The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-15
THE THREE AMENDMENTS.

' Three proposed amendments to the Alabama Constitution will be submit ted to be voted on in the general elec- ton on November 8, by the voters of this State. The amendments. all three of them, are good and should prevail.
 The thoughtful attention of the vot- CTS are drawn to them and they are asked to consider and to weigh the merits of each of the proposed amend ments If these amendments are con- sidered by the mass of Alabama voters in deliberation and in thoughtfulness the three of them will prevail at the polls.
 The sentiment in Alabama for good roads is practically unanimous. More than eighty per cent of the population of the State lives in the country and the question of good roads to this over whelming mass of the people of the State is of vital importance. As matter of fact perhaps only two coun- ties, the counties of Montgomery and Jefferson. are adequately supplied with good roads. It may be safely pre- dicted, too. that in these two counties where the good roads were built by the counties and where their benefits are so we'll recognized, the Good Roads Amendment will receive an overwhelm- ing endorsement. The amendment is the most practicable plan that has yet been proposed to secure good roads for the smaller counties of Alabama.
 A second amendment provides under certain restrictions. for the creation of new counties. Alabama needs this amendment. Many of our counties are too large. They are so large that the people in the rural districts do not keep in touch with their county busi- | ness and whatever business they are compelled to transact at the court house is transacted under great dif- faculties. There are counties larger than the State of Rhode Island in Ala bama. Notwith standing the rapid | growth of the State only one new county has been created in Alabama l in recent years. Most of the county boundaries of the State are as they were before the war when the. State was thinly populated. It is a noticea- ble fact that this amendrnent is not being seriously opposed except in Bir- mingham and in one or two other county seats, in the vicinity of the ter ritory where a new county may be created.
 Perhaps the most important amend ment of the three is the proposed change in tho Constitution whereby the Legislature of Alabama shall meet. as it once did, every two years, instead of every four years under the present Constitution. The voters of Alabama should consider this undeniable truth if that amendment is not adopted now it will be an issue in the State until 1 1t is finally determined to return to tue biennial sessions ot tho LSgisla. ture. Four years is too long for the State of Alabama to stand a bad law. It Is one of the weaknesses of human nature that Legislatures will pass bad laws. They always have done it and in all probability they always will. A bad law that will be in effect four years is twice as serious as bad law in effect only two years.
 Again. only one other State of the Union has its legislative sessions so widely distributed. This, of itself. sh ould convince the thoughtful voter that the wisdom of the country is against quad renniai sessions of the Legislature.
 It was predicted that the Legisla- ture would save the State money by meeting only once every four years
 This prediction has fallen short of the truth. The last Legislature after a four years interregnum, spent for its own expenses as much as any two ses- sions of the Legislature when that body was meeting every two years And an examination of the appropria-
 tions made by the last Legislature shows that those appropriations are ir
 the total more than twice as much as
 appropriations made at one biennial
 session of the Legislature.
 And above all else the voter should
 remember that a bad law made by
 the Legislature must be on the stat.
 ute books for four years. By al
 means, this amendment should prevail