The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-12

Mir. O'Neal-wul the gentleman al- low me to interrupt him?
 MT. Harrison--I will, but my time is very limited.
 Mir. O'Neal-I will move to extend your time.
 The President-The chair is not look ing favorably this afternoon on mo- ttons to extend time.
 Mir. O'Neal-The General Assembly shall pass general laws for the cases enumerated in this subdivision. Do you want to strike that out?
 Mir. Harrison-No. I'would leave that there. think the English would be better to leave that and strike out the other. but don't see how that applies to the question we are discussing.
 MT. O'Neal-Well, let me call your at- tention to this provision. Nor shall the General Assembly enact any such spe- cial, private or local law by the partial repeal of general law" What ob- jection have you to that?
 MT. Harrison-I.haven no objection to that. but you have crowded so much in there that I object to that I would be willing 10 lose the good things in it to get rid of all the rest, and I don't see how that last mandate can be car ried out.
 As understand it. this is largely a copy of the present Constitution, only that the one we are living under now leaves 1t to the courts and not the Leg isIature to deter mine as to this matter. and with that out, do not see that any harm would be done, but I see no good in this section when the whole field have been covered by special prohibit tions eliminating from legislative &C., tion the subjects named, and my dis tinguished friend from Montgomery, although he quoted the delegate from Greene as expressing a doubt, I doubt whether the delegate from Greene can entertain that doubt after carefully reading this, and I was pleased that the delegate from Montgomery himself mad no doubt about it, for he answered the delegate from Mobile that he did not so construe it. Now, there is no lawyer on this floor who will contend that this subdivision will have any effect whatever with these thirty-hVe subdivisions in there.
 MT. Robinson-May I ask the gentle man a question? Is there anything in these thirty-fvs subdivisions to pre- vent holding all-day singing?
 Mr. Harrison-No, sir; nor prayer meetings. eitter.
 Mir. Robinson-Is there anything to prevent foot los crossings?
 Mir. Harrison-No, sir.
 Mir. Robinson-Is there anything to prevent throwing rocks out of the road?
 MT. Harrison--No. sir.
 MT. Robinson-There have been spe- cial laws passed on all those subjects by the Legislature.
 MT. Harrison-Then I suppose the things that brought about the passage of such laws were happening in Cham bers and not in Lee.
 Now. I call the attention of the Con- vention to the fact that the gentleman from Madison could not answer the question propounded by the gentleman from Chambers, and that is sufficient reason for stating that it could not be answered and that is reason. if noth- ing else, why this clause should Dc stricken out.
 MT. Robinson-I would ask, then, thai it be left to the Legislature to decide 1t MT. Harrison-I don't think we should adopt this. I have entertained A view that seem to have actuated the committees. I have always favored carrying into effect the provisions o1 the old Constitution, and if there was | no other way, I perhaps would vote for this one, but I doubt the propriety l of allowing this matter to go into the hands of the court, because l really | believe if this provision is adopted Il will tend to produce more litigation than any matter that has been before this Convention. The effect Of this would bs that one-half of the loca laws passed on any subject would gt into the hands of the court. It wouic be a fine harvest for my profession hut as a member of this Convention and as a legislator, I would feel that was neglecting my duty If 1 did no' | raise my voice against this. It will bt a question on one side or the other oi every measure as to whether 1t has 1 been provided for by general legisia' tion, and I think it would be better | to risk the Legislature to determine the matter under the positive mandates here than to be Intervening the dif' | ferent duties that the several depart ments of our government should per form. This will not only create con | fusion. but will cover the State Witf litigation. I would be loath to support this matter anyhow, but when the com mittees have, after examining all the | constitutions, and when we have, as one of the committees informed me last night. one more of these section: than any State in the Union, positively prohibiting the Legislature. who do yot want to go further? Therefore. con formable to the request of the gentle man. I renew his motion to table th' substitute, and to table the Whoi' | thing. ,...,.,o,, o | MT. O'Neal-1 ask TOT ul'iSio" V that. r tho, day. when I was making the nrs soeech I have made during the Con yention, and my time expired some ] gentleman was kind enough to move | that my time be extended, and tht | gentleman from Lee suggested that
 have leave to print. Being loath t' believe that the gentleman intendee any unkind cut, and. being deslrous t' some extent of showing the mix O. human kindness, and out of great re snect for the age and ability Of the ols tinguished gentleman from Lee, moV' that his time be extended.
 MT. Harrison-I thank my 1rleh' from Randolph and the Conventlon hui I have been in favor or snor sneeches and the saving of the punll' time. and I beg respectfully to deciln' further time; but I also wish to say U nv friend that I am sorry If ne tooi anv offense at my remarks, Wnicl were not intended in any such nghl hut he did have such pretty speech and I thought thoroughly prepared that I wanted to read 1t in writing.
 Mir Watts-I call for the ayes an' noes.