The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-23

&@@AS-e~~e>& into the Treasury. and from what sources and they shall make reports oftener upon any matters pertaining to their office If reQpuired by the Gov- ernor or General Assembly. '
 Sec. 2e-The State Auditor. State Treasurer Attorney General. Secretary of State and Commissioner of Agricul- ture and Industries shall not receive to their use any fees costs, perquisites of office, or other compensation than their salaries as prescribed by law. and all fees that may be payable for any serv- Ices performed, through such officers. shall be at once paid into the State Treasury. N-s
 MT. Murphree-I have an amend ment.
 The amendment was read as follows:
 Amend Section 2S by inserting after the word Auditor" in the first line, the word Secretary of State"
 Upon a vote being taken the amend ment was adopted.
 MT. Samford-I move the adoption of the section. >-'-N
 The section was adopted.
 MT. Watts-I offer an amendment.
 The amendment was read.
 Amend Section % by inserting after the word Secretary of State," in the first line. the word Superintendent of Education
 MT. Graham (TaIladesa)-I hope the gentleman will withdraw that amend ment, because there are no fees going into the office of the Superintendent of Education. An incidental fund is pro- vided for his expenses, but there are no laws by which he receives any fees or commissions or anything of that kind into his office. That Is providsd for by an incidental expense fund, and I hope he will withdraw the amend ment.
 MT. Watts--Then will withdraw 1t.
 MT. Williams (Marengol-I move that the section be adopted
 Upon a vote being taken the section was adopted.
 The President-The Secretary will read the next section.
 Section 30 was read as follows:
 Sec. 30.-A Sheriff shall De elected In each County by the qualified electors thereof, who shall hold his office for a term of four years unless sooner re- moved. and shall be ineligible to such office as his own successor. Whenever any prisoner is taken from the jail or from the custody of the Sheriff or his deputy, anJ put to death. or suffers grievous bodily harm, owing to the neglect, connivance, cowardice or other grave fault of the Sheriff, such Sher- if may be impeached under Sec. 2 of Article VII of the Constitution; and the Governor when satisfied, after hearing the Sheriff. that he should be impeached, may suspend him from ef- flee for such time as he may think proper. until the impeachment p,o- ceedings are finally disposed of.
 MT. Wilson (Washington)-I desire to offer an amendment: Amend Section 30 by striking from lines two and three the following words, And shall be in eligible to such office as his own suc- cessor."
 MT. Wilson CWashington)-T am aware of the fact that this provision is in the present Constitution, and has been there for many years, but the bare fact that a thing was and is, is no good reason that 1t should be for ever. 1 see no reason why a Sheriff should not be allowed to succeed himself any more than any other county off, cer. You may as we'll say that the Tax Collector would refuse to do his duty; you might as we'll say that the Tax Collector would wink at escapes and would not make up his delinquent list; you might as well say that an Assessor would not do his duty and, MT. President, where Is there a county officer that has stronger hold and more influence with the people than the Probate Judges-you might as well say that they would not do their duty. l understand that formerly sheriffs han dled the administration of estates of deceased persons to a large degree in this State-that 1 do not think is the case today. That is the only reason that can imagine that ever existed for preventing a Sheriff from succeed ing himself. Now if We are going to say that the Sheriff shall not succeed himself 1t Is only just to say that no county officer shall succeed himself and I, for one do not believe that it is right, just nor wise. Now, Mir. Fres- ident, l do not care to bring about a long discussion up1n this matter, sud knowing that the Chairman of .Ls Committee will have the right to close the debate. I move the previous ques- tion on this amendment.
 The motion for the previous question on the amendment was carried. and the question recurred upon the adoption of the amendment.
 MT Jones (Montgomery)-I will say, very briefly that it has been the law. for many, many years, he Is an execu- tive OHlCeT, we nave put CiyOOAS CAoG in a straight jacket of that sort. and I do not see now why we should de- part from the wisdom of our fathers.
 MT. Wilson (Washington)-May ask the gentleman a question?
 MI. Jones-Certainly.
 MT. Wilson-Would the other county officers be put in the same fix!
 MT. Jones-Not that I know of.
 A vote was taken on the amend ment, which was lost, and the ques- tion recurred on the amendment of the gentleman from Pike.
 The. Clerk read the amendment as follows: Amend Section 30 by striking out that part of the Section after the period in line three.
 MT. Samford-I desire to say that at the time of the adoption of this particular Section by the Committee of which I was member. l gave no" tice to my brethren on the Committed that I should reserve the right to move to strike out this part of the section before the Convention, and to state to the Convention my reasons thereror. Under the law as it now is, sherifrs are elected by the people of county. Iney are not elected by the people or the State at large. and they are only state officers in the sense that they are a part, of the executive. They are not responsible to the Chief Executive Of this state but thev are responsible to inc neople who elected them. Under the law as it now is. there is a mode nroyided for their impeachment when ever by neglect of duty. by cowardlce' CT fol other reasons. they rail 10 per form the duty imposed upon them oy law and the enforcement Of that law anI their removal from office Is placed