The age-herald., 1901-08-14
CONVENTION
 DROPS SOME
 OF ITS SPEED Day Was Spent in Taking Up the Various Recon
 alterations 9SULlCllURS ERlEhDS SCURE On the Fifth Attempt They Succeeded In Having the Final Vote Adapt ing Article On Judiciary
 Reconsidered.
SOLICITORS FRIENDS SCORE
BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.

BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.
 Montgomery, August 13.-(Special. )-The convention accomplished practically noth- ing today in the way of constitution mak- ing, most of it's time being taken up with reconsiderations.
 It was a day of reaction after the rapid speed of the past week.
 The friends of the solicitors succeeded, by vote of 54 to 50. in having the final vote adopting the article on judiciary re- considered. This was the fifth attempt made to reconsider the action of the con vention in substituting county solicitors elected by the people for the circuit so- 1icitors elected by the Legislature.
 The morning session was largely con- stunned in debate on this question and the afternoon session by parliamentary dis cussion. President Knox ruled that, in spite of the vote to reconsider, the article could not be amended at this stage,
 The entire article was then, on motion of MT. Hefin of Chambers, laid on the table by vote of 55 to 54
 The question of allowing the Governor to remove from office temporarily a sher- if pending impeachment proceedings for allowing a mob to take a prisoner has been a bone of contention in the conven- ton. This and the solicitor question and the troubles of Shelby County have taken up more time than any other subjects
 Today the friends of the sheriffs sought to have this question reconsidered, bu. final action on the matter was displaced by the solicitor question, which had been
 
 Convention Opens. e- The seventieth days session of the constitutional convention was called to order by President Knox at g o'clock. Roll call failed to show a. quorum, there being but 61 delegates present. list of those delegates who were absent without leave was furnished the sergeant-at- arms. Before any arrests were made sufficient delegates arrived to make a quorum Considerable explanation fol- lowed among the delinquent members as to why they were late and why their names should not go on the "black list :" It was finally ordered on motion of MT. Sanford of Pike that the absent dele gates be excused this time in view of their earnest explanations and that no reference to the fact of their being ab- sent be made in the stenographic report Later in the day the pages had all left the hall and they were brought In by the sergeant at arms amid much laugh ter.
 MT. Handley of Randolph introduced a resolution to fine all members D who should be absent at future roll calls with out leave. He moved to suspend the rules so that his resolution could be put on it's massage This motion was lost by a vote of 32 to 53.
 The Solicitor Question.
 fudge Coleman then, at the request of MT DeGraffenreid, who, he stated, was absent on account of sickness, then asked that the latter's motion to reconsider the vote whereby the article on Judiciary was read third time adopted and sent to the committee on harmony be taken up. The purpose of this motion was to bring up he solicitor question again
 noint of order was raised by MT. Graham of Talladega that the house once voted on this very question 1t could not be again considered.
 Some discussion on the parliamentary rrles followed between MT. Graham and Judge Coleman, the chair nnaliy ruling that the motion to reconsider could be made but only for the purpose Of reject ing or readopting the entire article-tnat amendments could not be made at tnis time. - Judge Coleman then said that he aid not know MT. DeGraffenried's views, but he thought the convention should have an opportunity to act on the merits or question and to make such change as they saw fit He continued by arguing in fa- yor of leaving the election of solicitors to the legislature. That there were tweive or thirteen Republicans and Popuiist counties and that the qualifications Of the officers being equal he believed Democrat should have the office. He did not want to do anything to encourage the Populists to stay outside of the Dem ocratic party. He thought the question of the mode and manner of the election of solicitors should be left to the legisla- ture.
 Mir Heflin of Chambers said he did not think he was violating any rule of pre- priety in stating that he was a Demo- crat. That he believed the convention was making a radical departure in this manner of electing solicitors and that 1t would turn over certain sections of the state to the Republicans.
 MT Graham here raised a point of or der that Mr. Heflin was not speaking to the main question of reconsideration This objection was overruled. Continu- ing, MT. Hefiin said that when Mr. Gra- ham had been a candidate for solicitor he had not thought the manner of elect ing them by the legislature was wrong. He did not think the money question ought to influence them. The fact that county solicitors might be cheaper than circuit solicitors ought to have no weight with the convention. He wanted fuII scope for argument.
 Ashcraft Speaks.
 Mir Ashcraft of Lauderdale said 1t was Mir 7efin who whe nthe subject was first for discussion moved the previous question before any or the committee had been heard from. He was glad to see he had been converted. Continuing he gave fba etr h not even been in certain counties. The deputy solicitor or county solicitor did all the work. The system of circuit so- licitors is absolute. If the matter was left to the legislature any attempt at re- form would be met by this lobby of so- licitors which was making such a stren-