The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-18
THE AMENDMENTS SHOULD raE-

THE AMEN DMENTs SHOULD PRE-
 VAIL.
 Three proposed amendments to the Alabama constitution are before the voters of Alabama for approval or dis approval in the general election on November 3. Each has its own merits and the three should be endorsed by the peopls of the State.
 The first Is the Good Roads Amend ment. If any one sentiment in Ala bama is unanimous 1t Is the sentiment in favor of good roads. If any one fs- sue vitaliy affects the entire people of the State it Is the issue of good roads. The prosperity of the town and the country alike is helped or hinder ed by the roads of the State.
 The proposed amendment simply pro- vides that the Legislature may if 1t sees fit assist local movements for good roads out of the surplus funds in the treasury. It is not obligatory upon the Legislature to do so and suf- ficient restrictions are thrown about the appropriation of the meney to satisfy the most cautious. It is the most practical. tangible plan yet con- ceiysd for the benefit and improvement of the roads of Alabama.
 The second amendment proposes to correct the mistake made by the consti- tutional convention when it decreed that the Alabama Legislature shall meet only every four years. Beyond all doubt this was the greatest mistake the convention made and the one from which the State has suffered most. It is absurd to say that the State shall have to wait four years to correct mis- takes made by the Legisiature.
 The spacious argument was made in its support in the constitutional con- vention that fl would save the State money to have the Legislature meet only every four years. It would right now be worth more than the cost of a session of the Legislature to have the law makers come back and correct the blunders and eliminate the "jokers' from the new code which was passed sight unseen by the last Legislature. There are provisions in that code which is now the law of Alabama which are doing serious harm. and which strange as 1t may seem were passed fin lump form by the Legislature. They are the law--these blunders and these jokers and yet the Legislature never knew what it was enacting when the code was dumped down upon them and pass ed without time for study or discus sion.
 If the Legislature were to meet next year instead of having to wait until 1911, great and beneficial changes could be wrought In the acts of the last Legislature which bound and gag ged Alabama's prosperity. Industrial bonds that were forged by that law could be ioosened and prosperity could be given two years additional oppor- tuntty.
 The third amendment provides for the creation of new counties under cer- tain restrictions. which safeguard the interest of the people and the interest of the counties already established. The amendment should certainly pre- vail. It provides that no county as at present established shall fall below the constitutional requirement. of 500 square mils It provides that the people living in the territory affected should be the judges of the question of establishing a new county and this seems reasonable.
 Under the amendment only a few counties could be created. Tn all Ala bama probably not more than five new counties could be established. There Is no danger whatever In the amend ment. As a matter of fact the coun- ties of Alabama are too large and too unwieldy. The State would be better off with a few new counties.
 The three amendments are before the people. The voters should study them and studying them thoroughly they will come to The Advertisers conclusion that all three are good and should be adopted.