The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-09
Eor the New County.

TCt7 LHC. NEW 1OuUt1s
 The following article will no doubt be of great interest to many people In Bes- semer and in fact in the entire district who are at the present time interested in the new county, which has been insti- tued and which is growing as the days pass.
 There now seems to be no doubt but state are in favor of it, and as one prom iEent citizen stated this evening, it will be just like the prohibition election in that there will be no stopping its ulti- mate continuation:
 We ask space in your paper to ex- press our views on the pr. Ragsdale amendment to the constitution of Ala bama, which amendment will be submit ted to the people of the state for ratifica- ton in the coming November election. We are not aware of your sentiments re- garding the Ragsdale amendment, but we do know your paper has been very liberal in having public questions square ly submitted to the people for their con sideration, therefore, we take 1t that you will give us space in your columns to ex- press our views on the Ragsdale amend ment.
 ''The Ragsdale amendment calls upon the people of the state of Alabama to add to the constitution of 1901 one more article, to be known and called Article XIX, which has been passed by the leg islature of Alabama, and by said act sub mitted to the voters of the state for rati- fication. This amendment does not take from or conflict with single other ar ticle of the constitution. The amend ment supplies inherent rights left open for the law-makers of the state to grant through legislative enactments-creating counties wherever and whenever the re- quisite territory attained necessary tax able values and population sufficient to authorize the formation of a new county authorizing the legislature to form such new counties after all other constitutional requisites have been supplied, forming such territory into a local government. The last legislature, in its wisdom, passed the Ragsdale amendment referring the question to the people to be ratified, leav- ing our constitution broad enough to let the people of every section of the state, when all other constitutional requisites have developed and become sufficient to enable them in that proposed new county to form a county, to call an election under
 
 izen say whether or not, in his wisdom, and by his ballot under his constitutional right, he will vote to establish for him self and his neighbor home rule. If the people of the state ratify the Ragsdale amendment, by that ratification they set tie for all time question which has for years been very perplexing to the legis- lature. We say in our 39th section of ar- ticle of the constitution, that no new county shall be formed thereafter of less extent than 600 square miles, with other requisites as to population and taxable values, and by ratifying the Ragsdale amendment we say to the people that we guarantee in every section in the state where constitutional requisites are suf- ficent the right to home rule; consttu- tlonal right to have the citizen say by his ballot whether he will vote for or against home rule. We feel that in re- ferring this county question to the peo- pie, the legislature has offered the people opportunity to quell perplexing local legis- lative enactments under the same system that 1t so wisely settled the great pro- hibition problem.
 If any question affects the people of any section of the state in any lo- cal matter. we believe those citizens in such localities should have the exclu- sive right to say how it shall be settled If they have the territory, the popula- ton and the taxable values we say the people who make up this population and inhabit this territory should be the peo- pie to say whether or not they prefer home rule. This Is what the Ragsdale amendment means. It means that those people having lived, labored and pro- duced the constitutional requisites es- sential to forming a county should not be required to wait on legislative en- .n+x xk. At-4 4I.~.. A.. gether under the constitutional referen- dun added by the Ragsdale amendment and proceed to form their local govern ment. We believe the Ragsdale amend ment essential to several sections of our state. Essential in helping the citizen develop his vicinity. giving him speedy administration adequate in all local mat ters at the least cost to himself and his fellow citizens. The writer has no de- sire to deal with expenditures in any lo- cality In the state, but it is our pur- pose to have the people of the state understand the Ragsdale amendment un- derstand that when they vote to ratify the amendment they. are voting on amendment giving to the citizens living in such territories of Alabama a chance to exercise by choice and ballot con- stitutional right only after the terri tory has attained the constitutional re- quisites within the restrictions and in- hibitions of our organic law. We as- sure you we appeal to your columns to assist us in placing this important amend ment ito our constitution before our peo- pie in order that they may fully under stand its meaning and believing the cir culation your paper enjoys will carry our articles to those interested in the affairs of our state and that by calling their attention to the amendment in this way they will study the question and be fully prepared to vote on it intelli- gently when offered opportunity to do so. We feel that the strong support the Ragsdale amendment received on it's pas sage in the senate and lower house shows clearly the amendment worthy of due consideration by the people. We re- joioe to see our legislature submitting to our people public questions, giving the citizen the right to study out and es-