The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-01

property and the negro will vote with ! me in order to have the privileGe. do not say we intend to do that The f Black Belt is sincere In this light We
 are disposed here. and you have found 1t, notwithstanding we have been
 chsrged to the contrary. to do every | thing in our power to relieve us of thix ignorant, vicious franchise which is held by those whom we have been.
 called here to disfranchise.
 Mir. Long lWalker)--I just wanted to
 ask you If S1.o0o Is better than $S0o. hadn't you better make 1t $l,000.000I Wouldn't that be better than a.ooo7 MT. Smith tMorgan)--I submit we have an almost insurmountable barrier.
 and when the gentleman from Mobile
 undertakes to pick flaws. he ought to
 De ready to offer something better to
 this Convention. have no patience with man when we are doing our very best. to accomplish the ends for
 which we were sent here, to pick flaws
 without offering something better. We
 desire better remedy if we can get 1t. tell you we are not here, the Black Belt has not called this body to-
 gether. the sons of Alabama have not
 done 90, for . frivolous purpose. We
 are not here for the interest of the peo- pie of North Alabama, or any other
 section. We know what we have to meet in our homes. and in our counties We know we have gone just as far as wo possibly can. We know that we
 are going to split in spite of every.
 thing We can do, and when we do that, we do not want to appeal to the negro as an arbitrator between the white
 men in the Black Belt. that is why the
 men of the Black Belt have been anx-
 ious to call this Convention together. hA - -tw< "a At x
 man that knows the condition of the
 Black Belt. In the temporary plan. ev- cry poor man. ignorant man, every
 white man can vote. He holds his cer-
 tincate in hisNpocket. What man ia it
 will say that the negro can acquire 4 better education than the Caucasian racer After 1903. our temporary piar a good one. Our permanent plan oo not like very much, but I win not criticize 1t because am not competent 70 suggest anything better. The per- nanent plan IS the one want changed Tor the better. You forget every white man in Alabama can register. and inc poor man will read and write. The wnte counties have nothing to fear or, this inc, andrif, perchance, some pcor Ienow cannot read and write and has nor this property. assure you tt is s long ways better for you to cast his vote than 1t is to put this iacubus in tne biack, Bef upon the white peonie Of our counties.
 MT. Harrison-I regret that the dis- .nsuisheo gentleman from Greene did not give some reason why this Convert non should reverse It's action of vAa. .erday. From all of his remarks. t,,ere
 : Out one reason, and that is that the biack Belt wili be dispieased. or if will not suit them if we change 1t. Now nave been willing on all occasions te, accord everything to the Black FAlt that could, coHstitutionally, or light Iuhy, put there are some white men as well as negroes In Alabama, ard peneVe that the white people should nate a.,teu,a ngnt to insist upon proper critericc upon which every white man s..ould vote. 1t has been de- monstrated by the delegate from Mobile tn his illustration of the Three S,rs now unjust 1t would be even to white men as among negroes How can we justify 1t?
 Mir. Coleman (Greene-Has he not un- til 1904 in which to learn to read and write?
 MS, Harrison-Has not the negro the same right? 's
 NY. Coleman--Oi course he has
 NJ. Harrison-T1ow can that mako a : oistinction. If the gentleman from Au- tauga tMf. M. M, .Smith), was right that It would increase 1t, 1t would be d dmerent proposition, but this amend ment did not increase or decrease. hut simply equalized 1t, and prevented the oiscriminatton which upon It's face was SO unjust that this Convention over whelmingly adopted it. I cannot con celVs whether the gentleman from Greene or the delegate from Sumter is right. I read the language of this, and submit it to the lawyers of the Con- vention particularly. and to the dis- uneulshed Chairman of this Commit ted himself. How does it read7 1The owner in good faith in his own right or the husband of woman who is inc owner in good faith in her own right" Ana these words are repeated. in every alternative proposition, down to and in- cIuoing this amendment. to wit: that it must De the owner In his own right to oo this, and there is no room to speak or any of the subterfuges referred to apous Texas ponies or anything else. The language is "in his own right in good faith" and I submit when vol apply that test to the Black Belt or 10 the White Belt. 1t is right, and none or the subterfuges would be entertained or considered by the Registrar in en- Loroing the provision. It 's only to equalizs the matter. that the amend ment was offered. q said on yesterday We could not justify it to the poor white mel or black men. that 1t waa not rlght, that one man, whatever his color might be, if you are going to place a property qualification. upon him, should because he happens to own this amount in personal or real property, have this privilege of voting, when his neiShbor or brother who has perhaps almost twice as much and is perhaps Q more considerate man an better investor, and does not put all he has in real es- tate or personal property, but divides 1t, shall not have that right. I say we canno; justify it.
 MT. Weatherly--Suppose the effect of this amendment would be as a fact to let into the suffrage from 10 to 20 per cent. more negroes in the Black ReIt and you knew that to be the fact, would you moist upon the amendment?
 MT. Harrison-Under my oath would not discriminate on account of race, color and previous condition. want a rule that Is applicable to all and I could not vote for 1t in any other shape. I will state, however, that | do not believe It would have that effect.
 MT. Weatherly-That is a matter of belief. Do you know what would be the effect. Have we not to rely upon the testimony of those in the Black Felt!
 MT. Harrison-Yes, and would aa soou rely upon one aa upon another These ge1s.emen seem to differ among