The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-23

amtned it ana VIA un1er tke & sion 1t did not and 1 an v@r$ to zee the addition pfopcee4 v o[ committee stricken cut.
 A vote being taken upon tho 9Q11@l< tute offered by the gentleman uo Lauderdaie, the same was lost
 Mir. Long CWalksr)--I have sneeel- ute. M i .
 The substitute was read as fclIoW6> Amend Section l7 by striking out oU the words after the word poor m tA4 second line. ss@
 Mir. Long (walker) That leavss fA6 section just exactly as 1t was n t1o old Constitution, under Section 44 au4 think that is far enough to eo x@ think it is . good compromise to ieayo 1t like 1t is in the old Constitution.
 Mir. Oates-That is acceptable.
 Upon vote being taken, the subee1< tute of the gentleman from Waiker was adopted, and by a further vot1 the amendment as amended by the sub stitute was adopted. 4 vote beip1 taken. the section as amended Wae thereupon adopted.
 Section 4s was read as follows:
 Sec. 4s. The Legislature shall not have power to authorize any municipal corporations to pass any laws inconsl.- tent with the general laws of this etete< MT, Jones (Wilcox)--I have An Mr. Oates-I move its adoption. Mir. Watts-I would like to ask tho chairman of the committee auestiou> Does this language as used here pre- vent the Legislature from granting nlu- nicipalities the right to pass laws for the local government of such munici- paiities? MT. Oates-It is just as 1t has been in the Constitution of ls75--all the tlunes Mr. Watts--I understand that. Nr. Oates-It certainly would not then. It has never been 70 con1teuet< Mr. Watts-But we have pasBed q lot { of provisions in reference to local 1eglo- lation. and call attention to that and ask whether or not it will interfere with those provisions.
 MT. oates-I do not think there wouad
 And upon a vote being taken. the seo- tion was adopted. se5
 Section @ was read as follows:
 Sec. 49. In the event of annexation of any foreign territory to this state the Legislature shall enact laws ex~ tending to the inhabitants of the ac~ quired territory. all the rights and priv- ileges which may be required by tho terms of the acquisition, anything n this Constitution to the contrary not withstanding.
 amendment.
 The amendment was read as follows: Amend Section 4s by striking out ip lines three and four anything in this Constitution to the contrary nofwith- standing and add should the State purchase such foreign territory. the legislature, with the approval of the Governor. shall be authorised to ex~ pend any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. and if necea- 1 sary to provide also for the issuance Of State bonds to pay for the purchase 0f said foreign territory. anything in thts Constitution to the contrary notwith- standing"
 Mfr. Jones Cwiicox)- 1.-The last legisla- annexation of West Florida to the State of Alabama. N l examined the Constitution of 1875. and saw that there was no provision made in that Constitution for the pay- ment for any territory that might be annexed to the State of Alabama, found the identical provision that ap- pears in the report of the Conmittee in all the Constitutions of this State, 1919, '6l '65. '6S and 1873, but in mono of those Constitutions is there anything said about how such territory shall be
 
 paid for If annexed.
 Now offered an ordinance about ten or twelve days ago in reference to this matter. and the Committee on Legisla- tion did not succeed in getting a quo rum. and this amendment is offered at the instance of the members of the Committee who were present and at the suggestion of the chafrmans so that if we find 1t possible. which is very re- mote. to annex terHtory to the State of Alabama during the existence of rifss Constitution which we are now fram- ing, that the legislature will have the right to provide fog the payment of the foreign territory that may be annexed. It is for that purpose that offer the amendment.
 MT. Oates-There Is a remote proba- bility will say, of the annexation of West Florida to the State of Alabama, l do not thiuk that there Is any very great probability of it at an early date. but in the event that 1t should be done. this provision may be quite necessary and if such annexation Is not accomp- lished the provision will hurt nothing. It Is harmless. and therefore 1t seems to me that the amendment ought to be adopted. It is quite true that the ordi- nance was referred to the Committed on Legislative Department, but not succeeding in getting a quorum the delegate from Wilcox was informed of that fact and advised he had better present 1t as an amendment in the shape in which 1t is now presented. Unless some gentleman desires to dis cuss 1t further. I move the previous question on the adoption of the section and amendment.
 MT. Smith (Mobile)-I would like to ask the gentleman
 The President pro tem-Does the gen- tleman yield?
 Nj. Oates-Yes, sir.
 Mr. Smith (Mobile)-What is your construction of the provision as to rights and privileges? Is 1t not in- tended to extend to citizens brought in by annexation, privileges and rights different from those which other citi- zens of Alabama enjoy?
 MT. Oates--I think not. think 1t is intended to extend to them any rights they may have under the law as 1t ex- isted when citizens of another State. but all of that would be adjustable by the legislature. It is intended to au- thorizs the protection of the inhabi- tants of such acquired territory in all the rights and privileges which they have In respect to contracts and oth- erwise. while in another State and un- der the laws of that State.
 MT. Smith (Mobile)-It seems to mo that under the Federal Constitution. as we'll as under the provisions of our own Constitution all of the contract and