The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-18
BILE ADDRESSES MADE
Words of the Orators Are
 Loudly Applauded.
Evident That the Trend of Eenti- ment in Jefferson County is Toward Rati6cation-Pettus
 Endorses Knox's Words.


 Jefferson Theatre was filled to overflow ing tonight by persons from every part of Jefferson County and many from other sections of the State to hear Governor William D. Jelks and Hon. John B. Knox | speak in behalf of the ratification of the new constitution. Seats were reserved for ladies. many of whom were present. l Senator Pettus occupied a box. On the stage sat Congressman Oscar w. Under wood. Chairman of the Democratic State | Campaign Committee. Chairman II. B. Gray of the County Campaign Commit tee, Mayor Drennen, members of the Board of Aldermen. Congressman Bowie, Hon. John V. Smith. Judges wilkerson and Senn of the Birmingham City Courts, President c. Exum of the Birmingham Commercial Club. Editor J. H. Mosely of The Labor Advocate. a number of the leading merchants and business men of the city. and many prominent citizens from various parts of the county, includ- ing all the most representative Demo- cratic party leaders and workers In this section.
 No speakers in Birmingham have ever been greeted by a more magnificent audi ence and the closest attention was siven throughout. Every telling point brought forth loud applause. showing clearly that l the ratification sentiment prevailed over whelmingly with the two thousand or more people present.
 Governor Jelks Speaks. Chairman Gray of the County Commit | tee in calling the meeting to order, called Governor Jelks to the chair He was | received with hearty applause. The Governor made brief speech. He said that he had heard 1t charged that he ! had said that the new constitution would disfranchise no white man. He was | ready to repeat and stand by that as- sertion. This statement caused wave | of applause to sweep over the assem- blaze. The Governor then ridiculed the assertion of the opposition that he was trying to become dictator. He said if such was the case he would have the company of MT. Poole MT. Sowell and other State officers and he pointed out in a facetious and good humored way the absurdity of such a proposition. The Governor closed his short address with an earnest plea for ratification and then pre- sented MT. Knox. who spoke for a little more than an hour
 Mir Knox confined himself almost wholly to the suffrage question. making telling argument in favor of reform in this regard. He took occasion to handle former Governor Johnston, Colonel Dem
  around whom he declared the opposition to ratification centers. He read from Governor Johnston's message to the legis- lature urging the necessity of suffrage reform, and reviewed the futile effort of that executive to get an amendment through the legislature after that body had repealed the constitutional conven- ton enabling act This demonstrated, the speaker said, that Governor John stons plan to settle the suffrage ques- tin by amendment was a failure. These gentlemen, MT. Knox added, ask the peo- ple to reject the new constitution. which embraces the combined wisdom of the convention. but offered nothing practi- cable in it's stead
 Denson and Shelley
 The speaker quoted from Colonel Dem scr's speech to the Democratic Conven- tioE. of March, 1899 and showed how he had back tracked on his utterances. He also. read from recent public statement of General Shelley. in which the latter acknowledged the existence or the menace and the intolerable conditions which the new Constitution seeks to remove as further evidence of the fact that the anti ratifcationists recognize these conditions but offer no cure.
 He told how these opponents of the work of the Democratic party were try ing to deceive the people as to the De- mocracy's stand on the question and were actually trying to deny to MT. Under wood his rights and recognition as the Democratic campaign chairman. They have hung out a sign, the speaker said, calling themselves the Democratic Com- mittee-a self-appointed committee which is seeking to usurp the functions of the committee created by the regular Execu- tive Committee of the party.
 These men, the speaker pointed out, Had not done as kolb and Goodwin and other bolters had done when they left the party These bolters of former years had selected another name for themselves than Democrats, but no so with the pres ent opponents of Democratic authority. MT. Knoxs remarks along this line brought forth loud applause.
 The speaker then analysed the suffrage clause in q masterly manner; showed how Alabama was seeking to line up with other progressive States of the South to remove the menace of negro rule; dwelt at length upon the constitutionality of the grandfather clause. demonstrating that 1t does not conflict with the Fed eral Constitution, and closed by review ing the recent experience of North Caro- lima with recurrence of negro rule, de- scribing the Wilmington riot and declar- ing that such things would come in Ala bama under the present Constitution If the white men of the State divided; but under the new Constitution they would be impossible as white domination would be secure. This argument aroused the audience to a high pitch of enthusiasm. and cheering was loud and long. When MT. Knox sat down there were