The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-09-08
Abolition OF Local Self
Government Is Modern Idea
Editor The Advertiser:

Editor The Advertiser:
The strength of Anglo-Saxon civil
ization lies largely in the exercise Of
the right Of local self-government. No
group of English speaking people,
Eethsr in a particular locality, fail 70
avail themselves Of the right The
love of 1t is hereditary: 1t goes back
The days ZACH Of the ESeh
largely responsible for the care of the
people in the locality. Our laws have
always provided a ready means mean s ~
government. Since the foundation Of
the State. it's laws have provided that
any community whose population Is
ton for an election for town govern
ment, and getting one, II the majority
of its voters so vote. NO other voters.
Soa even County M ths ssVe ANY Vos in the
matter. When a town is formed, its
government Is empowered. under gen
sral laws. to pass sucn polee eg1 t,sd ;
to the wishes and local conditions OF
i esnnot reeail an Instance: in in Ala "a
prohibition act" where the people In
any outside county were ever permitted
to have any voice in determining what
x9 10 and G9s ecnny p to Saa
time, every special prohibition act was
adopted either by virtue Of the force OF
the vote Of the people OF the county or
city in it's favor. or upon the demand
Of the local representatives Of tina,
county that It's people desired che
special act Such thing as repre-
tauga or Morgan County, for instance.
demanding that such police regulations
be put upon Mobile or Montgomery
heard of. In the innumerabIe statutes
|, fixing special police regulations in the
different counties, no Instance can he
found prior to the action 9Th Of the las;
brought within these special police reg
ulatiOns against the objection OF its
immediate representatives. We have
had numerous instances uf special roai
! laws, Sunrise and sunset" laws. and
the like. So deep-rooted and firm has
been the allegiance Of the people II
an attempt OF the representatives OF
| one county to put special police regu-
| lations upon another county against tn G
| protest OF the representatives OF that
It was out of these considerations
| that real democracy always insisted on
| local self-government and on local op.
convenience or expedienc,. but a deep
| rooted conviction growing out OF the
habits. modes of Thought and expert
that each community. knew best whal
suited 1t. and was the best Judge OF
| what ought to be done therein. The
| same thought runs through all our In
situations. Even the execution of the
general laws for the protection of life
| liberty and property. which must be
the same everywhere. are entrusted ia
! the communities most Immediately con-
| cerned in their execution. The conSti-
tuition Itself commands this much. The
Jury or the vicinage" mast pass upon
the violations of law in that .viefnage.
The State shall not try them elsewhere
or commit to other than the local au-
thortties the execution of the laws In
| that respect. This fundamental doe
| trtne IN some localities may result III
miscarrIages OF justice, and frequently
In refusa!s to convict. because tne gen
ticular locality to be oppressive, or III
| adapted TO the wants OF the people. Yet
| would anyone advocate the breaking
down Of the great right OF trial by an
impartial Jury of the county or dis
trict in which the offsnse was commit
ted" by 'he trying or Offenders by tu-
rtes selected from outside OF the county
or district. or by officers other tnan
! those provided in the county or districl
wherein the offense Is Sommittedi
| Great constitutional principles are not
to be violated because tho allowance OF
times Illustrate the will OF the law
| maker.
Prohibition brought about by local
option does not Ignore the rlght OF thai
community to govern itself. Whatever
R asst be th th.oP}J 81 SronE
trampies down the right of the local.
| ties to govern themselveA ana prInEs
| with It the disastrous consciousness
| which have always entatled when OUT
side pressure Is applied TO the matter'