The age-herald., 1901-10-12
Replies to Letter of Chairman Underwood of the Demo-
 cratic Committee
QUESTIONS LATTER'S RIGHT
Declares Mir. Underwood ls Not Au- thorized to Represent All the Democrats of the State
 of Alabama.

General Charles M Shelley, chairman of the committee against ratification of the new constitution, has answered MT.
 Underwoods query concerning the gen. erals power to bind Republicans in a
 white primary.
 General Shelley expressly says that he represents Democrats, and has no author ity to speak for any other political or ganisation, but he insists on his proposi-
 ton to hold a conference for the pur-
 pose of holding white primary.
 The letter follows:
 General sheIley's Letter. Hon. O. W. Underwood, Chairman of
 the State Campaign Committee for Rat
 ifcation. Birmingham, Ala:
 Dear Sir-You seem to have failed to
 understand my position, and with all
 courtesy, I wish to make 1t clear. This IS not proposition 'purporting'' to come rom myself and six other gentlemen. but 1t is bona f1de proposition signed bv myselr and the six other gentlemen in tneir own hands. the original of which you nave received. Failing to find you w sNNs hCo0Qudh ttTS, IL was posted tO you In the presence of witnesses. I regret that the proposition should have appear ca In the newspaper before reaching your nands' but the reason for that I ex- piaineo to you personally, and you ex- pressed yourself as satisfied that no dis courtesy was intended.
 You call my attention to the fact that my letter addressed to you as Chairman oI the committee for Ratification was improperly addressed. With due respect.
 wish to remind you that you cannot be ignorant of the fact that I an, TShats~ man of the State Campaign Committee Against Ratification, and all letters to me should be addressed accordingly. and am not informed of any right won have 10 claim to represent the Democratic party in this contest.
 note what you say with regard to tho action of the State Executive Committee
 6eing Democrat and having organized
 a Democratic opposition to the ratifica-
 tion. the designation of our respective committees being nearly the same. for we are DetHocrats, and although not aythor- ized by 'the Statd Democratic Executive Committee~ have ofawnized a Democratic opposition to ratification. deriving our authority from the Stale Democratic Con- yention which gave It's pledge that the Constitution should be submitted back to the people without regard to party af- hliations. In order that it might be un- derstood that we are working on opposite sides of this question: which is not a party question, for the Democratic Ex- eoutive Committee has failed to make 1t one, and as you have no more right to claim to represent the Democratic party
 than we have. took the liberty of ad- dressing you as chairman of the cam paign committee on ratification.
 Permit me to remind you that the call ing of the convention, or the ratification of any Constitution framed by it, has
 never been made a party question: but that all voters were left free to vote for
 the calling of the convention or the ratif- cation of Constitution adopted by it, in case 1t was called, without let or hin drance or influence on account of party affiliations, also ask you-do you repre- sent the white Republicans who are in favor of ratification, and by what authori- ty do you assume to represent the Demo- cratic party in this contest?
 Referring to your inquiry, I desire to state explicitly that I do not represent any organization except the Democratic voters. who are opposed to the ratification of the new Constitution. But I had in mind plan by which the matter could be submitted to all parties or factions of white men--in the event the two Demo- cratic factions could agree upon the plan proposed in our letter to you. If your committee and the one I represent should agree on a plan to submit the question to the white people of the State, we could
 then jointly confer with other organiza-
 tions of white people. and if we failed
 to get their cooperation and consent to
 the matter. of course the whole plan
 would fall to the ground.
 I hope you will not feel that I have intended to be discourteous or disregard full of any of the proprieties that should