The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-18

Montgomery, January 11-(Special)- Gov Emmet 0 Neal today sent to the legislature his first message. Il is lengthy and goes into the most detailed sugges- tons for remedying conditions now exist ing in certain parts of the state.
 Much of the message is devoted to the liquor question and the governors recom- rnendations are of such a nature as to show that he has given this subject eX- haustive study The message to the leg islature is as follows
 To the Senate and House of Repre-
 sentatiyes
 No legislature ever convened in Ala hama whose deliberations will arouse more public interest, or whose actions will exert more potent and lasting in- nuence on the future of the state than the body of which you are members.
 Your election was itself protest against unwise, extreme and radical leg islation and an emphatic demand for the restoration of that spirit of conserva- tism which while wisely progressive, re- fuses to embark the state upon novel, un- tried and half considered legislative ex- periments or dangerous innovations.
 You are the picked and chosen men of the communities from which you come, vested with the sovereign lawmakinS power of the people you represent anu in your patriotism, intelligence and tdel- ity they repose implicit trust
 You constitute one Of the great CO., ordinate departments Of the government. You possess all the authority of a sover- eign parliament. There is no limitation upon your powers, save such as ale written upon the pages of the state and federal constitutions.
 Although we are sometimes impatient with our state legislature, the people still have faith in their laT-rnaking dc partment. To lose faith in YOU is to lose faith in our system of govern ment.
 Government by representation is a prin- oiple derived from the oldest custom or the Anglo-Saxon race. Students of Eng fish constitutional history can trace the existence of representative assemblies to every period of it's national existence even to remote antiquity.
 With all it's defects, representative system is the best which the wisdom and experience of mankind has vet devised. It is only when we lose faith in our local legislatures, are We ready to give heed to the radical suggestions of change made by those who advocate the virtual abandonment of the representative prn- ciple, by the use and substitution of the initiative and referendum in our pro- cesses of legislation. It is, therefore, upon you that the people must rely for all of the more intimate measures of self government. The whole field of law is ycurs--the regulation of domestic re- lations-of employer and employe-the adjustment of property rights-the defi- hilton and punishment of crime-the reg of tions-the exercise of the police power in all it's manifold scope-the whole field of contract, and the wider field of com mercial and municipal law
 You are fresh from the body of the people-whose confidence you have earned and you will fearlessly and honestly give expression to their aspirations and their calm and deliberate judgment.
 In the solution of the many perpleXing problems which confront the state, you will not be deterred from a courageous performance of your duty by the efforts of discredited agitators-by false clamor engendered for selfish purposes-or by undue or improper influences.
 [ am constrained to believe that guided by justice, controlled by moderation, and inspired solely by q desire to promote the best interests of our people, you will fearlessly and wisely proceed to do the work before you, in order to bring tran uuility to the state, to promote and pro- tect all her great interests, to encour- age the development of our enormous resources. to secure a wiser and better system of law enforcement and to stm- ulate our industrial enterprises. This can only be accomplished by removing from cur statute books all unwlse Legislation, and by solving the difficult questions presented for your consideration with justice and with wisdom.
 You should not overlook the fact that the people of Alabama have in three elections placed the stamp of their dis approval upon all efforts to invade those reserved and inalienable rights of the