The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-23
THE FIGHT IN ALABAMA.

GOV. Johnston of Alabama finds him
self in warm and direct controversy with
what appears TO be the majority of his
party, on the matter of the holding Of a
constitutional convention. He has called
an extra session of the legislature to re-
peal the act providing for the holding of
a constitutional convention, and has is
sued statement in justification of his ac-
ton, both of which have been covered in
our press dispatches. And now the Gov
ernor finds arrayed against himself the
state Democratic executive committee.
practically all of the newspapers. and ap-
parently a majority of Democratic public
sentiment.
At its last session the Democratic state
convention declared in favor of a revision
of the constitution. When the legislature
assembled the majority of the Democratic
caucus decided in favor of holding a con-
stitutional. convention. A bill was intro
duced and passed providing that such a
convention should be held next August.
in preparation for which there should be
a meeting Of Democrats in March to select
delegates"to the convention. On March 20
that meeting was held at Montgomery. At
that time resolutions were adopted setting
forth that 1t should be the purpose of the
convention to 80 regulate the right to
vote as to perpetuate the rule of the white
men Of Alabama" When the act calling
and authorizing the convention was sub
mitted to Gov. Johnston he signed it with
ont Ia haH
warm advocate of constitutional revision
by convention. Had there been doubt In
his mind respecting the advisability of
holding the convention, he could have kill
ed the scheme with a veto. 1t is claimed
that a veto would not have been overrid-
den. But he gave force to the act by af-
fixing his signature.
When the delegates had been selected,
however, it appears that the Governor
changed his mind. Some persons whose
views on silver he did not like were Sc
lected as delegates. In his address he
dwells upon the large number of "unre-
pentant deserters" who have been nomi-
mated as delegates. and "who stil de-
nounce the national platform and leader
of our party" Such persons, he saws,
could hardly assist in the framing of a
constitution that would be acceptable to
true Democrats. In order TO rid Alabama
of the menace Of those terrible persons
who do not think precisely as Gov. john
ston does on one matter of public policy
which is to be covered by national statute
law, and not by state fundamental law.
the Governor determined TO try to XIII the
convention scheme.
1t seems not to have occurred 10 the
Governor that by reversing his own posi-
ton and practically defying the will of the
party as expressed in state convention. in
caucus, in executive committee and in
legislature, he has put himself into the
same category with those whom he so
roundly denounces for declining 10 accent
the party mandate on silver to be para
mount and conclusive.
Among the. Alabama newspapers Il is
believed that the Governors political
ambition Is az the bottom OF his change
u heart respecting che convention. The
Mobile Register says: GOV. Johnston
the other day wrote 20 a friend that ne
could not stand a constitutional conven-
ton dominated BY Dick Clarke and Tun.
STAN That 10 the truih the whole truth,