The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-07-27
LETTERS TO EDITOR
The Position of Alabama
the Editor of The Age-Herald:

| 10 the Editor OF The Age-Herald:
| venture to consider a little the re-
markable and the generally invaluable
address of Governor O'Neal to the re-
| cent meeting of the Alabama Bar assoc
citation. 1 give here the exordum in
| full:
| Thoughtful students of our institutions
| have declared that one of the most pop
ular but ill-founded American illusions
is that their state governments have
been successful. Americans, they assert,
are inclined to believe that these govern
ments have on the whole served them
WELL whereas in truth they have been
observed in their machinery of local
administration and government"
The contrivance we know as the con-
stitution of the United States is founded
upon the integrity Of the states in union.
1t is a union" and the elements were
brought together in accidental contact.
A form of association of these pre-
existing entities is recognized by them
selves as government" Our country,
right or wrong, our country. the hope
of the nations: the light of the world.
Let us be candid.
Some of the foundations of the consti-
tuition of the United States was Dor
rowed. The three departments of our
government, the legislative, the execu-
tive, the judicial had already been in
force in England.
We brought into the American govern
ment a new element that no nation, an
Gent or modern, ever knew. We intro
duced into the science of national gov
eminent the rights of the states In fed
Grafton.
The American system, therefore, de-
ponds upon the integrity and the com
potency of the states severaly.
This Interpretation of the incapacity of
Ala barna to meet in convention and write
an organic law is disturbing, demoraliz-
ing, suspicious.
What is the alternative for self-gov
ernment? The government at Washing
ton, of course, and it's yicarious pro-
jects.
Alabama already has had six state con
stitutions, but needs the seventh.
Birmingham awaits, be it even upon
the margin of despair, lest the seventh
be delayed.
Let US be candid with our history.
Text of the law does promise book
to be read of all the people: to be en-
rlched in knowledge or the art OF gov
erning themselves. But we have no
history of Alabama.
The illusions that the lawyers are
challenged to dissipate would build up
veritable memorial of truth and saving
statecraft in a history of Alabama.
Alabama needs the seventh state con-
stituton.
We have sad six Only one, the first,
was conceived, written and accepted by
Alabama in normal condition of society.
In 1919 delegation of cotton planters
and lawyers, all Of whom were also cot
ton planters, assembled at Huntsville
and wrote the first constitution of Ala
bama
This satisfied for AZ years. Within the
next period of 40 years we have had
five. So we come to the controlling ne
cessity, the seventh state constitution.
Unless we succeed. it is paramount that
Alabama shall continue healthy factor
in the government at Washington.
We must and can write state consti-
tuition that shall justify the constitution
of the United States and reap our share
of the benefits of the national govern
ment.
Under the opinion of the supreme court