The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-17


 s. We recommend that the two nnes- senpers be dispensed with. as we have assurances that the postmaster of this city under the free delivery system, will deliver the mail here three times a day and carry off what mail matter is to be sent off.
 6. We eurther recommend that five of the ten pages be dispensed with and in order ts&t each one of these pages have an equal chance to be retained, we suggest and recommend the follow ing plan. that the Secretary and Assis- tant Secretary in the presence of the President of this Convention, write the names of the ten pages upon slips of paper and place these slips in hat and then let the Secretary draw out the slips and the first five names drawn out shall be those who are re- tained as pages.
 [. We recommend that the clerical force in the of1ice of the Secretary of this Convention be retained.
 The aggregate reduction in expenses by the reduction of employees here rec commended will be $2S per day.
 Very respectfully.
 w. P. Howell.
 J. E. Cobb.
 B. B. Boone,
 Committee.
 The Clerk then read the minority re- port as follows:
 THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS.
 Minority Report.
 Your undersigned member of this Committee regrets to say that he is unable to concur with the other mem- bers of the Committee in their recom- mendation that the pages selected by this Convention shall be reduced to
 
 lieu thereof. that the pages which have been selected to wait on this Conven- ton shall be retained.
 Since the organization of this con vention, many of the Committees have made their reports and the members of the Convention have ceased to offer ordinances for the consideration Of the Convention.
 For this reason, I am of the opinion that the Clerks recommendediby the Committees to be discharged can be dispensed with, but the same condi- tions. so far as the service of the pages is concerned. that existed when the Convention was organized. stin exists.
 Respectfully submitted,
 Ed. deGraffenreid.
 MT. Williams (Marengo)-I desire to offer an amendment to the minority report
 President pro tem-The question be- fore the Convention is the substitution of the minority report.
 Mir. Williams-I have an amendment to the minority report.
 Mir. White-I make the point of or der that this matter is not now prop erly before the Convention.
 MT. Beddow-On yesterday morning this same point of order was up, and while it was true for the first time since this Convention met this rule has been invoked, 1t was invoked on the report of the Committee on Print ing etc., which reported upon reso- lution concerning union labor in this State. I rose for information and the Chair made this ruling
 President pro tem-The Chair has de- cided that point of order.
 Mir. Beddow-Does the Chair refuse to hear the ruling?
 President pro tem-The Chair has de- cided that point of order.
 Mir. Beddow-Then I appeal to the house.
 And upon a vote being taken the Chair was sustained.
 MT. Howell--I would like for the House to allow me a few moments. President pro tem-The gentleman from Marengo has the floor and has sent up an amendment. The Clerk then read the amendment offered by Mir. Williams of Marengo as follows: ITO amend the minority re- port by adding thereto and the mes- sengers' after the word pages wherev- CT it appears"
 President pro tem-The gentleman from Marengo moves to amend the mi nority report by including messengers and the question before the Convention Is on the adoption of the amendment to the minority report. Mir Howell-I desire to say in be. half of the majority of that Commit tee. that it has been one of the most delicate and difficult duties we have had to perform since this Convention began, and if left to 1ur feelings, re- spect and love for these dear boys, we would have brought in different re- port; but that could not be our guide in this matter. We had no personal interest in a single employe who is affected by this report. We believe it | is our duty to the citizens and tax payers of Alabama. although in the ag- gregate the amount is small, but there | is a principle in it that we would not Ignore; and do not believe any disintcrested man on this | floor will pretend to say but what we can with all safety and with ali | propriety dispense with these employees | suggested in the report; and while 1t | Is a painful duty. yet those feelings and sympathies are not to govern us; and we insist that the report of the | majority be adopted. Now 1 felt it due myself and to this committee to make this statement. I shall be content with whatever this Convention does. We | have done our duty as we saw 1t; and there is no complicated question in it and leave it for the Convention to de- | eide for themselves.
 MT. Williams (Marengo)-I yield my | time to the gentleman from Sumter. Mir. Rogers (Sumter)-Mr. President and gentlemen of the Convention. At | the assemblage of this Convention, whether wisely or unwisely, there were appointed for this body ten pages and | two messengers 1 say wisely or un- wisely is a question for gentlemen who have their sons upon this floor to l decide. Speaking for myself and with all due respect to those gentlemen, would never like for a child of mine | to be launched out on the great sea of ! this world Tn politics in this way; but | these young men are here and it Is | too small a question for this Convention | to go into the peanut business and send these little boys home. If you | could introduce a resolution here cut ting down the membership of this body | from 155 to 100, would gladly vote for | such aprovision as that: but I would never vote to humiliate a child in this Convention I have infinitely more re-