The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-09
FRIDAY MORNING.


 gentleman from Lauderdale obec,s to the amendment.
 MT. Murphree-I offer the amend ment.
 The President pro tem--I recognize the gentleman from Pike.
 MT. Murphree-l do not wish to make speech, l simply wish to oher the amendment.
 The President pro tem-The question will be upon the amendment or the getlema from Pike. Mir. Cunniagham-In my judgment no article in this Section on Municipal Corporations that has as mucn h- trinsic merit as the one now under con sideraton. Ambitious towns, especial ly those that are just starting and are looking forward to metropolitan pro portions, with no money in the treas ury. but with broad and splendid streets, unilluminated, and untraVersed by street railways, are amp-tloaS TOT these utilities, and often franchises are given to corporations for the purposes of Illuminating the town, and streets railways, and so forth and so on. When a town Is in it's infancy, ana lhefe- fore the franchises at that time IS not worth much, but in the course of sine, the city of Birmingham, for instance, in ten or fifteen years, a ffanch-se that was given, say as bonus to en-  railway few blocks, with the right, however to all the streets of the city, or to a gas company, in the course of fifteen or twenty years, would be worth, in all probability, half million or a million dollars. l am quite sure that today the city of Birmingham or Mobile or Montgomery, could sell the franchises they have given away, for million dollars in each of these cities. In my judgment, there is no more important limitation that can be place.l upon city authorities than the giving away of franchises belonging 10 the people. The late Capt. Enoch Ensley Mr. President who Was d cap :talist and developer in this State for many years, had an idea in regard to the city Of Ensley, which was named after him and his purpose was that all franchises should be sold or that the city should take stock in all these pup lie utilities to be used for the education of the children. He had statistics which have not at my disposal show ing that had these franchises been dis posed of for considerat .on part Of the revenues or a part of the stock of the corporations in the great cities of this country, It would practically re- move Ike necessity for municipal taxa tion. Why, Mr. Pres dent, it is out rageous for city authorities to give away these important franchises, and 1 am opposed to the amendment of fered by the gentleman from Pike. Very few cities start with 6,G00 population, very few, indeed, and l do not know of any and yet these franchises can be given away by these cities iu their infancy and when they shall have reached the limit proposed by this amendment of 5000, why then 1t is too late: the franchl ses have been given for these public utilities. and therefore it would be of no effect. Now. i. ought to be made to apply to the whole bus mess. to towns cities and villages, hut in difference to ,he Committee, 1 am willing to yield q certain number on that line. but l would suggest that not over 1000 or 2,500. Take my own, fo" instance, today in its infancy with only one s.reet railway, with no gas anu other practical utilities, that would be wortfl ln the course of twenty years $200OO0 O! S2a0GOU, maybe hdlt mlI- lion. It would not come within the limits of the Constitution and there fore all these things could be given away. 1 am opposed to the city au- thorites having the power 10 give away hundreds of thousands of dollars of valuable franchises, and for that reason, Mr. President. 1 shall move to lay on the table ;ae substitute offered by the gentleman from Pike, with the view of making a motion to limit 1t t9 LOCO. l will ask is it capable of iur- ther amendment? Is an ainei.dfnen. now in order"
 The President pro ,cm-No sir. not at this time. Section 1 Was taken from the table, q substitute was offered. and an mcndment to that, and another amendment to that is not In order.
 MT. CuHElngham-Then l move to lay it on the table.
 Mir McrriIl--I ask the gentleman to withdraw the motion to table.
 Mir. Dent-Won' you withdraw it?
 Mi Cunningham-Will the gentleman renew it?
 MT. Dent-No, sir. I will make no promise
 Mir. Cunninghdnt-I have no desire to limit the discussion upon the question.
 Mir. Merrill--Ciive us Ia chance to be heard and to discuss it. Withdraw it.
 MT. Cunningham-I win withdraw it, but I want an opportunity tn offer an amendment at some place limiting it to twenty five hundred.
 Mr. Colb-I move to lay it on the table.
 MT. Mcrriil-I think [ have the floor.
 The President pro tam,-l rcGogn!Zad the gentleman from Barbour. When the gentleman from Jefferson withdrew his motion. the Chal" recognized the gentleman from Barbour.
 
 adoption of this section win be q thrust at local government. l. is my impression that cities and towns ought to be allowed 10 manage thei: own affairs. and thai uo sl!ta rcrtrir- ton ought u b.. plarad u9,n them. Why is it that they are prevented iu this manner from managing their uNn affairs? Where is the necessity fCr ti? IL will operate very largely 10 the damage of some of the cities in Aiaba- ma. To Illustrate. SUI pose a city has but one line of ,aiIro3d. or one cAr- poration controlling al the lines Ield- ing into that city. Ii mI;ters nut whether the city be young or o'l. that railroad and that corporation is suuGeZ- ing the life out Of that city, and it l4 the desire of tho people of that city tp obtain another line th""G anil this pro vision iu thn Constitution. MI. prrsi- dent would cut them off from the right they now possess to give this Comnet- ing line an opportunity tn come il even by a donation of t1r privilege o1 right of way over their streets. ] AnrM the situation. MT. President because the town that came from is in ta4t condition now. and I ask the gtntie~ men upon this floor to stay their ha.- .s and not plaro upon us ;he shaHH,fS dnG