The age-herald., 1901-10-24

an opposition to ratification; and, refer ring to the State executive committee, they decline to accept our proposition to hold white primary.
 Some Propositions.
 These replies of MT. Underwood and his ratification committee contain some re- markable propositions.
 1. They seem to ignore and set aside the time-honored doctrine of the Demo- cratic party that the white people should control Alabama. The rejection commit tee proposed to the ratification committee that the white people should take a vote as to whether they should adopt or reject the new constitution. The thing to be voted on was not a man but an issue. A white primary was practically the only way in which the will of majority of the white people could be obtained, and | in consequence 1t was the only way in which white supremacy could be secured in this important matter. MT. Underwood says that "the negroes have organized an opposition to ratification" One would naturally suppose that if the negroes were against ratification the friends of ratification would be glad to have the question settled by an election at which the negroes would not have the right to vote. It really seems that 1t Is the white people that the ratifiers are afraid of and that they want the negroes to help them overcome white majority. If 1t be true, as MT. Underwood says. that the negroes are against ratification. and if the negro votes are honestly counted, how can MT. Underwood expect them to help the cause of ratification? And if, on the other hand, the negro votes are not counted as cast, and are used to overcome white votes, how sad would be the reflection that the white people of Alabama should be com pelled for a generation to live under constitution that was put on them by votes that were never cast or by negro votes falsely counted, and that all this had been done in the name of white su- premacy and honest elections!
 9 MT. Underwood asks what ''authori- ty' we have Ito bind" the white voters. We reply that while our committee would have used its moral influence with Demo- crats and others to induce them to go into the primary, we claim no "authori- | ty'' to bind anybody whomsoever, wheth- CT Democrats or Republicans. The re- Jection com mittee invited the ratification committee to join the former in an appeal to the white people to settle the issue among themselves, and suggested fair and honest way in which the will of white majority could be ascertained. We had no right to make the issue a party measure. We expected to appeal to the white voters, not as Democrats or Re- publicans. but simply as unbound citi- zens Those who might have voted in such primary election would not have been bound by the request or action of either committee. They would have bound themselves, and they would have done this by their own voluntary act of voting, and they could not have been bound in any other way.
 B. The ratification campaign committee puts itself in direct antagonism to the TA1.~ kt1 ' bers of the Legislature were considering the bill that looked to the holding of a constitutional convention. Democrats of ability and influence caused to be incor- porated in the bill a provision that the new instrument which might be framed by the convention, If called, should be | submitted to the people. When the State Democratic convention met in Montgom- cry last March they inserted in. the plat form an express provision that the new instrument. if made, should be submitted to the people. When the 1fty-f1ve Demo- cratic candidates for the place of State delegates. being leading m en in the party, met at the Morris hotel last spring they expressly agreed that If the people would call convention and elect them to be delegates they would see that the instru- ment should be submitted back to the people.
 The State Convention.
 The ratification committee makes the following admission
 "The last Democratic State convention pledges the Democracy of the State to | submit the question of ratification or re- jection of the new constitution to the 1 people,"
 | Now, submission implies the right of selection and choice, and In the exercise of that right it suggests perfect freedom. Submission means that the party or body | ordering the submission does not under take to "bindr Its mem bers. Submission does not mean that while the Democrats have the power to vote on the measure, they have the right to vote only one par ticular way dictated by some one else. To induce the people to call constitu- tional convention Democrats of character and influence. most of the newspapers of the State. and. above all. the Democratic convention itself. expressly declared that the new instrument which might be framed should be submitted to the peo- pie. The idea that the people should have perfect freedom of choice as to the meas ure was strenuously urged. MT. Under wood admits that the new instrument was to be submitted for ratification or rejection All this promise of future l submisPion was made before the conven-