The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-08

the labor CTS, no reflection, he had made as able solicitor as was in the State of Alabama. What was the question? Wha. was he told? That they did not care two pence about his ability, not two pence about what the people of Mobile County want, but the question he Is wanted 10 be heard upon was the proposition, that and none other, how many votes could he put in the com bination? (Applause.) That is all have to say. contend that the stream cannot rise higher than its source. If this stream that comes from the people ts so polluted, if they cannot be trust ed, then they are incapable of preserv- Ing Republican form of government. and you cannot get representatives in the Legislature coming from such an evil source, from which purity and sunshine and liberty and justice should ever flow.
 Mir. Coleman-Permit me to ask question? Do you undertake to tell this Convention that Mir. Webb, who was elected by the Legislature, was not the equal of any other man?
 MT. Boone-I will not. Mir. Webb is my warm personal and political friend. You have not seen him here. He says if he cannot be elected by the people of Mobile County as Solicitor, he don't want the job. tApplause.)
 MT. Jones (Wilcox)-I am not one of those who take issue with the proposi- tion that solicitors should be elected by the Legislature.
 My distinguished friend from Jeffer- son, who had to leave here on business, paired with me on that question. 1 favor the minority report of the Com mittee on Judiciary that favored hle election of solicitors by the Legisla ture of the State. MT. President. I lived In the times when We had County So- lcitorS in Alabama. It is true that in those days the Republicans were in control, but that was not all over the State, and l tell you that they did not have men of abili! as County Solicitors to represent the people of Alabama in the prosecution of criminals. 1 lay this proposition down that the Solicitors should be as far as possible removed from the people. I am not interested 1n any way in any Solicitor in abama. l have not seen one of them here. have not been in correspondence with any one of them. I am not related to 8 Circuit Solicitor or connected with a Circuit Solicitor in Alabama. 1 stand here. MT. President, as one of the del gates of the State, representing the people, and doing what I think is for their best interest. Now, MT. Presi- dent. We know that there could be corruption in the Legislature as well as in the primaries. My friend. Mir. Pitts. who just spoke awhile ago, said that the Legislature would be traded with. If there can be trades made with the candidates for Solicitor, with the Legislature, can it not be done with the primaries in the counties? It can be done just as well and easier in the primaries than it can be done in the Legislt ture of Alabama. I am not one of those who censure the Legisla ture. 1 han I l,A unfortunate that nine teen years ago, at the earnest request of my people, was Senator from the district in which l lived. We had such men in the Sen ate as Governor Sa mford, the lamented Seay and Hargrove. General Harrison and Troy. and a number of other gen tlemen who would have reflected credit on any State in the South, they were lncoruptihle, and it was so in the Lower House, and do not know have not kept up much with the Legisla- lures in later years. but I believe that they are just as incorruptible as the Legislatures wNh which 1 was con- nected. l believe We can trust them. l know we can send honora ble and in- corruputlble legislators here to the Leg islature of Alabama. Solicitors should be as far removed as possible from the people. You know how it would be If they were elected in the county. They would @.ve heated contests, and it would be human nature that they would favor personal friends I read a short while ago tine recollections of Reuben Davis of Mississippi and Mis- slssippldns. He was d Solicitor elected by the people, (the Circuit Solicitors were elected by the people). and he was so much embarrassed when he started out on his circuit. it had been close contest, and he had put himself under Obligations to prominent men. In the fins: county, he paid $500 to the Clerk of fthe Court with the consent of the Judge to allow the friends of the deceased to employ counsel to prose- cute man who had supported him in the canVaSs-that he could not do his duty in the prosecution. Shortly after that another friend of his who had been indicted for murder when the case was called rather than prose- cute hm, he resigned the office of So- Hc,or and went back to his law prac- tice When you have men near home take IL In d county where there are two gentlemen running for the office and the contest is narrowed down so that ho'h Of them exert themselves in every way possible to secure an cleo tion. The man who Is elected IS under obligations to his friends who assisted him, would he not feel embarrassed in representing the State of Alabama? :? MT. President, there is another thing In 1875 the people of Alabama in cor. vention assembled hanged that old system. and this Committee in this Convention have adopted the report of that Committee, in 1875. the minority re- port so far as al l.e-ing solicitors by the Legislature of A!apama. They have taken the right shcut and the mem bers of this Convention will reg ,et it if they change Ia's whole system. It will he indefensible before the whole people. They will say .hl. WhaE you came here, you are in for helping law, yers, and have now provided for one in every county in the state Can you do it? I tell you, gentlemen, it will work agar the adoption of tne Son stitution in this State, There is an other thing. There are some counties in this state that cannot suppot County Solicitors, and they Cannot get men of f1rst-class ability with out proper compensation Take my friend, MT. Pitts, am glad he spoke; he was q circuit solicitor, an able and honest one. We have tried many cases when We were against each other, and never cared whether l had anything in writing with Henry Pitts, l knew that he would do exactly what he said, and he was man not only f ability and honesty, but he was an