The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-14
Alaban1a's Need For
 A NeU Constitution

ton.
 Aside from the reform of the suffrage
 and the correction Of the evils of local leg
 lslation and the vesting the governor with
 power to amend bills, the constitution of
 1901 practically readopted the constitu-
 tion of 1875.
 '"The present state constitution has
 placed the state of Alabama in a straight
 Jacket. Until it is revised and improved
 Alabama can never become progressive
 state or take that rank which it's wealth, it's resources and its intelligent popu-
 lation demand. Under the constitution as 1t now exists the state is denied the right
 of engaging in internal improvements or
 from building a single mile of pike road or
 providing sufficient revenues to main-
 tain it's larger cities or towns or properly
 supporting the state government The
 state is denied in effect the right to tax inheriances, large source of revenue in
 about 40 states of the union. It is de- nied the right to maintain proper sys-
 tenn for the inspection of merchandise of
 foodstuffs or an adequate pure food law by that provision which provides that no
 state office shall be continued or ere ated for the inspection or measuring of any merchandise or commodity. Although it has an easement in the bed of every stream in the state which is navigable, yet the state has no power to acquire in the interest of the people riparian rights or to utilize the energy from falling water. In New York and other states it's com missions have acquired for the use of the people riparian rights on nearly all nav igable streams so as to conserve that great asset against monopoly for the bene- fit of all the people of the state
 "The governor is commanded by the constitution to see to it that the laws are faithfully enforced and yet is denied the authority to appoint or control subor- dinate executive agents.
 By the present constitution the state is deprived of the increased efficiency and experience which certain public officer have acquired by their service in pubic office by the provision which makes the governor, the attorney general the 1u- perintendent of education, the state treas
 urer, commissioner of agriculture and industries and the secretary ineligible -or reelection.
 By the constitutional provision that no county shall be subjected to any charge for which it was not liable at the time of the adoption of the constitution, the state is denied the right of imposing upon the county the burden of feeding prison CTS charged with misdemeanors, and TOT whose hire the county and not the state received compensation.
 Under the present constitution the state is denied the right to any interest on moneys which it may deposit in banks. Both the state and county, as well as the municipalities should have the power to deposit moneys in banks. the deposits being secured by state bonds or other ample securities, and should be permitted to exact for the benefit of the public reasonable return in interest.
 The present limitation on taxation by the municipalities of the state denies them the power to assess and collect suf- ficient revenues to properly maintain schools and other public utilities, an ade- quate system of street improvements, and to support efficiently other impor tant departments of the city govern ments.
 The result is that all the great cities and towns of the state are burdened with debt almost to the point of bankruptcy and are unable to provide the streets, schools and other improvements which 1 are necessary in every progressive and | city.
 Our legislative, judicial and educaA ticnal systems need revision and reform. | Yet nearly every proposed and recog- | nized reform is prevented by some pro 1 vision of the state constitution.
 The quadrennial meeting of the legis- | lature was an experiment which had | never been undertaken by any state. It | has almost. abolished local self govern ment in Alabama. The present conStitu- | tion imposes so many limitations and | on the legislative power l that the legislature even if inclined is 1 unable to make many needed and inn | perative reforms or secure more eff cient state government or abolish many of the evils of the fee system or cor rect many admitted defects in the laws. | Instead of preventing nasty and i'll con sidered legislation the quadrennial sys- tenn has only increased and intensified | he evils it was organized to prevent The limits of this interview will not per init the discussion of many other defects of the present constitution.
 The present legislature would but be voicing the sentiments of the people of Alabama in at once calling a constitu- tional convention to frame a new con- The defects in the present con- stitution are so numerous and radical md so intermingled in the different sec ions that it would be practically im- | possible to remedy them by any manner ,r series of amendments. A new consti- ution should be framed that would re- II move the present unwise and unnecessary F restrictions on the legislative and exec II ltive departments and restore both to l. heir full governmental vigor. It should simplify and remodel our entire educa- ion and judicial systems strike off the hackles that now hamper the vigor of he state government and make the new constitution model in it's simplicity nd vigor for every self-governing com where the representative sys- r,f ;I-