. that this ordinance and amendment he laid upon the ta- Sic to be taken t@erefrom and be re- norted when the report of the Commit lee on State and County Boundaries In regard to this territory is made. or when 1t comes up.
 MT. Spears-I hope the gentleman .,on't make that motion until l ran he heard from. MT. President and ~.ntIemen of the Convention. the first .hinz I want to do is to have the letter read from Judge Irzer or st; Car County, and I will ask the Clerk to
 The Clerk read the letter as follows;
 Ashville, Ala, Aug. l. 1901. rxon N B. Spears. Montgomery. Ala: