The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-26

refutes your contentton. You cite Houston county as all example or the good resulting from Corning new and the people were ready for thIs new county was constitutional amendment necessary to create the county? You well know that it was not. The fact that Houston County was created by the Legislature when the development of the territory re- quired it shows that a county may be ton whenever the existing conditions demand it. In citine the creation or Houston County as an example or the wisdom of new counties you admit that the Legislature was responded to conditions calling for this county. Your argument is in support of the advantages to the people by having smaller counties, and does not relate to the method of creating new coun- ties-and the method is the subject of the proposed amendment. You nave stated no objection to the present method. You have not stated a sim gle community which has kno9ked Tn vain, at the door of the Legislature Only one bill has been presented Tn the last two Legislatures for new county, and that bill was passed, creating Houston County. Bessemer made no effort before either Of the last two Legislatures and so far l can as certain has never made an effort 10 have a county created except the Cornwall fight for 1t In the Conseitu- tional Convention.
 Without any abuse of the present method of creating new counties be- ing shown and with no demand Tor a radical change in our constlt~tion from any sources except Bessemcr at the time the Legislature proposed tne amendment and with the showing that ! Bessemer has made no effort under the present method for many years, do you seriously ,,a and iHiE candidiy Sa,,tn- pe for a change of our Constitution on the subject? If you say you do will yod please give the facts and locali- ties and your reasons showing condi- tions. which in the Interest of the gen. eral public, demand this change. 1T the proposed amendment was express iy for the creation of Bessemer Coun- ty. it would not be so objectionable because everybody would then know the effect of it, and when<it was pass. ed the question would be settled and counties which are Jealous Of JerLer. son q trust your county is not in that class) could hit her a parting lick:
 But if the method Of creating new counties & as proposed ts iih,acf in tne ai gm new counties will not be settled now as claimed in your editorial, but In vari- ous parts of the state. where the citi- and where no spirit of unrest has been engendered, agitaticns by lands com panies and interested individuals VIII be begun for the creation or new coen E A . restrictions 1t is possible to creaIs only five more counties in AlaoamE, As this statement is made positively and with precision I take 1t for grant eI that the information Is at your hand and I ask you to name the coun- ties from which they would be form. ed. If after you have named i've IT there are more, I presume for truths sake and for fair discussion Of thls important subject you will be willing to publish the facts. should like to county by taking any of the territory of Montgomery county? You indicate that my objection to the proposed amendment Is based, on the fact that May I apply the same test to you anu ask if your advocacy of the amend ment is influenced by the status Of Montgomery county?
 the advocates of the proposed amend ment that a population of 10000 was required to form a new county. The amendment provides If the population Is sufficient to entitle the proposed county to one representative in the Legislature of the state" As no specific population basis Is fixed Tor latures, but each. county Is given one member. the, cIa4fn advanced as a sate- guard that thefe mus tbe 10000 popu- sYou did not make this statement in | your editorial as you doubtless knew It was untrue, but the statement has repeatedly appeared in other papers and has gone unchallenged.
 If you favor the proposed amend inent on the ground that We should have smaller counties as stated in your editorial, then under your state ment that only five more counties could be created the relief and pro gress desired would not be afforded, and would it not be consistent with your views to vote this amendment down and propose another reducing the area of counties to 400 or 800 square miles. If the proposed amend ment is good because 1t opens the way for more counties, then if its opera tion is limited to five possible coun- ties does 1t serve the purpose to fit your argument in favor of it'
 If you favor it on the ground that 1t is best to dismember Jefferson county as indicated by the editorial from The Birmingham News quoted by you, then is 1t right and just in order to strike Jefferson a blow, or as you seem to look at 1t to do it | favor, to strike other counties and create strife in the various counties of the state where it Is possible to form new counties and to take people their will in order to accomplish the design against Jefferson or the favor to be shown 1t according as sincerity requires 1t to be stated.
 Yours truly
 J. s. Moore,
 Chairman