The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-12

tendent of Education, Commissioner of Sheriff for each county"
 When Governor Jones completed his argument in favor of the entire report. MT. Long of Walker got the floor to oppose the first section, because 1t cre- ated the office of Lieutenant- Governor. He moved to amend the section by striking out the words Lieutenant Governor" and addressed the conven- tion.
 Long Opposes Lieutenant Governor. MT. Long said that he was a boy in 1875. but he remembered the speeches of Democratic orators who went through the country appealing to the | people to vote for the Constitution framed in that year. One of their pet appeals was that the Convention had repealed the organic law which pro- Vided for a Lieutenant-G Governor. He had learned to oppose the creation of | this office from such men as Senator Morgan and others. He said he as opposed to the people electing man l to preside over the deliberations of the Senate any way.
 MT. Long said that he was unfortu- nately a member of the last I.eglsla- ture, which passed So many appropria- tion bills, and he knew that 1t was dan gerous to invest the General Assen bly, with power to fix salaries of new of- fcers. He declared that if the new Constitution provided for a Lieutenant Governor, 1t would cost the Democratic party the votes of 10000 "hill-billics" when it was presented for ratification. It was a needless office, he said, and the convention had just as much excuse for creating the office of Lieutenant- Auditor, Lieutenant-Attorney General, etc.
 Thompson Fairies Long. MT. Thompson of Bibb said he dis liked to disagree with "the Proctor Knott of Alabama but he felt con- strained to do so. He declared that he had not the abject fear of the hill billy" to which his friend from Walker (Mr. Long) had confessed. He said he remembered that a distinguished citi- zen of his county, Hon. E. II. Mofen, was one of the last Lieutenant-Gov- ernors of Alabama, and that there was time when he proved to Alabama that the office was essential. He de- clared that he heartily favored the ere ation of the office, notwithstanding there were many so-called ll-billies" in his county.
 MT. Boone of Mobile made a brief ar gument in favor of the section as re- ported. He declared that the Chief Magistrate of Alabama should be ere ated by the people and as this was the purport of the section, it would have his earnest support.
 Favored by Governor Oates.
 Governor Oates spoke in favor of the section as reported. He said his friend from Walker (Mr. Long) was lapo"lng under a misapprehension as to the cause of opposition to the Lieutenant Governor in 1875. He said it was true that Democratic speakers in the cam paign for the ratification of the instru- ment of 1875 did denounce the cfi,ce or Lieutenant Governor, because 1t mad been badly abused by the party which had gone out of power in Alabama. This was twenty-six years ago, and the State had progressed.
 He referred to the present illness or Governor Sanford. and of his more se- rious illness last November. He said that such contingencies made the neces- sity for Lieutenant-Governor apra- rent. Again a party convention would name Lieutenart-Governor who would be suitable for the office and he would be elected by the people to whom he would be responsible. Under the present Constitution, the office fell to the President of the Senate, who was elected by thirty-three Senators. If it happened that the two political parties were about equally divided in the Senate, seventeen men might have the naming of a Governor of Alabama. Governor Oates disclaimed any refiec- tion upon gentlemen who had served as President of the Senate, but he thought the system was not good.
 Governor Oates said a great many innovations of Republicans and car pet-baggers had been knocked out by the Constitutional Convention of 1875. Some of them were premature, but Alabama should now have a Lieuten- ant-Governor.
 Sollie Opposes Increased Salaries.
 Mir Sollies of Dale said that if he were sure that there would be no in- crease of salary he would not oppose the creation of a Lieutenant-Goyernor.
 Governor Jones, chairman of the committee. assured him that the com mittee would accept such an amend ment. and MT. Sollie said this assurance removed his objection.
 MT. Case of DeKalb spoke in favor of the section. He said he opposed the amendment of MT. Long because he thought the people of Alabama should have the right to vote for the man who mgiht succeed the Governor in the event of death or other disability.
 Judge Howze, of Jeeffrson, announced his opposition to the Long amend ment. He said he had originated the ordinance providing for a Lieutenant Governor. and he had given it mature consideration. He said when that part of the report of the Committee was reached he would propose an amend ment fixing the salary at the same as