The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-29
CUNNINGHAM MADE
MANY CONVERTS
Democrats Who Favor CONVEX
ton Greatly Encouraged.
HIS SPEECH AT HUNTSVILLE
Entire Absence of Vituperation and the
Sincere Manner of the Orator Car
ried Great Weight With Au-
dience- Ladies Present
HIS SPEECH AT HUNTSVILLE

| tional convention are greatly encouraged
| since DR.. r. M. Cunningham, of Birming-
| ham. spoke here last night 1t is known
| that the speakers forceful presentation of
| facts made many converts to the cause.
| The address was delivered at the Hunts
| vile opera house, and a large audience
was present, many ladies being among the
number.
DR.. Cunningham was the guest of the
Young Mems Democratic club He reach
| ed here yesterday afternoon and was met
| by a large committee, who escorted him to
| the Huntsville hotel At O'Clock he was
escorted to the opera house, where the
| large audience awaited him. The speaker
was introduced by Representative John II.
Wallace. Throughout the speech of two
| hours not a word OF abuse was used and
this absence of vituperation and the sin
| cere manner of Dr. Cunningham had
! great weight with his audience.
| Among other things, DR.. Cunningham
| said
| II am not lawyer and am not able to
| give the technical advantages of a new
| constitution nor the shortcomings of the
| old. but, like any other man, L can see
| how we will be benefited by a restriction of
! the suffrage. Here at the close of the
| nineteenth century we are enjoying a civ
|
| the ages But here in Alabama we are
| confronted by a strange and peculiar con-
| d1tion that we are not responsible for. We
are not responsible for the quality of our
| citizenship We are no more responsible
| for this than we are for the slave trade,
| which brought thousands of these alien
| people to our shores. The slaves were first
| taken to the northern states, but the ne
| gro was incompatible with that country,
| and drifted to the south, until in 1871 at
| least ,eight-ninths of the entire negro race
| in America was below Mason and DIXON
| line They were brought here in poverty
| and ignorance, and the bred Scott decis-
| ion decided the question of their citlzen-
| ship-that a slave or the descendants OF
| slave could not be citizen of any state.
| The 14th amendment to the constitution
| of the United States changed this, and said
| that all persons born or naturalized in the
| United States and subject to the Jurlsdlc-
| ton thereof was citizen OF the Unlted
States and the state in which he resides.
Alabama has a definition of citizen: ANY
| person residing in Alabama, either ma
| tive or of foreign birth, who has become
naturalized is a citizen.
''There is a difference between the
rights of O. citizen and the right to vote.
| The constitution of the United States pro-
| yides that no state shall deprive citizen
| of rights that are intended for all men.
That includes men and women and all per-
sons without regard to color. 1t is a ms
taken idea that citizenship carries with IL
A right to. vote The present constitution oil
Alabama gives all men the right. to vote
without regard to race color or creed Now
the great problem of Alabama is to pro-
tect all citizens and assist them IN lhe
pursuit of happiness and wealth, ana tnat
can only be done by patriotic ana Wise
regulation of the suffrage.
zone of the penalties we may nave 10
nav for restricted suffrage is a reduction
of our representation in congress. we may
lose one or two congressman; out what u
that? We have nine of them ana they ees
$4,000 year between them. How much oi
that do we get? / think this state, county
and municipality should be white mans
government. But the Malay, the Chinese
and the negro all have the right to vote
under the existing conditions. The negro
In this country has been trained from
man-eating savage to hog-eating Christ
ian. In Africa he was heather
what is the history of Africa? Ere the
close of the twentieth century the negro in
Africa will be as scarce as the buffalo IN
America. The whole history OF the world
shows that the white man rules ana every
race must bow to him or cease 10 exist.
The white man rules the world and the
Anglo-Saxon rules the most of the white
race" :,
DIR. Cunningham reverted to the condi-
tions In Alabama. do we steal?s we USED
to say We didn't; but now we cannot DENY
our way.
st want to speak to you as one OF the
thirty-three members of the Alabama SEN
ate that when this question came l felt
the responsibility. felt that no one should
come between me and a white mans gov
eminent. Now, if there is person here
who denies that this is a white man gov
eminent 1 have nothing to say to him
about the need of constitutional con-
vention. But to those who want the white
man to rule have a few things to say.
There are two propositions before us, eacn
one looking to the accomplishment OIL
restricted suffrage; one a constitutional
convention the other an amendment
which is the most available? L am oil the
opinion that a constitutional convention
can be of more effect than an amendment
This is the method agreed upon by the
demoeratfe party. and 1 think democrats
should accept it. The democrats are respon-
sible for the constitutional convention
movement. 1t was decided at democratic
caucus that the democracy sould assume
the responsibility of constitutional con-
yention, and the call was. passed by the
democrats in the legislature. And then
the democratic governor signed the BILL
A state convention of democrats was held
and declared plainly for convention IN
the following language: We, the demo-
Gratis of Alabama, in convention assem-
bled. do hereby declare ourselves In favor
of a constitutional convention 1t is
democratic measure, and no one but DEM
ocrats are responsible for it. The demo-
Gratis are divided on the matter, but, with
all due respect to the governor, 1 believe
that If he had fallen in line, there would
now be no division.
Nov, what is the objection to a con-
stitutional convention? Ask some one op
posed to it and he will say: L don't know
what they are going to do Every dele
gate elected to the constitutional conven-
| ton has signed pledge to support the
platform adopted by the state convention,
| that the taxes will not be raised and that
| the capitol will not be removed from Mont
! gomery, and other restricting clauses. Do
| you mean to insinuate that these men are
| liars? The insinuation that they will not
| stand up to their pledges is unjust"
with due respect to the governor-he
| has been one of the best governors the
| state has had. In 1896 he advised the leg
| Islature to call constitutional convention,
! and the matter was discussed at that time.
| The convention bfSt was buiH and
Mt t1a