The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-15
Suffrage.

intolerable conditions. which have sur rounded the exercise of the elective fran chise in this State could be relieved and guarded against, was one of the main motives for a Constitutional Convention. It has been charged that first, force, and afterwards fraui. were repeatedly re- ssofted to, in portions of the State, to carry elections. Complaints have not been wanting. in this regard, from other sections than the Black Belt.
 So long as 1t is necessary to maintain white supremacy in the counties having negro majorities, and to prevent the in- fiction upon any of our people of negro dominatiop.. there has been disposition. in other parts of the State, to condone the methods necessary to suppress the negro vote. But to do that, involved the doing of things which the white men in these counties have never desired to do, and which. if done at all, were done only because of what they regarded as ne- cessity for their own protection and good government. They have continually cried out for relief against the conditions, which made these things necessary. The call for a Constitutional Convention was in great measure the answer of the State Democracy to this cry for help. The new Constitution offers a plan which will se- cure white supremacy ano will, under the guidance of white. men, purify our politics and secure honest elections. Two plans are proposed. one known as the temporary plan and the other the per manent plan. Under the former. during the year 1902, all voters are to be regis tered who come within the term of the temporary plan. by three re gistrars, ap- pointed in each county by three State officers. namely. the Governor, the Audi tor and the Commi ssioner of Agriculture n,, To let bo tam r1la n of registration will cease and the per- manent plan will then be in force.
 Reason for Two Plans. The reason for adopting two plans-one temporary and the other parmdnent-is best shown by tho difficulties which the Convention had to meet. The Fifteenth Amendment to the Federal Constitution was the principal barrier. but there was another condition, which good faith re- quired the Democratic members to ob- serve, as fully as possible.
 The act of the General Assembly hav- ing submitted the call for the Convention the Democratic party, in State Conven- tion, indorsod the call. and under an cleo tion. advocated by that party, the Demo- cratic members of the Convention were elected.
 Party Pledge.
 The party platform pledged that white men should not be dizfranchised. To frame a provision that would observe this pledge, and eliminate the mass of vicious negro votes. and yet be Conrtt- tutional was no light task. but to it. the Democratic members of the Convention addrss ed the mselyCs. They r. alized that tn re a'e b"t th-ee ways of elimin- ating the vicious. vote welv fist by force. second by fraud and hi:d by law The first two of these m thods were not to be thought of. and the effort of the Convention wa to put an en1 to tn m It adopted tho t,7i"d ID thcG md has pre- scented a plan which will accomplish the object in view. natne,--. tre e'ir n"t;on of the vicious q mont from the c ctorate. And we unqua'i1iedlv renew cur pc"ty's pledge that undt fN op t of tn registration fcat'!ic cf tat nc,i Co 7stitu- ton m wtite rnrn v;i?o oll r, " vote will be disfranchised
 Temporary Plan.
 That plan, in brief. f, first, under a temporary plan, to re gster dur ng 19l2. all soldiers, the lawful d. cendants of soldiers and "all persons who are Of good character and who und ,s,an1 the dutie.; | and obligations of oi iz n. hip, under a 1 republican form of government" twenty | one years old and upWa 'Gs II will b. observed that each, and sll of these per. sons are entitled to register and Vat> un- | der our present laws. No piiriege O. right is conferred on any pc, son, there | fore, which he q os not already p9saeSz. under existing laws For under existing | laws, all s0ldi ri ,n r gister and votN; all desc ndauts of oldi r, c1n regis and vote, and all man of g)cd character l can register and vel r oVi:ed Of CoU Ss. they are of age and tage Tssid d within | the State and cJunty the rcGu ite l nGtil of time. But unuer cXi ting avs tn vii l cious and ignorant negro al O is Cntitl q to regi ter and yot'. .vtr;h r he IlnC. = stands the duties ard obligations of citi- 2 nship or not.
 Most Negroes Cannot Register,
 Under the temporary plan. the bulk of | the negroes cannot register. fEy regi,- tration will be conducted by th.ee "rt D. utable and suitahl per son . in each county, appoint q by three D mCcratic State officials, and whose duty it will be to visit every pr cinct in the county at | least once. and oftener if necessary. prior | to August 1st, 1902. to res s.ster qualified | electors, and they shall also hold ses- | sfons at the court house of the county | to enable persons to register. This regis traitor will continue until in December, | 1902. They will give at least twenty days | notice of the time and place they will attend in a precinct to register the elec- tors, by posting notices at five or more public places in the precinct and by ad- vertsement publish in the county pa pers
 White Men Can Register.
 When man applies for registration, he will not be ask d to specify under which class he is entitled to register. The list will not show under what clause he Is registered. When the party's pledge not to dsfranChise any white man is remem- l bered. it is easy to see that the aboNe plan will effectuate it. There is general presumption that white men are Of good character, and understand the duties ana obligations of citizenship; the history oi the race atte. ts this. It is safe to say that the registrars will observe this pre- l sumption.
 This plan will not disfranchise all ne groes. It is well known that there are men of that race who are entirely compe' l tent to vote intelligently, and these VII have no difficulty in registering
 Appeal Secured.
 If the registl ars should, from any cause l refuse to register an applicant. thls uoeS | not end his right to register, but he may | appeal, without security for costs, to the Circuit Court. where his right to register will be passed on by a judge elected pS the people. and by a jury of the county It is, therefore, puerile for the opposition to charge that the registrars VIII us | franchise white men.
 Registrars Will Observe Party
 Pledge.
 White men insist upon their rights an' | will not submit to disfranchisoment pS any registrars, but. if necessary WI prove their right to regi ter. before jury of th.ir neighbors. The registrar