The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-05
WANTSSESS|ONSOF LEGISLATURE HELD
 AT A LATER DATE Col. R. A. Mitchell Says Newly Elected Governors Are at Disadvantage OTHER CHANGES IN STATE CONSTITUTION Thinks Uniform System of Bookkeep- ing Should Be Put in Force
 in Every County of
 the State


 vention is called for next year, the body will be asked to incorporate within the new constitution a provision whereby the legislature will be convened not prior to the inauguration of new governor, but several months after.
 Col. R. A. Mitchell of Gadsden, con nected with the Alabama Power com pany and one of the best known cap italists and promoters of the state, while in Birmingham yesterday, dis cussed this feature of statecraft.
 There is no question:" he added, but that the average governor is more or less unfamiliar with conditions anc the methods by means of which busi- ness is conducted. As result. when his first efforts must be directed to- wards legislation-in a time when there is a mass of legislation originating from every section of the state-he finds himself at a marked disadvantage.
 If he had three months in which to study conditions and prepare for the session of the legislature. he would be In better position to aid and direct this the most important work which will confront him during his term. There are many other excellent reasons why this change should be made.
 To Aid the Farmer
 aI have no doubt" MT. Mitchell con tinued, but that MT. Henderson on taking charge of the office of governor. will be prepared to remedy conditions in many necessary respects. There are a great many suggestions which will be offered and in each there will prob ably be reason.
 'I am of the opinion that for the agricultural development of the state, an innovation could be adopted which in the course of time would make Ala bama the garden spot of the world. The tax collector of each county should be required to furnish the agricultural department with complete list of names of property holders In his county. And to each owner of property, espe- cially rural or farming property, every bulletin which reaches the department or which originates in the department, should be sent.
 Farmers would take instant advantage of these bulletins, and as a result Ala bama would grow better crops. would begin the. cultivation of grain not now grown, and would become comparatively free of all insects which now destroy or impede the growth of vegetable life.
 This innovation could cause the ex- penditure of a certain sum of money, but money is well spent when invested in the permanent betterment of the com monwealth
 Simplify County Books
 "A uniform system of bookkeeping should be adopted for every county of the state. At the present time, each county official of each of the sixty-seven counties has a system of his own. As result in the purchasing of books for these officials. large sum of money is expended and in great part wasted.
 And in the examination of the books of officials by state examiners of pub lie accounts the work would be simpli- fled to great extent to such great extent, that the number of examiners could be decreased.
 At the present time, many men are elected to office in counties on account of their popularity and not because of their ability properly to keep the ac- counts of the county. As result, through ignorance, officers are sometimes found guilty of a technical though not crim- inal embezzlement. With simplified books, the officials would simply have to fill in blank spaces. Technical embezzlement without criminal intent Is not serious enough to punish an offender with a penitentiary sentence. but at the same time it is serious enough to put a black mark against the officials name. and a black mark so placed is little to be ap- preciated by descendants"