The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-30

pOundarfeS prOVlded tne people Wltnln the affected territory vote for 1t?
 MT. Sanford (Montgomery)-Yes.
 Mir. Pillans-The gentleman answers yes. Then no city that was ever orga- aixed, gentlemen, will ever extend its boundaries beyond the first limits of organization, and will give you good reason why. They have got the ben efit of everything in the world, that belongs to city life without paying one penny for it. The city of Mobile has never extended it's boundaries in my life. though 1t has restricted them, and you cannot point to the extension of rity boundaries in Alabama where the people whose property was brought into the municipality for taxation were will Ing or anxious to have it done. If a nan can have fire service and police protection. If he can have the benefit ,f street railroads. and all those ad- yantages which belong to city life with ,ut paying one dollar of taxation, he will never pay 1t. And it is plain you cannot possibly change the boundaries sf a city except by diminution, never sy extension, unless you leave 1t to tome supreme power in the State, or
 cave to some body the discretion to act upon the question of whether or lot case was presented which re-
 ruired the extension or djminution of he boundaries. Now. that being the
 .ase. you cannot otherwise possibly sass law. Suppose a general law Is
 passed. which leaves to city people the tight to vote on these extensions, they
 will all vote to extend the limits just as soon as they get ready. You should not do that. it will not do. Any man who thoughtfully considers 1t will see that if the people outside vote. they will always vote against it. and if the people inside the limits have vote they will always vote for it. and you must have some third party to settle the dispute. Where can you repose that discretion better than in the legislature of Alabama The legislature can pass general laws, If you adopt this amendment, and at the same time fully protect the people. by providing for elections by the peo- pie ratifying their action, if they see proper to do SO. I believe if you strike this down you can never have any change. No change would be possible in the boundaries of any city in the State and I trust that this section will be retained.
 MT, Sanford (Montgomery)-My friend from Mobile is mistaken when he mentions this city in reference to the people living outside of the corpo- rate limits being entitled to the ser vices of the fire department. By an ordinance or rule it Is expressly pro- vided that outside of the city limits the fire department service need not go. He Is mistaken in that. His whole argument is this, that whenever a cor poration or municipality becomes in- volved in debt. and is hard pressed to meet its obligations, it shall then throw a line around the surrounding country. bringing in residences, bringing in plantations. bringing .n any property merely for the purpose of taxation. Government was not established mere ly for the purpose of making subjects of citizens A government to protect the people should be upheld, but the people themselves should not be to the municipal author ities and forced within the city limits when they do not desire to come with in its limits. He is mistaken when he says they have all the benefits of the city without paying anything for them, for all men doing business in this city, if they be merchants. pay taxes upon their articles of merchandise, and If they be professional men, they pay pro- fessional licenses. if they rent estab- lishments they pay the rent and the landlord pays the taxes. People who have sought to avoid city life for the benefit of their families. and for their health, should not be drawn into city life. which may lead to very grave to them. They go out of the city. They do not wish to live in the city, and straightway for the pur- pose of imposing taxes upon them by some iIn0rovident or unsagacious ald- ermen. or some men perfectly reckless. who may have engaged in contracts and the city became involved. They are brought into town life when they much prefer rural homes. It seems to me the amendment of the gentleman from Pike is very wise. People should not be brought into towns who do not desire to live in towns. merely for the purpose of taxation, merely for the purpose of bearing a burden which the people of those towns have themselves put upon their own shoulders. and dur ing the existence of which. until they get beyond a point where they can to be taken in never have Any benefit. There are debts con- tracted in Montgomery that never ben sfited a man outside of the corporate limits, and now when they are greatly pressed with debts, they say you must bring them in and tax them.
 It is unjust. It is simply iniquitous. If those people desire to move to town, t they cannot sell their residences, by their consent you may make your corporate circle large enough to include them, but do not do it without their consent. Do not bring them in to bear burdens against their will, when pos Bibly they are loaded down to the rII0 0yl, al dxy rI iValr hA To ships when you bring them into such a sea as this. I hope the amendment of the gentleman from Pike will be adopted.
 Mir. Vaughan-I move to lay the amendment of the gentleman from Pike upon the table.
 Upon vote being taken, the motion to table the amendment prevailed.
 . NH. O'Neal-I have an amendment.
 The Secretary read the amendment as follows:
 Amend Section AS, in line ', by strik- ing out the word 'quadrennially' and inserting in lieu thereof 'biennially. and strike out the word fifty at the end of line 10, and insert in lieu there of the word forty"
 The President-The question will be upon the adoption of the amendment offered by the gentleman from Lauder dale. e MT. O'Neal Gauderdale)-Mr. Presi- dent: I realize that at this late day in our deliberations, the Convention is naturally impatient, anxious to com plete its labors and little inclined to listen to argument in favor of a re- consideration of any action it has taken. It Is only, therefore, from a solemn sense of the duty owe to those whom I have the honor to represent in