The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-04

nical about it. want to take it in its broadest sense. I do not lihe to go into the details of figures in deal- ing with any broad constitutional question. This is no time for figuring on that seems to me.
 Now. say to the gentleman from Mobile. as to the amen dment suggested by him. His amendment says certift- cates of indebtedness issued in antici- patton of the collection of taxes. are | to be included in the estim lre of seven per cent. Why I say that would be ruin to Birmingham In a minute. We already owe fifteen per cent. We could not borrow cent. We could not borrow a dollar to tide us from day to day. As 1t is now we can easily | go to the banks and borrow from fifty to a hundred thousand dollars for thlr- | ty. sixty or ninety days. on minimum interest, and yet if that provision was put in there, we would either have to | grind the tax payer, or we would have l to fail to pay the city employees, or is- sue script; practically he in a state | of bankruptcy. MT. President, what Birmingham asks of this Convention | Is, largely, to be let alone. We have | no objection to your putting the tax limit if you choose so that that limit is so liberal that it will never endanger the credit of our city, but this is Constitution that is to guide us for half | a century
 MT. Harrison-If we except Birming- ham. are you willing to accept It? | MT. Lowe (Jefferson)-No, sir; I will not desert those who have stood by | Birmingham in this hour of her peril. | The Convention may except Birmlng- | ham. but there are other towns in Alabama. Birmingham Is merely typ- | ical. There is Florence. there Is Tus- cumbia. Sheffield, Anniston, Hunts | ville-
 Mir. Jones (Montgomery)- -Montgom- cry.
 MT. Lowe (Jefferson-Monrgomery
 MT. ONeal Oauderdale)-Bridgeport and Decatur.
 MT. Lowe (Jefferson)-There Is every progressive town in Alabama, every l town that feels the thrill of life within her being, is threatened by this legisla- ton.
 Legislation, MT. Chairman, that was suggested by Committee that did not call into consultation those mcAt im- mediately concerned in the welfare of the communities with which they sought to deal. There is not a provision that Is incorporat- ed in section ten that is not | disastrous to my community. It threatens every other town in Jeffer- son County Why do you want to put shackels on the limbs of your growing young giant? Do you want to put your | thriving cities in a straight jacket2 Are you content to dwell in a wilder ness. and drive through prairie mud | to your court houses?
 MT. President, and gentlemen of the Convention, I agree with the distin- ! guished gentleman from Greene that 1 this is a serious question involved here. tell you that know my constituency, and they will rebel against the effort ! of this Convention, sent here to make a Constitution, undertaking to assume the functions of the General Assembly. and assume the functions of their im- mediate municipality boards, selected | immediately by them and their neigh bors. and instructed by them as to their | will and their wishes You must take your hands off of your growing cities. You must let them alone This is no place for local legislation. You have limited local legislation by the General Assembly. The reports of your com- init tees will prevent local legislation and relegate 1t to the local boards, and yet this Convention proposes to tell the 1 General Assembly what to do, and you undertake to tell the representatives of the people not only to be assembled in the General ASSemDly, put IHe repre- sentatives to be assembled in the mu- nicipal boards what to do, and you provide for what they shall do within the next fifty years.
 MT. Hefiin (Chambers)-I move that the gentleman's time be extended ten minutes longer.
 MT. Lowe (Jefferson)-I am very grateful for the offer, but unless some gentleman desires to ask some ques- tions, I should not care to consume the time of the Convention longer.
 MT. O'Neal Gauderdale)-1 desire to offer a resolution before I commence my remarks on this question.
 The resolution was sent to the clerks desk and read as follows:
 Whereas, The Fourth of July is sa- cred to all who appreciate republican institutions, and is in all portions of the Republic
 MT. Reese-T rise to a point of ordeR The consent of this House has not been obtained to read that resolution.
 MT. O'Neal-This is a privileged mo- tion. motion to adjourn.
 The clerk continued the reading all
 portions of the Republic, wherever tho flag waves,-