The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-21
MORGAN AND JOHNSTON AGAIN CROSS
SWORDS IN THE POLITICAL ARENA
The Governor Refuses to Yield Any Ground to Senator and De-
man& Opening and Closing Address,

his that had not been for the benefit of the
whole people.
rhe Back Tax Law
The back tax law was given considerable
attention, the governor claiming it as his
first inning for the people. He said that the
great corporations and the rich men who
had escaped fair taxation had been forced
to disgorge. That the best result of his
| back tax law was a gain the first year of
/, s257, 900 to the state treasury. When he
came into office the state was s56O,OOO in
debt and the debt growing. Without the
taxes being increased, save for soldiers and
| schools the deficit had disappeared and
| that there was now money in state treas
| ury and 1000 in New York to pay interest
| on bonds That not a single warrant of
| the state was outstanding and the holder
| could not receive the money of his choice
| by presenting it.
The governor said if any one could prove
] this assertion untrue he would present
| them with liberal donation for any
| charitable cause.
He said he had always supported Senator
| Morgan.
what have done for your" asked Sena-
tor Morgan. (Appause)
| Governor Johnston said that he had com
| piled with every request the senator had
| made of him.
| "I never made any request of you,' re-
| piled the senator (Applause) And never
! asked any man in Alabama to help me TO
| the senate"
| Continuing the governor said this was not
| q 1ues ton of Morgan or Johnston, but what
| a man stands for. He was not great ora
| tor but if sent to the senate would do the
| best he could for them That he had ths
| great satisfaction of knowing that when he
| went out of office that the white people of
| Alabama would be nearer united than for
/ ten years as result of his fairness in Of
| fee. This he desired to impress upon the
| many young men before him. He said that
| he found many red-headed, freckled-face
| boys in this community and there was a
| great deal in them. He used to be one
| himself
| Here he told his old fence story and APP
| piled it to himself
Discusses Constitution Convention
The governor then took up the consttu-
| tional question. This he said was where he
! and the senator first differed. That at one
| time he did favor constitutional conven-
| ton, but that he AFTERWARDS found that the
| safest and wisest course was to remedy the
| evils-in the constitution would be by
| amendments. That he subordinated his
| personal convictions to one of policy.
The governor charged that Senator Nor
| gan has said that he had been in caucus,
| which he denied.
The senator arose and gave his authority
| for the charge, saying that he was so in
formed by Speaker Waller, of the house of
! representatives, and Sid Bowie The COVER
nor then said that this was an informal
| discussion and not caucus
Senator Morgan said that such was never
! charged, but that 1t was a caucus of the
| committee having the framing of the con-
| stitutonal convention in hand. The gov
ernor said that he was once with this COM
mittee but did not read the bill.
The senator asked him if he had signed
1t without reading it.
The governor replied mo- and he always
read paper before signing 1T; that he
signed the paper because 1t was passed by
| majority of the members of his party COM
posing the legislature.
II asors for e;,ii ng Extr, ession i.
He said that the reason he called an ex-
ira session of the legislature to repeal the
bill because the convention held to
nominate delegates from the state-at-large
made it a test of a manss democracy by
voting for or rejecting tne measure.
The senator called him down and denied
the statement and the governor challenged
him to prove his assertion.
The Senator began to unfold paper with
the platform of the convention in 1t and
the governor wanted to read it, but Sena-
tor Morgan said: mo, you have called on
me for the proof and being the witness
will furnish It,"
He read the platform and challenged the
governor to show where any such refer
ence was made The governor then asked
not to be interrupted again.
Afraid of a Steal
The governor said another reason for his
desire to prevent the convention was that
dts strongest advocates were talking about
one grand steal being made.
Being challenged for this assertion end
asked to name one man who had made such
charges the governor said that at Hunts
VILE Senator Cunningham had boldly stated
that it might be necessary to steal this
time, but that he favored it..
The governor said he did not propose 10
submit If possible, to any such meth DDS.
He said that the convention was dominated
by corporation lawyers and Palmer and
Buckner men,
The senator then asked him to name some
of the men that he thus designated, the
governor replied that he felt delicacy IN
naming them
The senator replied that he never made
any charges against man without being
willing to name him. The governor said
that the main thing to be done by this con-
vention was the disfranchisment of the ne
gro, and that this could be done as we'll by
amendments.
He had asked the legislature to make
amendments and said that he was afraid
that the constitution would have been
adopted without giving the people a chance
to say whether they favored 1t or not.
The senator interrupted him to ask If 'he
convention did not pass resolution refer
ring the matter to the people for their
adoption,
The governor then said that the senator
favored man other than Mr.. Bryan for
the presidency, and that he was afraid of
silver extremist.
The senator asked what he meant by an
extremist.
The governor said man who favored sill |
yer at is to 1. The senator replied that he ,
(Morgan) was an extremist. Governor |
Continued on Sixth Page.)