The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-15
SOLICITORS TO BE ELECTED:
 $1OO,OOO FOR OLD SOLDIERS

ne thought that it was not right to force au tne counties to have elective Solici 0ors. He oontended that 1t should be Jeff 70 the counties and he asked the Com. nantee not to put the pending provision In the general election bill.
 Endorsed by Blackburn. MT. Blackburn of Jefferson, contendec that the Constitution had made Circuit solicitors elective and it had been ex- pectea that the Legislature would make the County Solicitors elective. They were ne said. County officers, paid out of the county funds. and he saw no good req son way the people should not choose them.
 MT. Goldsmith of Lowndes. was unqual- lneoiy opposed to the amendment His experience as deputy Solicitor had proved 70 nm tnat the prosecuting officer should pc removed. as far as possible, from cleo uon influences or any other influence that might weigh on has officiai acts.
 This thing of pure democracy do not believe in although 1t is popular with the gallery" declared Mir. Goldsmith. "A representative democrat is. I think. much preferable"
 MT. Thompson of Bfbb the proposer of the amendment stood for the election by the people of their officers first, last and all she time" The wisdom of elect Ing Solicitors Sy the people. had been shown, he said, by the important part that the Solicitors played In shaping leg islation in the Constitutional Conven. ton. The clause making Circuit solici- tors elective by the people. he said. had been put in and taken out of the Con- st1tution no less than three times
 "Now You Have it"-Thompson
 In answer to a question MT. Thomp- son said:
 "I favor the election of all officers by the people from President down to jani- tor in the public building. Now you have it"
 MT. London of Jefferson. said that he was surprised at the remarks of MT. Goldsmith on a pure democracy.
 used to have such notions myself when was young. but I have gotten over them now." he said with a charac- teristic drawl "I believe that the peo- pie can be trusted to elect all their off, cers."
 He declared that the Solicitors office In Jefferson County cost the people $s 900 a year and only 40 per cent of the cases tried resulted in convictions. He wanted to know why 90 per cent of the prisoners of the Dallas Circuit should be convicted while only % per cent were convicted in Jefferson County.
 T believe in trusting the people," de- ciared MT. London, If we can't trust the people why let's go into the hands of receiver and declare the government a failure. If man is afraid to trust him. self to the people why don't want him to have an office"
 MT. Hoffman of Mobile, was opposed to the amendment Local conditions. he said, might demand that the County So- licitor should be appointed and he thought that each County should reserve to it. self the right to have its Solicitor ap- pointed. In communities like Mobile ahd Birmingham where there was a more or less criminal population 1t might be nee essary to have appointive solicitors.
 The majority was obdurate and the amendment was put in the bill by a vote of 59 to 12.
 The close of the debate on the old sol dier's bill had pathetic side. There was no opposition to the bill. Not a speaker took the floor against it and not a vote was registered against 1t.
 Killen Draws Tender Picture.
 MT. Killen of Lauderdale. closed tn; discussion of the measure. He made ar earnest. eloquent plea for his old com rades and he drew a moving picture o1 the hardship amounting almost to starva tion that faced the returned Confederate soldier, his wife and his children at the close of the war. He told of the acute and desperate suffering of the people o1 North Alabama living in the Tennesset Valley, who had been alternately harass ed by Confederates and Federal soldiers and who had been the particular prey oi the Federal soluiers as the war nearet its end.
 He described his mother meeting hin at the door after a Federal raid and ex. claiming:
 "They have taken all have-aN. ] have nothing to feed my children on There Is nothing for us to do but starvev
 At the recollection of her suffering MT Killen's emotion overpowered him. The tears streamed down his face, his voice failed and he sank into his seat saying
 Excuse me, gentlemen, can't finish, ?
 There was a moments silence as MT Killen covered his face with his hand and then his associates in the House gave him an earnest round of sympa. thetic applause.