The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-28
NEW CONSTITUTION NECESSARY FOR THE
 PROGRESS OF STATE
 SAYS CAPT. WHITE
Present Constitution Anti quated and Unsuited for Conditions Now, States Former Senator-Sug-
 gestions Made

SCSDlOflS lN1duC Alabama's present legislature should call a constitutional convention for 1 many cogent reasons. including the necessary change arranging for the
 calling of bi-annual sessions of the legislature. internal improvements. right for a change of venue in the state. empowering a civil jury to render a verdict with a three-fourths agree ment, and because the present constl- tuition has become anticipated and un- suited for present conditions in the state, according to the views express ed by former United States senator Frank S. White, a prominent attorney of Birmingham.
 Some of the great objects to be ac- complished by the adoption of new state constitution is to give the state the right to engage in internal improve ments. which is now denied it. to the extent of enabling it to construct and maintain great highways. which are indispensable to the prosperity of its citizens to authorize the state to aid its promising port of Mohile. in the construction and maintenance of it's river and harbor improvements; and to enable counties and cities more latitude m 5TdlS1ng revenue to meet Jn61T con stantly increasing demands" said Senator White.
 LABOR AND CAPITAL
 He said the state legisla ture should have the right to enact compulsory arbitra tion and workmen's laws, and thus aid in preserving harmony be- tween labor and capital. the disturb ance of which is almost constantly threatened.
 "Bi-annual sessions of the legisla- ture should be held and the increase of pay from s4 per day to memb CTS of the legislature should be made" said Mir. White. The present pay is too small"
 It is his opinion that the constitu- tion should give the state the right to change of venue to meet the en- croachment of mob violence; to reap portion the school fund so that all children shall sahre equally in It's. benefits; to authorize three -fourths scf a petty jury to render a verdict in civil cases. preventing delay and expense as well as making it impracticab1e to cause mistrials by corrupting one or two of it's members. and many other things which he says has made the present constitution so antiquated and unsuited for present conditions
 Our present constitution has beer amended so many times that this patchwork should not continue Changes are too numerous to permit of it. besides it is expensive and keeps the people too frequently engaged Tn political turmoils. It will take too long to accomplish the needed changes" he said. We need it now and it is a real instant pressing ne- cessity.
 REGULATING SUFFRAGE
 ''The convention or 1901 was so en- crossed with the paramount question of regulating suffrage, and was so ap- prehensive as to it's ratification by the people,, that it did little but write the article on suffrage and revised with very sparing hand the constitution of 1875
 '"rhe constitution of 1875 was formu- lated in a very peculiar circumstance, such as will not again arise It wal adopted immediately after the over throw of the reconstruction govern ment of the state. The Legislature under that government by their ex- travagance and incompetence had overburdened the people with taxation and created a debt so staggering that repudlation seemed almost inevitabls They had entirely forfeited and lost the confidence of the people To avoid recurrence of these conditions, the leading thought of the members of tha. convention was to so limit the powers of the legislature and of the people as to make it's repetition impossible.
 Tn 1875 the people of Alabama were poor. Their fortunes were depleted by the war. Their property sapped by recon struction measures. The people were not then contemplating development and growth but making a desperate fight to conserve their resources, and restore to some extent what they had lost by war reconstruction They have now to some extent recuperated their fortunes. farms, launched vast inductrial and commercial enterprises. Their business horizon has expanded They are no longer living within and upon themse- ves They are seeking channels of em- ployment for their labor, and world markets for their diversified product ions. They see the necessity and inn which they are prohibited from making under the present constitution"
 MUST KEEP STEP
 ITO accomplish these objects our peo- pie must keep step with other progress sive and developing states and countries, but by the restricted constitution under which we live they are greatly hand capped, if not denied the opportunity of achieving these ends
 The danger that confronted the state in 1875 no longer threatens. The rule of the ignorant and the alien is not now to be feared. The intelligent and patri- otic citizens are in permanent control. They can be trusted. We certainly can trust ourselves. The constitutional pro- visions that were intended to restrain the ignorant and vicious should not be per mitted to thwart the action of the intel ligent, patriotic citizenship of the state and I firmly believe now is the time for the constitutional convention to be called by the present legislature, in order to meet the urgent questions and remedy