The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-14
STATUS OF SUBURBS
NEW MONTGOMERY CITIZENS
 WILL NOT VOTE.
Amendment to Extension Act Makes It Probable That New Terri tory Will Not Be Repre-
 sented in Next Council.

The political status of suburbanites who will become citizens of Montgomery un- der the act extending the city limits, is giving city officials and suburbanites themselves some concern.
 Mayor k. B. Joseph yesterday gave It as his opinion that the new citizens of Montgomery would not have representa- ton in the City Council until October, 1s5. The Mayor added, however, that this was a legal matter which he could not decide.
 It is proposed under the Greater Mont gomery act to redistrict the city and in- crease the number of Aldermen. AS the act does not become effective until Octo- ber l. and as officials of the city will be elected in May to serve two years, 1t is said no provision has been made for representation in the City Council of the new territory.
 Had the act been made effective imme- diately upon it's passage as was contem- plated in the original bill the present City Council could have, under the city charter, rearranged the wards and the new citizens would have been entitled to vote in the forthcoming city election.
 1t must be borne in mind that the Coun- cil Is authorized to rearrange the wards of the city; 1t Is not authorized to pro- vide for elections in the wards and the act carries no such provision.
 Just before the Greater Montgomery bill was finally passed by the House of Representatives, MT. Goodwin of Mont gomery send up an amendment making 1t effective October l. This amendment, which was adopted, was proposed so as to make the law operative at the beginning of the tax year and to save comp1- cated situation. It Is said that the po- htical status of the new citizens was over looked
 The city charter authorizes the Council lf,s{l oitty trtn r6c ing ten and it is proposed to completely rearrange the lines and provide for eight wards Some of the wards are very large Ward for example, covering nearly square mile.
 1t has been suggested that the present Council should rearrange the wards be- fore the city election and that the new Cttlzens DC permitted to vote by common consent. This could not be accomplished, It is pointed out because the Council could not undertake to make wards of portions of Montgomery County which will net be in the city until October |. Again it is said that it would be idle to permit persons to vote who are admit tedly not citizens of Montgomery thereby teopardizing the legal status of the sue cessful candidates
 The change in the new city adminis- tration. under the charter, takes place the third Monday in October. The Great CT Montgomery act becomes law on Octo- Der 1 This would give the present Coun- oil two weeks of life under the Greater Montgomery act. A city official suggested yesterday that immediately after the law Incomes operative the present City Coun- cil could and should rearrange the city wards. ,.-- azo,o, ''the condition would then be unchanged, geo 7t ia not a question of what ward cltl- 1sn lives in: 1t is a question of authority to hold election in that ward That ,saS is
 .I!ouldn't the Legislature pass special act?" he was asked. -. .. ..-o,,,
 ''The Legislature does not meet again in, rn,l reoiied ee @and the city election will take place within two months l have been m m pass an act authorizing a ward election without amending the city charter WHICH, of course, would be impracticable
 Al any ate the point raised has given those interested in city politics something
 Mayor Joseph expressed himself as hopeful that the matter % could De gas saT,St n9t 1actoriiy adjusted as he said II was hot M rontemDlated that suburbanites would oe iemuporarily robbed of representation