The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-21

therefore, not justihed, but deeply to be | ing to lose by ratifying the new instru- | ment. It must be apparent to refiecting | minds that Federal interference, the risk of which is sometimes put forward as reason. for opposition to the new instru-- | ment. Is much more likely,to be provoked | In the future by the continuance of exist
 sge than by ,or anS e changes Wrought by the ratification of the new instrument. The above mentioned registration will be made in each county by a. board or dents of the county. to be appointed by the Governor Auditor and Commissioner of Agriculture. The effect of that regis tration will be the elimination of great mass of vicious and incompetent voters. Further provision Is then made to main tain for the future the standard of the telligerce, thrift and a regard for the public welfare generally characterizes that part of our present voting population
 sate s soasRf o be aS2dsea rSe object of the educational and property
 qualifications proposed for those who
 right to vote after January 1st, 19oa
 desirable class. Those qualifications
 and fathers. and youth of the land.
 The requirements will be Within the reach
 of all worthy men. The desire to fulfill
 after us to keener appreciation of the
 privilege of suffrage and better fit them
 for the ennobling and responsible duties
 respecting youth. in this day of abund.
 ant opportunities of free education and
 self -advancement, will listen to the de-
 passing cry of those who wish to prevent the youth when it asks in return for the privilege of voting two years hence.
 within the ample time given him, to read
 parts of the Constitution of the United
 States. or develop sufficient character
 and thrift to accumulate very small amount of property, which the humblest, starting life under the most adverse cir cumstancss, can quickly acquire? What
 right-thinking or self-honoring man is willing to claim and enjoy all the bene- fits of government. and is unwilling to make any sacrifice or contribute anything whatever to sustain it? Scarce genera tion since thousands of Alabamians glad ly rtsked and sacrificed their lives for the welfare of the State; and now their chill dren are thought by some so unworthy of payment of poil-tax of less than half a cent day. in aid of the public schools, as one of the helps to higher and bet they should set in the balance against your efforts to uplift our civilization. We leave the fit answer to this ignoble sug- gestion to that love of country which has always marked our people, and borne them upward in all their struggles and trials. snail We Descend into the Mire in
 Order to be Cleansede Of those who profess desire to be rid of our evil condition and at the same time proclaim hostility to our efforts, 1t Is proper to ask what, if any remedy, they propose. Can defeat of the new Consti- tutio9 promote any good end? Will it
 for generation to come? Is it not far
 better bet I, and wiser to take the present step. seek further remedy by prompt amend ment of the Constitution, which is easy under the new instrument. than to fall back again deeper in the mire. and then hope to rise from its depths and cleanse our institutions? Fair Elections. The surest and most enduring founda- tion for fair elections is honest and in- nishes this great support, by sitting the worthy from the unworthy in selecting those entitled to suffrage. To the penal tie ties which a the Legislature has % provided elections, the Constitution itself has added disfranchisement of all who buy or or primary elections, and has made fals5
 registration felony. With the .elimina- ton of the mass of vicious votes, the | power of which is always sought to um- | pire the result of elections when good | men divide all excuse or temptation is | destroyed to tamper with the ballot-box, | to prevent the vicious from oyerturning Is protected by It. With the disappear
 ance of the cause which leads to the vio- | lation of the sanctity Of elections. public | opinion, which Is stronger and more far | reaching than law, will again reassert | itself and effectually guard the ballot | box. Consciously or unconsciously. ute- | riur motives must control the mind which | proclaims opposition to the Constitution | on the pretext that It's ratification will | cause the continuation of election abuses. |
 Education.
 The importance of public schools to the | welfare. of the State is recognized and | emphasized by the provisions made to l sustain education. The new Constitution, l Of its own vigor, appropriates about eight | times as much as the old Constitution. | The new instrument preserving all the | old sources of revenues, appropriates | each year to the public schools nearly | one-half of all the taxes levied and col | lected by the State. and enJoins upon the | Leislature the increase of this fund from | time to time as the resources of the State | may Justify. Power is given counties to | cents on each one hundred dollars worth | or taxable property therein, for the sup | port of the public schools, when voted by | three-tlfths of the voters at the election, | subject to the limitation that the rate of state ana county taxation per annum | must not be increased to more than one dollar and twenty-five cents on each one | hundred dollars of property. excluding special taxes for bridges and payment of | utbtS e'NiSlnS m lSi0. z, AcIktInowledgement has been made in the Constitution itself of just debt to the University. and provision made for the payment or interest thereon Change has been made in the mode of appoint ment or US trustees, which those most in- terested In the University believe will re- dound to It's welfare. Greater stability has been given to the Board of Trustees of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute bv | longer terms to it's trustees.
 The new instrument has gone to the verge Of the ability of the State to aus tain and increase schools; and as the State grows in wealth, the Constitution. by It's own operation' will correspondingly | increase the public contributions to the | cause of education. What better resnonse could be made to the impulse of our neo- pie for more and better schoolsP
 Taxation.
 The State tax on property has bean de. creased from seventy-five cents ner an mum on the hundred dollars to siKtv-fi fit-a | cents on the hundred dollars Debts for | the rent or hire of real or personal prnn- | erty, while owned by the landlord or | hirer during the year of such rental or | hire are not taxable, if the property itself | has been assessed at it's full value.
 To meet emergencies, the power of the | Governor has been extended to ngotiate | temporary loans to the amount of three | hundred thousand dollars. Counties are | forbidden to levy a greater rate of taxa
 tion per annum than half of one per centum; but an additional one-fourth of | one per cent may be collected for debts l existing at the ratification of the Consti-
 tuition of 1875 To meet debts incurred for
 public buildings or bridges, a county may levy a tax of one-fourth of one percen-
 tum. Under the existing Constitution. the | rate of taxes for such purposes is unlim-
 nNs