The age-herald., 1901-06-14

Of Education and Commissioner Of Agrl- culture and Industries. elected In l9Oz shall hold their respective offices for the term of four years from the first day of December of the year in which they shall have been elected, and until their success ors shall have been elected and qualified. and after the first election under this Con- stitution neither of them shall be eligible as his own successor; and the Governor shall not be eligible to election to any of flee under this State within one year af- ter the expiration of his term and his &C., ceptance of the office of Governor shall be a pledge to the people not to accept an election or appointment to the Senate of the United States at any time during his term or within one year thereafter.
 Judge Walker of Madison offered an amendment so as to provide that after 1902 elections should be held every four years.
 At this point Mir. Reese of Dallas took the chair and caused some amusement by first inadvertently speaking of Judge Walker as the gentleman from Walker and subsequently, as the gentleman from Limestone.
 Judge Walkers motion was, on motion of Mr. Lomax, laid on the table.
 DeGraffenreid's Amendment.
 MT. DeGraffenreid of Hale offered an amendment to strike out all of the section which made the Governors acceptance of the office pledge that he would not &C., cept an appointment as United States Senator within one year after his term as Governor MT. DeGraffenreid said this clause in a constitution would not be legal and he dld not favor putting any, thing in the constitution which was not legal Several questions were then asked Mir. DeGraffenreld as to whether the Uni ted States Senate did not have power to seat whom they pleased. Mir. DeGraffen- reid replied that he understood the Sen ate was the sole judge of the qualification of it's own members.
 MT. Long of Walker offered an amend ment to amend the section by striking out that part which put the Governor under a pledge. I've prohibit him." he said, from grabbing for pie and we want to pledge him also not to eat any, Mir. Longs motion was lost by vote of 36 to 60.
 MT. Greer of Calhoun moved to amend the section by striking out all that pro- hibited them from being eligible to re- election.
 MT, Whites Reasons.
 MT. White of Jefferson said the trouble was in convincing gentlemen that they could not be elected to the United States Senate. That the Senate might seat man who was elected by bribery, and we might as we'll say, therefore, that there should be no laws against bribery. It was important, not to determine what effect this pledge would have upon the Senate of the United States, but what effect 1t would have upon a candidate for the off, fee, who, If he violated his oath of of- flee and this pledge, would not, said MT. White, command sufficient respect of the people to be elected to the office.
 Go, arA ra1 &1.ie fefr was not a disfranchisement upon the people to vote for whom they pleased. Captain White said 1t was not but only a bridle on the ambition of any man who might wish to prostitute the of- fee of Governor to his ambitions as Uni ted States Senator.
 Governor Oates arose and said he was one of the unfortunates who had been Governor and tried to be Senator, and that he did not believe any Governor who had to make a thousand appointments would ever get there. This was greeted by laughter. He then said he was in fa- vor of striking out the part of the section relating to the Governors pledge not 10 become a candidate for Senator He did not think the United States Senate would be bound by it, as 1t was mere political declaration. He thought the part of the section which declared the Governor in- eligible to election to any office under the State was legal and sufficient to prevent the Governor from being elected Senator within that time.
 Mir, Boone of Mobile moved to lay the motion of MT. Greer of Calhoun on the table. This was carried.
 The Browne Substitute.
 MT Browne of Talladega introduced a substitute for MT. DeGraffenreid's amend ment. This provided that all State off cers should be ineligible to election or appointment to any office under this State within one year from the expiration of their terms. Mir. Brooks of Mobile raised the point of order that the substl- tute was not germane to Mir. DeGraffen- rieds amendment. The chair overruled the point of order. Mir Browne explained that his object was to put all officers in the same category with the Governor.
 MT. Ashcraft said that if there were reasons why the Governor should not be eligible to reelection, the same reasons applied to the secretary of state, the treasurer and other officers.
 Mir Browne then temporarily with drew his amendment and Governor Jones moved to adjourn. General Harrison then stated that the Western of Alabama Rail- road would extend transportation on special train to such members who wished to attend Governor Samford's funeral tomorrow
 Before adjurning a resolution offered by Mir Weakley of I.auderdale extending the greetings of the convention to the Vir- gina Constitutional Convention was ad- opted The convention then adjourned un- til 2;30 o'clock tomorrow.
 Convention Notes.
 pr. w. S. Wyman of the University of Alabama was among the visitors to the convention hall today.