The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

patriots who vote here today for white
supremacy in the greatest commonwealth
Of the south or Of dag other section"
CunnIngham's Good Work
Senators and representatives alike tonight
are congratulating President Cunningham
his course in the matter. Senator Cum
ningham has all along been an avowed sup
porter of the measure and today he left
the chair twice to take up the cudge in its
interest," At the s9me !ipe no ene ques-
tionsea a single one OF mis- decisions.
Friday night the opponents of the bill
held a caucus behind closed doors and
mapped out their plans Their first move
an attempt to load it down with
amendments. The majority stood together
like stone wall and voted one after an
other TO lay them on the table, Their
despairing efforts was to prolong the
experimenting and filibustering.
The only amendment to run the gauntlet
was that of Senator Deans, of Shelby. This
amendment does away with the election of
delegates from the state-at-large to the
convention, and provides instead that one
shall be elected from each of the thirty
three senatorial districts. With this ex-
ception the bill as printed in The Age-Her-
aid yesterday morning went through.
Free From acrimony
The argument all the way through was
remarkably free from acrmony. 1t began
al 1880 o'clock and ended late in the after
noon. The advocates of the constitutional
convention had their plans laid and were
determined to remain in session without eat
and sleep, If necessary, to the passage of
the bill Early in the proceedings the mi
nority made several motions to adjourn,
but the majority remained steadfast in
their policy of forcing the issue.
The only debate the least spirited was
that between Senators Jelks. of Barbour
and Boykin, of Russell Senator Jelks
made one of the opening speeches, during
the course of which he alluded to the fact
that Senator Boykin's colleagues in the
lower house were against him. Senator
Jeks intimated that 1t was his under
standing that the senator's district for
a constitutional convention.
Senator Boykin explained his position at
some length. saying that two years ago his
constituents had pledged him to vote
against constitutional convention.
How the BID Was Carried
The special order, the constitutional con-
venton bill and substitute. was called up
by Senator jenkins, at IL o'clock, and Sem
ator Jelks opened the discussion for the
affirmative
"A new constitution is absolutely neces-
sary for the state of Alabama" said he.
I'VE have out.gr2wn the Old one
TOO much patience had been exercised.
The question was defeated two years ago
by small majority. The speaker said
the position of the senator from Russell
(Boykin) interested him. All the represent
atives from his district in the other house
were for a constitutional convention and
the senator from Russell was against it.
Something had been said by the opposi-
ton of consulting the people. But the bill
had been fixed so the people would be con-
suited at election next July. The
speaker then made an appeal to his col
Ioou for fho Mr. 90 n1a nj a
Free us from the cloud that is shad-
owing the young people. That is disturb
ing trade. Give us, I plead w tn you
new suffrage law for Barbour county. Any
thing is preferable to the present arrange
ment."
Amendments began to pour in. The first
was immaterial. but the second provided
that instead of selecting delegates from the
state-at-large, one should be elected from
each senator al district
Wanted the Capitol Removed
Senator Sowell of Walker then dragged
the first live wire into the discussion by
offering an amendment striking out that
section of the bill which would prevent the
convention from considering the question OF
moving or removing the state house from
Montgomery.
He spoke in favor of his amendment, say
ing that 1t was not proper to hamper the
delegates. The people did not care about
voting for question that the legislature
had already settled for them. He would
like to see the state house removed to
Jones valley and he did not believe the
president of the senate would decline it.
President Cunningham called senator
to the chair and took the floor against the
amendment of Senator Sowell.
II would rather go before the people,
said he, guaranteeing them the right Of
the rule of the Anglo-saxon race than to
take them a thousand capitols. The capi-
tol is not the paramount issue.
II would rather know that every senator
comes here elected by an undeniabe ma
jority than to have the capitol of the
United States (Applause),
"If you keep the present election laws
In vogue you advocate fraud. You must
either give maintenance to negro rule Or
fraud. 1t is unquestionably one or the
other. You need not try to kill the bill
by loading it down with amendments. No
man here can dodge the proposition. The
man who votes against this bill goes home
committed to negro rule. 1t is not party
measure. 1t Is a white mans measure-for
white mans rule
He declared here that he would vote mo"
on the amendment
IF it means my political RUM he con-
tinued then let her go Gallagher"
Senator Cunningham then alluded to the
methods that had to be pursued to keep the
white man in supremacy. The white man
who was elected by negro felt like dog,
or he ought to feel like one. The senators
should be willing to leave the question to
the people. The pending bill left the matter
with them to vote one way the other.
The democrats did not trust each other.
Here he mentioned the solicitors caucus,
saying some one was appointed to watch
the clerk in making up the vote.
Put Away the Conditions
LET us put away the conditions that de-
mand fraud" said he.
The amendment was then tabled by
vote of IS to H.
Senator Boykin then moved to settle the
question for all time by inserting in the
oath to be administered to the convention
that the majority was determined to win
ton on removing the capitol
This amendment brought about the first