The age-herald., 1901-08-12
The Constitutional Convention is Rushing Business Along
 At a Rapid Gait
LEADING A STRENUOUS LIE
Session Has Been Lenethened Until Work is Now Begun at O'clock In the Morning and Ends at
 O'clock In the Evening.
BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.

BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.
 Montgomery. August 11.-(special)-The constitutional convention in these latter days of It's existence Is leading '.strenu- ous life.' Every day finds it working harder and harder in the desire of the delegates to get back to home and mother The sessions have been length ened until the convention begins work at the early hour of 9 o'clock, and except for a two hour and a half recess for dinner, 1t keeps at it until p. m. To certain classes of workers these hours may not seem long, but they are for a legislative body. The continued atten- tion which 1t Is necessary to give to the proceedings in order to keep up with the various parliamentary situations becomes somewhat of a mental strain towards the end of the day. The experience of all who have occupied the presidents s chair Is that the convention is much more rest less and difficult to control at the after wards o'clock this restlessness usually eliminates in g parliamentary snarl and tangle and very littfs is accomplished as rule between and '. If a parlia- mentary wrangle does not ensue the con- vention Is liable to rush through some ill-considered legislation which it will take then about two hours the next morning to reconsider and rescind.
 An Instance.
 An instssncse of this yind was the aiop- tion of the Craig amendment Thursday afternoon allowing women to vote in cer- tain cases. No one was more surprised at the adoption of his amendment than MT. Craig himself. He did not know he had an advocate of his measure In the whole convention. and was very much surprised when MT. Fitts of Tuscaloosa made an impassioned appeal in its be- half, which was followed by its adop- ton. MT. Craig early in the session had created a sensation by introducing an ordinance to allow women to vote. There is nothing sensational, however. about MT. Craig. He Is modest and unobtru- sive and a gentleman in the full sense of the word, and 1t was his sincere convic- tion that 1t was to the interest of the State that women should vote.
 Shortly after the introduction of his ordinance Senator Morgan wrote a let ter which was published in the Age-Her- aid at the time. expressing himself in fa- vor of MT. Craig's proposition.
 Mir Fits who advocated its aadoption in forceful speech is an ex-attorney- general of the state and one of the abiest men in the convention. From the time of the introduction of the ordinance until the vote on 1t nothing had been said on the subject and 1t was apparently forgot ten. but late Thursday afternoon the con- vention adopted 1t with a hurrah, show ing that the Ieaven had been quietly working.
 Its adoption also showed that the del- egates are not opposed to limited wom- ans suffrage It was rescinded because 1t was pointed out that there Is a preju dice throughout the state against wom- an suffrage and that it might endanger the success of the constitution which has to be ratified by popular vote For twelve hours the women of Alabama wer the unconsciuos possessors of the right of suffrage. It may be twelve dec- ades before they again have this right.
 The Chair Visible.
 The convention has got through with a number of articles the past week and many members think that another week will see the work completed,' when 1t will be in order to~ sing the doxology. Already a choir is being selected for this purpose and among some of the sweet singers in the convention mentioned as choristers are President Knox. and Delegates Sam ford spragins and Beddow.
 The convention the past week finished inc articles on Judiciary. municipal cor porations, exemptions. representation, miscellaneous provisions and amending the constitution. the Shelby County and St. Clair County court house matters and the fertilizer tag tax reduction. which by the way, was not reduced.
 There are only four articles remaining to be considered besides the report of the committee op harmony. These are the ar tIcles on eedcation, corporations, militia and impeachments. The two latter will take very little time. There will be some discussion on the free pass evir' in the article on corporations, and some on the Browne plan for local school taxation in the article on education. The sheriff question will also come up again and probably the election of solicitors. The convention will not adjourn to await the report of the committee on harmony. This committee is working steadily on its report, which will probably be ready next week. x'he sentiment of the delegates is to stay here until the finish and then go home with the load of responsibility from off their shoulders.
 The report of the committee on munich pal corporations fared worse in the con vention than any other. the majority of It's important proyisio7s being tabled. This was not due n siy defects in the fJ,o <,yxyo1k x--yxsrt