The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-17


 ty stand in the place of the thirty. The President-The delegate from Walker asks unanimous consant to strike out that portion of his amend ment. Is there objection? The Chair hears none and it may be done. Mir. Lowe (Jefferson)-I had riseuNfor the purpose of introducing the amend ment which was offered by the dcla- gate from Barbour. The proposition suggested by the committee is an in- novation upon the custom which has prevailed in Alabama since it was ad- mitted to the Union. It Is mora than that. it is a radical innovation. at va- riance with the customs of all the gov ernments in the world having repro sentative form of Government that know of. Have we gotten to be afraid of the people? Haev we gotten to oe afraid to trust them to hold an ":sc- ton? Have the people become tired of e,ec:ing their officers and representa- tives? Why, you propose for the first time in the history of the State that the immediate representatives of inc people ,the law-making power. shall he elected for four years. The theory cf representative government is thar the laW-making body must be in immedi- ate contact with the people. and come
 
 of the people. What motive can IT, spire this change? beg of you before you tear down the old Constitution. before you change the old law and the old rule to ask why the change should be made, what good reasons Can be assigned for 1t? Is it caprice, is it fad with this Convention or is there motive behind 1t? I would rather be- lieve 1t was a mere fad than to recog- nize. as I do recognize. that there Is a motive behind it. The people have right to be heard in the legislative halls by their representatives coming fresh from the homes of the people. They say we have too many elections and yet the men who complain of elections are the men who raise their voices for ed- ucation and for the harefooted boys. | What Setter system of education can prevail in any country than frequent elections and discussions of public questions before the people. How many young men in America have gotten their first inspiratio from discussions upon the public stump of public mat ters? Why should we fear to have fre- quent elections? It does not disturb the people so much. No man has to go to public discussion wh0 does not want to go and yet We find the people coming to public meetings when public matters are to be debated and discussed. say it is better system Of education than you can find in any ordinary system of text books. It tends to inspire the old men and the youth of the land. am in favor of concentrating our elections. I see no reason why the State elections should not be held on the same day that the Federal elections are held. can see good reasons why 1t should have been changed when there
 were Federal election laws which would have controlled our elections if held on the same day; but now that those laws have been wiped from the statute books, I can see no reason why the elections should not be held on the same day. Always conferring on the Legislature the power to change the date of the election if the occasion should ever arise justifying or de- wanding the change.
 But I believe We can lily defend the proposition when we go back to the people that we have taken from them the right to select fresh representatives from their own midst to the Legisla- ture.
 Everybody recognizes the influences that mould legislation. All of us know that the special ineGests that seek their own aggrandfzement from the General Assembly are more influential than the mere desire for the public good. The great mass of the people have no influence here representing them except the fresh impulse their "ep- resentatives bring here; but all the spe- cial interests are represented around the halls and doors and in the Capitol itself. And they want long terms. They say the people want to be relieved of the necessity of electing their repre- sentatives. Have the people ever said so? Has there ever been:a public meet , ing in Alabama in which the people said they did not want the opportunity to elect their representatives every two years? Tn many States they have 1t ev cry year and think it would be better to have it every year in Alabama. l think it would be better to have more frequent elections than to go to this extreme of elections every four years. l shall always vote against the propo- sition to take from the people the right to elect representatives except once every four years. I think it preferable to have elections more often. They are the greatest inspiration to the young men of this country and whenever we come Sp believe that we cannot trust of electing their officers, whenever we come to believ that We cannot trust the people to elect their officers. then we should. as they did of old, cry for a King.
 Mir Rogers CSumter)-I rise to oppose the amendment offered by the gentle man from Barbour and also the substi- tute offered by the gentleman from Walker.
 It is with a great deal of regret that I stand here in opposition to the dis tinguished gentleman from Barbour, whose gray hairs and long years of service and whose busy life stand as q monument to his rectitude of charac- ter.
 this. l feel that every man should &C., cord to his neighbor that same honesty of purpose which he asks to be accord ed to him.
 believe I stand here representing every class of Sizens in the State of Alabama except perhaps the youthful legisla tor and the professional politi- | elan. ! believe l stand upon this floor | representing the great mass of the peo- pie of the state of Alabama who wish | to bs let alone and fred from the an- noyance placed upon them by biennial | sessions of the Legislature
 I heard this morning with one single l exception the most remarkab ble reason 1 given by a distinguished eX-Governor for holding biennial sessions. He gave as a reason in favor of that proposition l that the IegiSlatuTP was a training