The age-herald., 1899-03-30
The Opposition Provoked Dis-
 graceful Scenes BUT REPEATEDLY VOTED DOWN Platform Declares Against h.
 creased Taxation AND DlSFRaNCHISEMENT OF WHITES Eo White Man Will Be Deprived of
 Suffrage Right. DENSON RECALLED TO CHAIR By Permanent Chairman Jelks When the Opposition Was Making the Capitol Hall Bedlam-Bran-
 don and Kyle Led Fight.
Eo White Man Will Be Deprived of
 Suffrage Right.
DENSON RECALLED TO CHAIR

Montgomery, March .-(Special)-Thir- declartion making the constitutional con vention call a party issue in the coming election, and a platform defining the work of the constitutional convention was the work of the democratic convention today.
 The platform declared for holding the conventions; that it shall regulate suffrage; limit the tax rate as at present; that the new constitution shall be submitted to the people for ratification; that no white man shall be deprived of his vote except for conviction for infamous crime, and that the state capitol shall not be removed.
 An additional declaration reading:
 THAT IT IS THE SENSE OF THIS
 CONVENTION THAT A CONSTITU-
 TIoNAL CONVENTION BE HELD" was also adopted.
 The platform and declaration was adopt ed after three hours of the most up- roarous and disgraceful scenes ever enact ed in Alabama's state capitol. There was an element in the convention led by office holders who fought the platform because it declared in favor of holding constitu- tonal convention. This element, led by Adjutant General Brandon and Railroad Commissioner Kyle, advocated the passage of a resolution declaring that the constitu- tonal convention was not party meas ure and that every democrat should vote as he chose. The object of these men, said to be acting for or in concert with the gov- ernor, was evidently to defeat the conven- under parliamentary law and kept the con- vention in a wrangle and bedam for sev- eral hours. They attempted to amend the platform by striking out the first para graph. which declares in favor of a con stitutional convention. In this contest they were voted down by 254 to 246. Then in face of this opposition the convention declared in favor of constitutional con- vention by SS2 to 166.
 The Fighting Was Fierce
 The fight over making the convention call a party issue was perhaps the most bitter Alabama has ever known, and but for the firmness of Col. Bill Denson, who was call ed back to the chair by W. D. Jelks, the permanent chairman and who ruled with an iron hand, the convention would never have completed it's work. As it was. the opposition within the party, led by the gov ernor's spokesmen, was completely routed, and the constitutional convention call goes to the people as democratic party meas ure.
 The opposition to the constitutional con- vention is said to be the result of personal ambitions on the part of certain men who control the political situation now and who fear they will be routed by a purificaton of the ballot box and complete white su- premacy in the state.
 It was openly charged about the conven- tion that the governors opposition was be- cause he feared under new constitution he could not get legislature elected next time favorable to him for the senate, while under the present constitution and methods he might be successful.
 However this may be, the fight against the convention, led by men who hold office under appointment by the governor, was vigorous in the extreme, leading to dis graceful uproar. But as predicted in these dispatches last night, the constitutional convention call was made a party issue, and the party in convention has declared for provisions in the proposed new consti- tuition which no democrat and no white man can consistently oppose.
 The proceedings in detail follow: