The age-herald., 1901-06-28
FORMER SENATOR PUGH
 OPPOSES CONTRACTION

"As for expansion, the country has al- ready expanded, and as we have expanded I am opposed to contraction. The Ameri- can people are opposed to contraction. I was opposed to the war and did not ap- prove of the acquisition of Porto Rico or the Philippines, but now that we have them l don't believe we ought to relin- quish our sovereignty over them. so informed the President this morning. Congress will govern the islands as terri tories This may be called imperialism but it is an imperialism where the people are the sovereigns. am opposed to ever admitting the insular territories to state hood"
 are added amendments which make the offense of corrupt solicitation of members of the legislature and other offices there in designated, punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary, and which require the legislature to provide
 l. For the trial and punishment of these and like offenses and @, for the same to be given in charge to the grand 1uries in all the counties of the State.
 Qualification of Laws.
 Section 46 Is changed in conformity to less frequent sessions of the legislature, so as to require a codification of the statutes following that next after ratifica- ton of this instrument, once every twelve instead of ten years.
 By addition to section 49 1t is made the duty of the legislature to require the sev- eral counties to make adequate provisions for indigent idiots and insane persons
 From section 52 the committee has IL. kl.- power to tax property of agriculture to impose tax upon such property. This section is further changed so as to con fine the prohibition against taxing school property to that of public schools.
 The prohibitions of section 54 are modi- fled to the extent of permitting the State to construct and own a railroad within its borders. This may become necessary to relieve the people from trusts or monopo- liese, or from unreasonable exactons on freights and passengers.
 ,.ew Sections.
 Your committee recommend a number of new sections which are restrictive on legislative power, namely:
 Against enacting laws for one or more counties, not applicable to all counties in the State, regulating costs and charges of courts and fees of officers.
 Against authorizing payment of the salary of a deceased officer beyond the date of his death.
 Against retiring any officer on pay. or part pay, or making any grant to such retiring officer.
 Against donating, directly or indirect ly lands owned by or under the control of the State, and against selling such lands to corporations or associations for less price than subject to sale to indi- viduals.
 Against the remittance, release. post ponement diminution or extinguishment of any obligation or liability of any per son. corporation or association to this State or to any political subdivision ' thereof, unless upon payment into the proper treasury, except that the Legisla- ture is authorized, by general law, to provide for the compromise of doubtful claims.
 These prohibitions are compromised in sections 55 to 59 both inclusive of the ar ticle herewith reported.
 Your committee also reports other new | provisions as follows:
 Appropriations Limited. | Section 2 Limiting aggregate appro l priations during any regular session o1 the legislature to the income from the ! revenues of the State for the current fisca | year, as estimated by the Governor ano Auditor
 Section 60. Requiring the legislature tc provide, by general laws, for location ol removal of county seats by a vote of tho people.
 Section 61. Prohibiting State or county officials from lobbying or otherwise in terfering with the usual course of legisla- | ton.
 Section 62. Prohibits the legislature from | ever authorizing miscegenation by inter marriage of any white person with a ne gro, or descendant thereof, to the third generation inclusive. This Is recommend ed, looking to the preservation of the | purity of blood of each of the races. | Section 63 Is a new section requiring the | legislature to pass efficient laws for thu | regulation and reasonable restraint oi 1 trusts monopolies and combinations oi | capital so as to protect the people against l exorbitant prices upon articles of neces | sity and to protect reasonable competition in any calling, trade, or business. | Section 64. Prescribing a new and more appropriate oath of office, to be admin. istered to senators and representative than the one which they now take. Respectfully submitted, | WILLIAM. C.. OATES, Chairman. Governor Oates stated that MT l Weatherly had reserved the right to file l minority vote later.
 MT. Brooks of Mobile then arose and stated that the section on trusts con tained in the report was not the section | as adopted by the committee, and that he wanted the proposition as adopted by the committee to be printed along with the report The president asked MT Brooks l If he moved for certiorari. This caused much amusement. and General Oates l then said that the section as drafted | by him was substantially what the com I mittee adopted, only in little briefeI | form, and he also asked that for the ! benefit of the convention that Mir Brooks ordinance be printed with the 1 report. This was ordered done. 1 MT. Pitts, chairman of the committed