The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-06-15
VICTORY AHEAD
Alabama 10 Be Populist in
1900.
philadelphia Americana

some Democratic politicians because he
frage, would not help them pass an
amendment to the state constitution cal
culated to perpetuate Democratic rule
by enabling Democratic election Of
f1cers to disfranchise their political ene-
mics, is expected to help. Into such un-
Democratic course Gov. Johnston re-
fused to follow his party, the carrying
out of such a policy he opposed, he has
Just succeeded in inducing the legisla
ture, called in special session to repeal
the act calling for constitutional
amendment, a convention that was
counted upon to frame such amendment
70 the constitution as would ostensibly
disfranchise the negroes, also actually
disfranchsing the Populists, as in Mis-
sissippi, by providing that voters to
qualify should be required to pass some
educational test to the satisfaction of
the Democratic election officers, which,
of course, would make it possible for
those election officers to refuse registra-
tiOn to such of the less we'll informed
voters as they chose and extend it to
such as they wished refuse registration
to the POpulist whom they wished to
disfranchise, extend it to the Democrat
whose vote they wanted, for under such
a law and circumstances the ignorant
Democrat would have no difficulty in
explaining a clause in the constitution
to the satisfaction of the Democratic
registration officer, while the much bet
ter informed Populist could not explain
it to the satisfaction of such officer at
all, and so be denied vote; be disfran-
chised not because of want of educa-
tional qualifications, that would be only
the plea, but because Populist. But
Gov. Johnston put his foot down on all
such unconscionable plans for tamper-
ing with the suffrage and doing so has
gained the enmity of those who sought
to perpetuate their power by such
means. Consequently the governor must
come to find that his house of refuge is
ballot and honest count, not the Demo-
cratic party-the corrupt. So reason
the Populists of Alabama.
The call for state convention to
call for a peoples party convention to
map out a campaign with the hope of
securing the election of some Populist
delegates to the constitutional conven-
Grove has issued the following address
to the Populists of his state:
birmingham, Ala, May 18, 1899.--
To the Populists of Alabama: The ad-
journment of the legislature and the re-
peal by it of the constitutional conven-
tion act, render unnecessary the state
convention called for May 23d, and
have revoked the call for the same. We
have many reasons for self congratula-
ton over the present political situation.
and at the same time in the near future
l will ask our committee and the lead
ing members of our party to a general
conference for the purpose of outlining
and formulating plan of action for
the campaign of 1900. In September
last our convention nominated Mr.
Wharton Barker as our presidential
candidate, and Mr.. Ignatius Donnelly as
our vice-presidential candidate, and l
think it we'll to have at an early date
and l suggest July 4, beat meetings in
every beat, and at these meetings l
think it would be wise to elect a cam
paign committee of, say three, to take
charge of the campaign for our ticket,
and go to work now with the end in
view of carrying their beat for our
ticket.
1T would only be just and right at
this meeting to pass resolutions indOrs-
ing the wise and manly course of our
members of the general assembly, who
have SO nObly performed their duty in
repeating the law which so endangered
the suffrage of the people. Gov. John
ston deserves our thanks for his course
in this matter, and should be congratu-
lated for doing what we have so long
tried to do.
Nov let every man who wants and
desires good government and to see our
party successful, attend these beat meet.
ings, and aid by his presence the grand
work now before us. There has never
been a time since our organization as
a party that the future looked so
bright for us as now, not only in Ala
bama but in every other state. Our
enemies are growing more and more
divided, and our ranks are being filled