The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-11
CONVENTION DE-


 said to have showed that the majority was against any provision looking to a change in reference to the official pass evil, or the powers of the Railroad Commission. or its method of selection. There was a minority in favor of changes in both respects. The Conn., mittee. it is stated, was expected to formulate report. but when 1t was found that there would be a minority report. it was decided by the majority to postpone action, and to meet al some future time on the call of the Chairman.
 The other important development was the action of a majority of the Committee on Suffrage, asking the Convention to name next Tuesday as the date for taking up the Suffrage report. The Convention itself consid- cred this request, and declined to set any day for that purpose. This means that the Suffrage report is indefinitely postponed
 Gossip about the Convention hall connects these two actions more or less as indicating both the power and the weakness of the railroad influence upon that body. The failure of the Committee on Corporations to agree upon report now is alleged to be due to that influence. The refusal of the Convention to agree to an early day for the consideration of the Suffrage I l.. 1ority of the Convention Is not suscep- tible to railroad influence. The gossip is that the railroad influence wants the Suffrage report taken up right away and disposed of, in the belief that when this is done the Convention will rush nothing the railroads oppose.
 l We think the action of the Commit | tee on Corporations is unwise in some respects. and that the action of the Convention is postponing the Suffrage report is most wise and fortunate.
 The majority of the Committee on Corporations will make a great mis- take if it reports in favor of merely re- l beating the provision in the present Constitution on official passes. That provision is notoriously ineffective. To recommend its readoption is tanta- mount to saying to the State that the l Committee does not want the evil stop | ped. If that Is the case. why would it not be better for the Committee to report against any provision whatever? Why should not the Committee be frank and straightforward? Why pro- pose the continuance of a dead-letter?
 The action of the Committee in not recommending the election of Railroad | Commissioners by the people, we be- lieve to be wise. It would be a great mistake to invite the railroads to go into feat politics and to undertake the control of individual voters. The temp tation would be much more dangerous to the body polite than the pres ent situation where the railroads are tempted only to work konsrepresentative men in higher places. We trust that the Committee and the Convention will never yield to the popular clamor on this line. It is wise and expedient to give the Commission more power, and to pay 1t out of the State Treasury, and we believe the Committee will nize the justice of such a course. The more devoted any member of the Com- mittee may be to the protection of the roads against oppression, the more | willing he should be to act sagaciously and not help erect too high a dam | against the peoples will. When the flood does come under such conditions. the harm done may be far greater than | if some consideration and concession to the popular view be made now. As to the Conventions action in postponing consideration of the Suf- frage Committee report. we repeat that this was most wise. Unquestionably that is the chief task of the Conven- tion. If that were disposed of. there would be great temptation to slur over the reports of the other Commit tees and to hasten through with the rest of the new instrument. This would be a calamity. It would lead to dangerous, if not fatal, defects in the Constitution. The very best organic law should be formulated that the brain and conscience of the Convention can devise. Plenty of time should be- taken for wise. earnest, patient discus sion. In abundant counsel there is wisdom.
 It, was learned last night that there was a movement on foot to have a caucus of the Democratic members on the question of the Suffrage report. The purpose in calling the caucus, it is understood, is to try to have Par ty agreement on the leading features of the Suffrage plan, and also to fix a date for its consideration by the Con- vention. It is reported that a number l of Democrats have refused to sign the l caIl for a caucus. This Is doubtless l another movement to get the Suffrage | provisions adopted speedily, so that the l Conventions work may be rushed | through. If so. it is a very imprudent | undertaking, and it ought to fail. The question of the time for the Con- vention to take up any Committees | report is in no sense a Party question, l and no Democrat can be bound on it. | Nor is 1t yet the proper time for a