The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-17
SOME NEEDED CHANCES.

tourl cd and the news gent out that the Governor is being besieged by parties for and against measures before him. to sign or refuse to sign them. and asking hearings before they are finally passed on. brings to mind the fact that the Gov ernor of Alabama may expect something of the same sort immediately after the adjournment of the next Legislature Of Alabama. Heretofore the Governor could not act on a bill after the adjournment of the Legislature. but now the new Con- stitution provides that ''bills presented to the Governor within five days before the final adjournment of the Legislature may be approved by the Governor at any time within ten days after such adjournment. and if approved and deposited with the Secretary of State within that time shall become law" Everyoody who has had any experiences at sll with bills passed by the Legislature will remember what rush there is to the Chief Executive off, Zee i've days before adjournment to have pet measures acted on. His life was cer- tainly made miserable, and he hardly had time to eat or sleep. All this Is changed now, There will be no local leg isiation of consequence and there will be abundance of time to consider and act deliberately and intelligently upon all matters passed at the heel of the Sem ate.
 It was the general sentiment and feeling of the members of the late Constitutional Convention that the Governors salary should be increased to at least 5000 a year, and that a suitable mansion should be provided by the State for the Chief Magistrate to live in. An ordinance in- creasfng the salary to that figure could have easily been passed. but it was deemed wise and best that no such pro- vision should be put in the organic. law. and instead thereof this action was taken:
 If the Legislature, at the session next after the ratification of this Constitu- ton. shall eract a law increasing the salary of the Governor, such increase first Governor elected after the ratifica- ton of this Constitution. if the Legisla- ture shall so determine.
 It is seen that the whole matter Is left to the judgment and discretion of> the Legislature. and 1t is very likely that if the salary of the Governor is increased. that it will be made very justly to apply to the present incumbent, who is the first Governor elected under the New Consti- tuticn.
 The organic law providas as thai the Gov ernor and Lieutenant. Governor shall each be at least 90 years of age when elected, and shall have been citizens of the United States ten years and resident citizens of this State at least seven years next before the date of their election. The age limit for the other State officers is fixed at 25 years and citizenship at five years in the State. This is done to prevent men of inexperience and imma- turity from filling the most important offices of the State.
 It is remembered that the terms of the Sher.ffs now holding office in Alabama, | and whose terms expire in the year 1904, are extended until the time of the expi- ration of the terms of the other execu- | tive officers of this State in the year 1907, unless sooner removed" by the new Constitution. This is done to have all the executive officers elected at the same time. The Tax Collectors. Tax Asses sors. Treasurers, Coroners and Justices of the Peace are to be elected in 1904, unless their terms are extended by the next Legislature, and movement is on foot to have this done. Members of Con- gress are to be elected in 1904 as that matter is governed by Federal law. l The Supreme Court of the State is to have an element of permanency in its membership, as far as it is possible to do so. That Is. all tha members of the court are not to go out at the same time. The
 term of the Chief Justice who shall bt
 elected in 1904 shall be six years, and the
 successors of two Associate Justices
 elected in 1904 shali be elected in 1906 and
 the successors of the other two Associate
 Justices elected in 1904 shall bt
 elected in the year 1908. The Associate
 Justices of said court elected in the year
 1904 shall draw or cast lots among them.
 selves to determine which of them shal
 hold office for the terms ending, respec.
 lively in the years 1906 and 1908, and un.
 til their respective successors are elected
 or appointed and qualified, and in the
 event of tho failure of said Associat,
 Justices to make and certify such deter
 imitation, the Governor shall designat,
 the terms for which they shall respective
 ly hold oftlcs. In the event of an increas,
 or reduction by law of the number O
 Associate Justices of the Supreme Court
 the Legislature shall, as nearly as ma,
 be. provide for the election each secon,
 year. of one-third of the members O
 said court'
 The Solicitors are to be elected by tn,
 people. There are ma-ly who do not re
 member this provision of the new Con
 stitution. The members of the Legisla
 tJre are not to be elected in future t,
 servo their favorite candidates for Solici
 tor ard the shameful scenes of the cleo
 ton of those officers that have occurre,
 in the past are to be seen no more. Tn
 people are to select the prosecuting attor
 neys for the State in the respective cir
 cults or counties or cities, and if they d,
 not choose capable and honest officials
 they will have only themselves to blame l