The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-21
NO MoRH PLEDGE GIVING.

N
 An extra ssssion of the Aiabams Lesislaturs. the second during ths present State administration. appearl
 certain. The Legislature. if 1t acti independently ss CO., ordinate brancf
 of the state sorernment under ths Constitution. and not as rubber stamy for the Executive Department can recover much of the lost conndencs of the people.
 The members of the Legisiaturs no matter how earnest was their pur- pose or sincere their intention, must realize. since they have been at home, that . great many of the people of Alabama view their work of the pre- vious sessions with strong disapprovai. It is doubtful if any Legislature in recent years has been subject to so much censure. Senators and Represen- tatives have been at home among their people and they have felt this criti- eism @ho ocNCACet ShttkStoths anu hhC Vho which is generally accepted and true. Is that the Legislature was dominated by the head of the Executive Depart ment. The source from which the keenest and most cutting censure comes Is the conviction that Governor Conner could pass any bill he approved or defeat any bin that he disapproved. The conviction is strong that the Leg islature was at the beck and call of the Governor and largely because of this the. Senators and Representatives have been compelled to bear storm of disapproval and censure.
 The extra session will give the Leg islature an opportunity of living down this reputation. :. Unfortunately for them. many members of the Legisla- ture came to Montgomery two years ago. under pledges to the political or. ganization which was behind the cam didacy of Governor Conner. They came to the Capitol under pledges "to carry out Comer's policies" This pledge was a whip in the hands of the powers that be and 1t was used mercilessly. The Legislature was an automaton on the second floor of the Capitol registering the will expressed on the first floor. It was clerical body 70. king" measures sent up stairs and then only because it was 6 form necessary under the Constitution.
 Was such course wise or patriotic? Senator or Representative who has been back among his people may ask himself that question and not doubt what the answer will be.
 With the preliminary announcement that the extra session will be called, there comes the statement that the members of the Legislature will be advised with" or sounded" on matters that will come before them. Is this sugar-coated way of getting new pledges of complaisance7
 The members of the Legislature muEt frankly recognize the fact that the State is frightened at the call for thetr reassembling. Notwithstanding the fact that it Is believed for many req sons that an extra session should be held the. people of Alabama are alarmed when the prospect becomes immediate. The State is afraid be- cause it is now afraid of the power that dominated the Legislature before. The extra session would be acclaimed and welcomed if 1t was known that each member intended to act on his own responsibility and play indepen- dently the part of a free agent in making laws for Alabama.
 The Legislature under the Constitu- ton is a coordinate branch of the State government-being. as the legis- lative branch. equal to the executive and judicial branches. The executive branch has no more right to control and direct the course of legislation than the judicial branch.
 This is no time for pledges. Pledge giving and pledge keeping has heen tried. The result of it is seen. The State wants no more of it.
 The legislator is a free aud indepcn- dent agent. He Is answerable only to his people. They gave him his com mission--they gave him discretion and free 1om of action. He owes no al- legiance to either executive or judicial departments. He owes 1t to his peo- pie to preserve the freedom of action, which a selection as their agent gave him and to complaisantly transfer his privileges and his rights to another is a violation Of the confidence that was placed in him.
 Senators and representatives are free, independent and clothed with discre- ton. Let them remain so. No State official has the right to demand pledges and no legislator who would preserve his independence can afford to give