The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-28

The old Constitution is dead: the new Constitution Is alive. It went into ehec' at midnight last night
 The clock which tolled the hour of iS last night sounded the death knell Of the Consultation of Alabama which was framed in 1875 by convention presided over by Colonel Leroy Pope Walker or Madison County. The sun which rises this morning will shine upon l.sOo.oVo peo- pie who have thrown on the yoke or po- litical corruption and have announced their purpose of walking out into the procession of enlightened. progressive States.
 The old organic law became the fundamental law of Alabama December $, 1875, and it went out of existence No- yember 2, 1901 It Is believed that the present Constitution will continue Tn force for more than half a century.
 Beginning with today the title or Hon: R. K. Poole will be "CommiSsioner or Agriculture and Industries. The title IS thus fixed in the new Constitution De- cause 1t was argued that Alabama has ceased to be merely an asricuitufa, d, State. It ranks high as an industrial State and the Commissioner Is expected to give his attention to the fostering or these industries.
 The new law provides for a Lieuten- ant Governor but this officer will not be elected until November. lSO2. the State election having been changed by the new Constitution from August to November One of the features of the new instru- ment is that 1t reduces the number oi elections to be held in the State Exec utiye officers are to be elected for four year terms and the legislature will meet every four years instead of biennial ses- sions as heretofore. When the legislature meets under the new instrument the law | %I,ok fha tIIffn m G. stricts their power to legislate for To- | calities
 There will be no more trading on fence and road laws and creating or local on The legislature will also find that it can not easily change the location of county sites. It is expressly fixed in the new Constitution that county sites can , be re; moved only by a vote of two-thirds oi the people affected by the bill Of course the paramount feature Of the new Constitution is its suffrage clause with which the people of Alabama are l already familiar. It raises the standard of electors by providing a good character clause as well as educational and prop erty qualifications. but the wise proVisior was inserted that none of these pro | visions shall apply to Confederate sol diers and their descendants.
 The Governor of Alabama under tho new instrument Is ineligible to election to the United States Senate during hi;
 
 The tax limit under the new organic law is fixed at 65 cents instead of I' cents as heretofore. This restricts tho Legislature in the appropriation oi money out of the general fund.
 Substantial provision is made by tht new instrument for the public schools oi the State. A fixed appropriation is made | instead of leaving the schools at the mercy of the Legislature as heretofore | Circuit Solicitors are to be elected by | the people instead of by the Legislature | amendments to the Constitution are made easier and members of the Legis, lature and judicial officers are prohibited from accepting free passes from railroad | companies.
 As the cities of Alabama are growing with each year there is new subdi- vision in the Constitution which relates l entirely to municipalities. These import | ant changes in the organic law were drafted by a committee of which Hon J. B. Weakley, of Florence. President oi the League of Municipalities, was chair | man.
 Among the important provisions is a clause which declares that certain cities | shall have the power to increase theil | rate of taxation. Another importan | clause restricts the life of municipa | franchises to twenty-five years. l There were l55 delegates to the Con l vention which framed this new Constitu | ton and they represented nearly ever! | avocation and every class Of cltlzenshll | in Alabama. Hon. John B. Knox Of An
 niston, was President. and Frank x
 Julian of Tuscumbia, was Secretary O
 this history y-making body.