The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-06
IT CAUSED MUCH DEBATE
Delegates Took Up Preamble
 and Bill of Rights.
Eerused to Suspend Rules to Con- sider Resolution Making Suffrage Article Special order-several
 Ordinances Introduced.

After a debate which consumed prac- tically all of the day. the Constitutionai Convention yesterday afternoon adopt ed the Weakley substitute to Section 10 of the Article on Taxation. It di- yides cities into two classes-those above and those below 5000 population in the matter of limiting their power to tax for public improvements.
 This virtually completes the consid- eration of the Taxation Article as all of the sections, excepting and [. have been adopted. These sections were laid upon the table. to be considered in con- nection with the Article on Municipal Corporations.
 MT. Browne, chairman of the Taxa tion Committee, enoeavored to have the Article sent to the Engrossing Clerk, but the Convention refused to have 1t engrossed until Sections and are acted upon.
 Late in the afternoon the Convention reached the report of the Committee on Preamble and Declaration of Rights. The Preamble and Section were adopted, and the body was considering Section 2 when the hour of adjourn ment arrived.
 The delegates yesterday indicated that the Suffrage Article must take the regular course, by refusing to suspend the rules in order>to consider resolu- tion making 1t a special order.
 Proceedings of the Convention.
 The Convention met at 9:30 o'clock yesterday morning. 116 delegates pres cut. derk by Mir. Murphree of Pike. It was E signed by numerous citizens oI DEu dtdee. and asks the Convention 10 pro vide for the election of Railroad com nissioners by the people: that the mum bed of members of the Legislature De not increased, and that the tax TOT m snectfon of fertilizers be reduced to the cost of such inspection.
 MT. Fletcher of Madison sent TOT ward a petition from citizens or Hunts vile asking the Convention to proVioe ror election, bv the people of Railroad Commissioners.
 MT Reese of Dallas desires to i'm oroye the morals of the people or Ala hama. He presented an ordinance pro viding that during the progress or trial for rape, the court shall nave pow CT to exclude all persons from the room except those who are directly interes.- ed in the case. .s, nance nroyiding that the Legislature shalI have power to enact laws provid- ing for a penalty for the use or obscene language in the presence Of children.
 MT. M. A Smith of Autauga pre- sented an ordinance providing TOT more effectiye punishment of vagrants.
 The Committee on ExecutNe De- psrtment reported adversely the Burns end HeNin ordinances relating to sner- offs One related to impeachment Tor Allowing prisoners to be taken oy mons .nd tbs other sought to allow sherh to succeed himself. Messrs. Hooses' Carmichael of Coffee and M. M smith of the committee dissented rom the majority report.
 Section 10 Under Consideration.
 The pending business was then taken . mn. It was Section 10 of the Article on Taxation relating to limitation upon the Indebtedness of cities. MT. weak iev of Lauderdale had submitted Wed neaday afternoon as supstltute ssctjon s of the Article on Municipal
 I'Sse Walker of Madison submitted
 s,rther amendment, providing gen ara1 limit of per cent and an addi- fional 8 per cent for puohc improve rr.nta He addressed the Convention a' wp spi o,Sesl ot i.auderdale made an sr1urnent in favor of the Weakley subetitute. Cities of Alabama. he said. are making vast Improvements ana she Convention should not undertake 10 stop these improvements.
 MT. Weakley then withdrew his sub atitute and offered another substitute which divides cities into two classes nyar ana under 5000 inhabitants ac-
 s5,ra to the last census. Cities over ( o00 population are permitted to levy special tax up to per cent. and cities under 5000 are confined to per cent During the progress of the de- hate the substitute which was finally adonted was amended so as to Include (5adsden, Ensley. Andalusia, Decatur and New Decatur in the class or large cities.
 MT, Weakley argued in support of his suhstitute. He thought it ought to sat jsfv the smaller towns and meet the objections brought against 1t.
 Mir. Macdonald of Montgomery spoke against the Weakley substitute. He took occasion to reply to the remarks of Captain Graham of Montgomery made Wednesday. MT. Macdonald said the courts had no+ ruled against him on the proposition or taxing apuLtlhK property for an amount greater than the benefits derived. He declared that the City Court of Montgomery had sus- tained his contention Spd the case was appealed to the Supreme Court. He declared that the people of Mont9om- cry did not want this tax.
 Mr. Weakley replied to MT. Macdon- ala and spoke of the Improvements making by Birmingham and Mobile.
 Governor Jones spoke in favor of the Weakley sllbstUute. He believed in limiting the power to tax but he did not believe in choking Montgomery when 1t needed so many Improvements. The people here prefer to pay the spe- cial tax for the sake of the honor of the Capital City of Alabama.
 MT. Browne argued for the report of