The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-22
THE STATE CONSTITUTION Gov ONea Prepares Exhaustive Address On New Constitution Herald Will Publish in Four nstalments

, minerals, in timber and in agricultural possibilities? Did we conserve the cor
 pus of the estate, gradually dispose of
 the timber according to approved fores-
 try methods, so as to secure an annua. and increa sing valuable timber crop. Did
 we lease the minerals on royalty or rent the agricultural lands, as would have been done by any careful and intelligent trustee? No; we sgnally failed to faith fully execute this great trust. The rich heritage of the children of Alabama we dissipated with criminal recklessness. The state failed to provide agents to pro- tect the lands against trespassers and squatters, with the result that the most valuable timber was stolen and squat
 ters occupied and secured title by adverse
 possession to thousands of acres. It is
 true that the statute of limitations or adverse possession could not be invoked
 against the state without it's consent,
 but a weak and vacillating legislature yielding to the importunities of those
 who had by squatting and unlawful
 methods acquired possession of these
 lands, struck down this safeguard, by barring the suit of the state after the lapse of 20 years. The records of the
 sales that were made were improperly kept and notes due for land were allowed to run until many of the parties were dead or the claim barred or the records
 of the transaction mislaid or lost The states administration of this royal do-
 main entrusted to it's management as
 trustee for it's children was but a record of waste lack of sound business meth ods and criminal negligence. Had this
 great heritage of the children of Ala bama been properly conserved and ad- ministered Alabama would not now be facing a deficit in its state treasury,
 but our elementary and high schools would be enjoying princely income, which would have made our elementary schools among the most advanced, pro- gressive and prosperous in the union. Today, out of every 65 cents of taxes col lected on property, our state constitution appropriates 30 cents for the common schools, winch, although amounting to millions, does not replace the income dissipated by or mismanagement of the sixteenth section fund
 But the mismanagemen of the six teenth section funds is but one of the many instances of the truth of the as- sertion that our state government has failed in its administrative functions.
 The state possessed until recently am other asset of incalculable value in its enormous water power. Under the law. the state had an easement or title to the waters and bed of every navigable stream in it's borders, and capable of
 
 only In recent years that the energy which can be developed from falling wa ter in our rivers and streams assumed vast commercial value. Fifteen or 20 years ago hydro-electric power could only be transmitted about 10 miles, but today the distance to which 1t can be carried is hundreds of miles. It can furnish power at less cost than can be provided in any other way, on account of it's greater cheapness and the facility with which 1t can be transmitted almost any distance. It will eventually largely supersede steam because no manufacturing plant using steam can compete with an establish ment using hydro-electric power. Yet in 1907 the state made a gift of this valu- able asset to any corporation acquiring dam-site or power-site of not less than one acre upon each and oposite sides of any water course, and without exacting one cent of royalty or toll on the power developed. Not only did it donate this valuable asset to private corporations, but exempted all improvements erected in the development of the hydro electric power from taxation, and moreover passed
 laws which left the consumer of power unprotected and at the mercy of the hydro electric corporation. When 1t is remembered that water power when de- veloped has to do with commodities oi everyday life, heat, light and power every industrial and manufacturing en- terprise is affected and hence the pub- lie interests should be fully protected.
 I mention these matters from no spirit of controversy, but merely as fragrant instances in which the state has failed to properly discharge the most important duties of efficient government.
 It may be that these failures of the state government are irremediable un- less we can secure an aroused public inf of nixyio dt1tx, among the people.
 Fragrant failure of state government to properly and efficiently perform nec- essary duties of administration may be often due to public apathy and indif- | ference or a low standard of public and private morality. In the case of Ala bama, however, the failure, in my judg- ment is chiefly the result of unwise or ganization. The state constitution which creates, determines the character of the state government. The fundamental defect 1 in the present state government of Ala bama is due to the many unwise, and unnecessary restrictions, limitations and inhibitions found in the state constitu- tion, by reason of which the different departments of the state government are hampered or weakened in the exercise of necessary and essential governmental pow CTS. Many of the provisions of the con- stitution stand as insuperable barriers to most of the important reforms neces- sary to meet modern conditions and either prevent or weaken all efforts to secure greater economy, efficiency and vigor in the administration of the diff ferent departments of the state govern ment.
 It may be laid down as a fundamental proposition that any analysis of the causes that have contributed to the par tial failure of our state governments can be imputed to the lack of centralized and responsible organization; but, as has been truly said whenever an attempt