The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-21
LETTER FROM COUNCILL
APPEALS TO PREVENT NEGRO
 DISFRANCHISEMENT.
Recognizes the Supremacy of the White Man and His Fitness to huIe-Apportionme of the
 School Matter.

Huntsville, May 20.--(Special.)- Professor William H. Councill. presi- dent of the colored Agricultural and Mechanical College at Normal. has ad- dressed an open letter to the members of the Constitutional Convention pro- testing against the wholesale disfran- chisement of negroes in Alabama. Professor Councill cites the fact that he has been loyal Democrat for twenty-five years and believes the Democracy will treat the negroes fair ly. Professor CounciH writes:
 "1n justice to my people. permit me to ask 1T 1t is fact, as announced in your platform that every necessary facility to qualify the negro for the ex- l ercise of the franchise has been af- forded?"
 Professor Council claims that three hundred years in the schools of the South IS not necessary to qualify the | negro for the terrible responsibility of citizenship. Without the least mental reservation he recognizes the supre- macy of the white man and his fitness to rule and believes that the white men of Alabama will scorn to do in justice to the negro and place ob- stacles in his path of progress.
 Touching upon the proposal to ap-
 
 races in proportion to taxes paid by each race. rofessor Councill writes.
 T cannot believe that the majority of the white people of Alabama would support such a proposition. It is un- sound both in morals and politics and would result in harm to the State. Natural resources are valuable in pro- portion to the intellect of the State. Therefore. I beg, if it seems wise to you to disfranchise your entire negro population, that you do not otherwise disturb its present status under the laws of Alabama. The caring for the negro rests with the Southern white people. They must school them and give them employment; says The Nashville American. This is all I ask.
 "we want to stay with you; we want to do your service and we are trying to qualify ourselves to do the agricul- tural. personal and domestic work of the South. You may get along with out us. but we cannot get along with out you. If every black man would say all the good things he can about every white man, and every white man would do all the good things he can for the black man, the race problem would soon disappear amid the sunshine of love. peace and prosperity forever"
 Several gentlemen of this and other cities have about completed their plans for the organization of company which will erect new and handsome hotel on Monte Sano. The hotel as planned will be one of the handsomest summer resorts in the South and will be equipped with all modern conven- fences. It will represent an invest ment of about $50, 900. The company will probably also promote the organ ization of a company for the building of an incline railway up the moun- tain.
 Solomon Newman. a former resident of this city, died Saturday in Chatta- nooga. His body was brought to Huntsville and the funeral was con- ducted yesterday morning from the residence of Oscar Goldsmith by Rabbi Nathan Michnic. MT. Newman was we'll known in Huntsville. He was born in Tuscumbia but spent the greater part of his life here and piled his vocation of watch maker. He was 42 years old.
 Saturday was observed here as Con- federate decoration day and the graves of Confederate soldiers in Maple Hill Cemetery were decorated by the Egg bert Jones Camp and Daughters of the Wm. B. Bankhead was orator of the day.