The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-17

M8E 161f we have reacneo the tiuie ha 18hama when we need apprenend no TS5r of Federal intervention in our 2 SSz;&;nns. Il am satisfied that the < ;S1H - win be in the interest # S{ economy as wen as meet S1s general view of the people not So have 50 many elections. do not 8hink it is wise when we are going fo have an election in November to have an election in August. We should lave not only the expense of the cleo | xfon hut avoid stirring up the people 1n August and in November of the v Arne year. 1 don't care which senti- & ment prevails so far as the proposi- lion of the Committee as reported is concerned, am in favor of it with fhis amendment, but should they sue ceed in changing the Section and hay 1nx biennial elections, still this amend ment should be adopted. l think the interests of the people will be sub served in the two aspects that have referred to, economy, useless expendi- xure of time and money and stirring up the people. This can apply to the Section as it now stands and if the Convention in its wisdom should SC. proper to have biennial elections and sessions. this will still apply.
 Mr. Solle--Will the gentleman an swer a question? Does your amend ment make 1t mandatory that the elec- &ion shall be in November. or does 1t leave it optional with the Legislature?
 Mf. Harrison-It leaves it as report cd by the Committee unless it shall be 3 changed by the Legislature.
 Mr. Solicit leaves It optional?
 MT. Harrison-It only fixes it until khe Legislature changes 1t.
 Mf. Ghapman-I shall detain the Z Convention but few moments, in support of the report of this Commit tee as to this Section. It seems to m that August Is the proper time for an election, to subserve the best inter ests of the people of the State. That Is at a period of the year when the N farmers have less to do. They are through with their work of making crop and have not begun the work ol gathering it. It Is at time, MT. President when we can attend to elee- tfons, and to a canvass, better than at any other period of the year. We have gotten used to it in such a way that we all know that in August and during the summer, comes period O. canvassing. of elections. of barbecues, dinners and camp meetings, and such things as that, and they go pretty much hand in hand. If we change the time to November 1t comes at q time when our farmers are all busy. They are more especially busy then I06n dt any QtifSf liLhG uuEin6 LhC ldll They are busy gathering corn and cot
 Mir. Sanford (Montgomery)-And sowing wheat.
 Mr. Chapman-Sowing wheat, as suggested by my learned friend from Montgomery, and submit they have less time the second Monday in No- vember than they have at any time during the summer months.
 ,Tr President and reptlempn of the. Convention, am absolutely ana utterly opposed to having the Fedora elections and State elections come oI. at the same time. No matter if there is no fear of interference from the Federal authorities. l concede that there is none now, and probably will not be in the future. but there is a certain influence, whether it comes di-. rect from Federal authority, or in an indirect way through Federal money, why 1t comes and the State elections are more or less influenced by Fed eral interference in that way. Anoth- CT objection to 1t is, my observation has been that the more elections you bunch together, the greater opportun- tty for fraud: and the greater the ; fraud committed. There is more op- portunity for trading and trafficing. , There is more opportunity for combi- nations among candidates, which will ultimately destroy the will of the peo- pie in the election. For these reasons, Mir. President and delegates of the Convention, 1 think that this Section as reported by the Committee should be adopted by the Convention. If in the future it should be found advisable to change the election from August tc November, the authority is conferred upon the Legislature to do it, but l1setil that necessity appears, from my expe- rience under the present Constitution l am decidedly in favor of keeping the elections separate.
 MT. Sollie-Do you think it wise to aisassociate the idea of good water melons in our summer elections?
 Mr. Chapman-Not a bit of it. We ought to have good watermelons and good peaches, and good everything else, at the time of our summer cleo tions, and occasionally We may get little importation from the northern part of the State, from the "eyeless tiger" I do not know how that may be. but sometimes it is enjoyed. I have heard of people who enjoy the elections in the summer time. Gaugh- 4er.)
 As have just said. if it is found better to change the election to No vember, We can do so.
 Insofar as holding the session quad Fennially, instead of bienially, am de- cidedly in favor of that. do not be- aieve that we ought to have a meeting Of the Legislature every two years as Heretofore, and we have but to point ito the action of the various Legisla- lures in the accumulation of bills, and the passage of bills, to convince any on that it is necessary to lengthen Ehe time, and shorten the session, in order to stop, as We might say this in- furiatad folly of the Legislature in passing so many bills. If we both lengthen the time between the sessions of the Legislature and at the same time shorten the sessions. or limit the time. which another section of this article does, within which local bills may be passed, we will have some remedy against the flood of hills that has heretofore deluged the Legislature of this State.
 MT. SpraginsI move to lay the amendment by the gentleman from Lee upon the table.
 The President-The gentleman from Sumter has the floor.
 MT. Chapman-For the purpose of seconding your motion. and having the motion before the Conevntion. I yield the door to the gentleman
 The President-The time of the gen &leman has expired. The gentleman from Montgomery.