Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-30

tO It, Dul SuDInitllHS no minority report. When the report of the majority of the l subcommittee was read in full commit | tee Mir Wood of Dallas, who had himself I proposed qualified tions of voters to apply | throughout the state, submitted an l amendment to the effect that the county l committee might add other other require- ments in their discretion, or words to | that effect, and in his speech supporting | the amendment he rested 1t upon the | ground that unless this or some similar | amendment was adopted the democrats | of Dallas and other black belt counties
 might be overrun by negroes and republi- | cans in the primaries; and he objected l that the report of the subcommittee did not in terms confine participation to | white persons
 Tt was pointed out by the sub-commit- | tee that no resolution referred to it-not even that of Mr. Wood himself-had pro | posed to use word white in describing | citizens or voters invited to participate; | that 1t had not been done in previous
 calls or regulations of the state commit
 tee. and that some members of the com | mittee thought it would be best not to do so in terms at this time. Such was l the opinion of MT. Dent of Barbour, a | Clarke man, expressed in a speech upon the floor. Under these circumstances, Mr. Mallory of Dallas a sound money | man, proposed to meet the difficulty in the handling of this question so as to
 harmonize the different views by an amendment to the report of the sub
 committee to the effect that 1t be left to
 the county committees in the various counties to decide whether any but white voters should be allowed to participate | in the primaries. This proposition and amendment was at once accepted by the
 majority of the sub committee. who had united in the report, as satisfactory to it, and it was added as a part of it's re-
 port. So that, in point of fact. there is nothing in the resolutions ultimately adopted except things proposed by sound money, anti-free coinage men, whose champion MT. Clarke now claims to be- The amendment of MT. Mallory, and, indeed, the resolutions adopted, were also acceptable to MT. Lomax of Montgomery and Waller of Hale, who, with MT. Mallory, are as much represen- tatives of the black belt democracy as any newspaper or citizen criticising the committee can possibly be. That any body could, upon no stronger foundation than the occurrences just narrated,
 charge Captain Johnston and the majori- ty of the committee with desiring to force his nomination by means of popu- list republican and negro votes, is be-
 yond the comprehension of any impartial
 mind"
 What do you think of the date of the convention?"
 "In my judgment the convention, while earlier than heretofore can in no wise be termed a snap convention Three months furnish sufficient time for organ ization and a full presentation of the claims of each candidate. Besides, what is still better, we will have longer time within which to get democrats together in the more important and more arduouS
 work of the campaign to follow the nom-
 mating convention. The dates of the primaries and convention, I may add,
 were fixed by subcommittee, of which
 was not a member, and hence I do not
 know what suggestions were made to it., I do know, however, that MT Davis of
 Marion, who voted with the majority
 upon the resolutions as to qualifications,
 was chairman of it, and that It's report
 appeared to be unanimous. If there was
 any minority report 1t was not an-
 nounced. As remember, the report was
 adopted without division or debate, and
 without objection. f Subsequently some
 member moved a reconsideration, sug- gesting the dates were too early. but the
 motion was not concurred in. No great importance was attached to the dates.
 and supposed those selected were sat isfactory to both candidates '"What do7yeu think of joint debate
 between Captain Johnston and MT.
 Clarke from party standpoint?" "As party man more anxious for success in August than to advance the fortunes of any individual. I regretted to learn some days ago that Mr. Clarke had invited Captain Johnston to meet him in a series of joint discussions and it would be cause for deeper regret if Captain Johnston should accept that challenge. I do not recall an instance within the period of my recollection when candi- dates for the democratic nomination for
 governor have engaged in joint debate in the campaign preliminary to the state I
 convention, and if there is anything in our present situation which calls for a departure from the practice of each can didate pushing his candidacy separately and in his own way, and in friendly ri- valry, without appearing to antagonlZe other worthy democratic aspirants, it is not obvious upon the sNrface. Captain Johnston and MT. Clarke are both able and courageous men and Skillful deba- ters, and a joint discussion between them would be no child's play. It would mean the giving and taking of hard blows, which I think could best be directed against the common enemy to the aid of the democratic nominee after the main fight begins. A series of joint discussions at this time between the candidates for party leadership would only serve to ac- centuate party differences, widen divis- ions in our ranks, and thereby make it more difficult to harmonize democrats whose earnest and active cooperation will be essential to our success, no mat | ter which of them shall be awarded the post of honor in the approaching state | campaign.
 'No doubt at the end of the series of debates MT Clarke would have strength ened his adnerentS Tn tnelr Ialtn ana | Captain Johnston's followers would be | likewise revived and renewed. We would have a strong Clarke faction and strong Johnston faction, but who would be left to champion the cause of a re-
 united and militant democracy-the cause of continued economical and con- stitutional government in Alabama? Our neighboring state of Tennessee fur nishes an apt ilfustra ton of my mean ing. Some years ago the democrats of that state were hopelessly divided upon the state debt question, They had split upon it in 1880, thereby electing Alvin Hawkins, republican, as governor. In several subsequent campaigns this divis- ion continued. At one time it was thought by the two factions that 1t would be great thing to have joint de- bates throughout the state between Hon. Isham G. Harris and Howell E. Jackson, who were democratic senators from that state, and who held different views upon the quest ton, to set on foot campaign of education, SO to speak. Various ap- pointments were, accordingly. made for them. The first, one was filed and it at tracted a great crowd. -t
 Able speeches were made by each of |