The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-21
ADDRESS OF THE COMMITTEE OF *
 THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Advantages the New Over the Old Shown by Contrast the Two Instr-
 mentsCOnvncing Argument in Favor RafcaOnMeSs Knox, Coleman, Jones, Cobb, Weahery Hood, Smith, ESpy and Reese Sign the Address.

| IAASIehs1nB the koWer or the feople.
 One prominent object of the new instru-
 to the people. To. this end, election Is conhded to them of some officials hereto
 Tore chosen by the Legislature; the re-
 original or otherwise, in executive and Judicial offices. that the people fill the
 once at the next election for any State omcer; that counties, cities, towns and villages. before issuing bonds. must ob- | tain an approving vote of their electors;
 and that majority of the qualified cleo
 for that purpose can alone authorize the
 removal of a county site. Lessening the Number and Frequency of Elections. -. | While providing for effective control by | the people of their government, 1t has | been one of the aims of the new instru- and turmoil of an unnecessary number or frequency of elections. The Constitu- i tfon of the United States requires the holding of an election for Representatives in Congress every two years. Under our present Constitution, there must also be separate elections every two years for the Legislature. Every fourth year these officers and sheriffs must be elected. Ev- cry sixth year. every officer of the State, ed. These fre9uent o elections. and the canvasses which precede them have be- come a great burden to the people, large ly diverting. them from their ordinary pursuits, and promoting instability in the execution of the laws, and policies of government To. relieve the people from this expense and vexation, the terms of the executive officers and members of the Legislature have been heightened to four tions are to be held on the same day Tn view Of the contingency of 1t again be- coming advisable to hold the State and Federal elections at different times, the Legislature Is authorized to change the tN1aa Al al fa A1 lieved that these changes will be grate- ,lls,o ful to the people. and conducive to the
 Declaration of Rights.
 The only marked changes under this head are that an. application for change of venue for 8 defendant in jail. or other legal place of confinement, may be heard; on his application. without the personal may, for reasons defined by. law, dis charge juPies from the consideration of any case, without the prisoners gaining therefrom of the clause forbidding any property or educational qualification for suffrage or office.
 Legislative Department.
 The. changes in this Article are far: the land" we hold all that we have. The rights and interests of the people are most securely guarded, when. the law, same for all men. Without this, there is no equality before the law" For years past this great rule of just and good gov ernment has been ignored by our General Assembly. Local legislation and private laws have been the rule, and general Legislation the exception. Rights and eral hand upon favored individuals and localities. which could not be had by others under the general law. The. time wholly to matters of no concern to the general public. The interests seeking special favors thronged legislative halls and distracting the attention of members. The usefulness of @ member has come to be measured by the number of private or local laws he can get upon the statute book, These be- ing of prime importance members en- trusted with local measures frequently Tear fear ,or to risk @ opposition Dy essking posl The vast number of these special meas ures prevents all scrutiny. of them, and causes causes shocking disregard of the safe passage of laws; and sometimes scandal. The legislator, instead of being the rep resentative Of the state, becomes local called courtesy denies a hearing to the people affected by these measures, if their immediate representatives insist on on their passage. General legislation has been almost wholly neglected. Such measures, when taken up, are enacted without time for due deliberation or con-
  nasty legislation. The speed necessary. when such a vast number of bills are passed in a limited session, not infre- quenty has prevented proper entries on the journals, and thus oVerthrown lm- portant general laws as in the case of at least one general revenue bill. These things have made legislative service dis tasteful to many whom the people would have been glad to have called into their service. Local and private legislation has thus grown into an intolerable abuse, greatly detracting from the morale of the law-mahng department, and to some ex- tent withdrawing confidence from it. The suppression of this evil. if nothing else had been accomplished, would justify the cost of the Convention.
 Under the new Constitution, this evil Is plucked up by the roots; for the power of the legislator over such matters has been absolutely annihilated Instead, pro- vision has been made for general laws, applicable alike to all whereby local and private interests may be secured and pro- tected, with such rights and privileges as are requisite. Individuals or localities Interested in such matters: can can obtain obtain selves to the caprice of members of the Legislature. or mourning loss of time and ihI money by coming n1s to and remaining
 The constant change or repeal of laws and the substitution of new laws in their place, after the people have adjusted their pursuits and business to the old law, Is always d drawback to confidence and contentment. The Legislature. having been freed from the necessity of dealing with innumerable local and private inter ests which demand more frequent ses- sions than general subjects a change has been made from biennial session to ses- sionS once every four years. This change was induced by the consider ations that the laws having a longer time to stand, would be better understood, and, there fore, better executed, and men could pro ceed with more confidence. The change will also result in the saving to the tax payers of fifty thousand dollars every four years, which Is the cost of the fdently believed experience Will fully vindicate the policy of longer intervals than at present between the sitHngs of our lawmakers. Certain 1t is. no harm can come to the State since If the emer- gency arises, the Governor can call spe- made for the Legislature to assemble of It's own motion. if necessary, to exercise the power of impeachment
 Many new provisions have been made to fraudulent practices in the passage of bills; to guard members against improper influences and for laying before each regular session of the Legislature reve- nue bills with such provisions as the ex- perience of the Executive Department may suggest. for their action.
 No liability, of any person, or corpora- ton, owned by the State or any county or other municipality thereof shall be re- leased, or in any way diminished, by the Legislature. except upon full payment thereof; nor shall such liability be chang ed or transferred, except upon the paY- ment Of its face value: but the LegfsIa- ture may, by general law, provide for the compromise of doubtful claims After suit commenced, the Legislature shall nave no power to take away the cause of action, or destroy any existing defense to the suit. The LeRislatura is forhfdder to