The age-herald., 1901-06-02

safe and conservative body of men. If the entire constitution was left solely to their making there is no question but any in the convention. It is also most what It would be a good one Frank s. White Is a conservative lawyer and an able debater. and is always listened to with attention. He is chairman of the Harmony committee, a position his le- gal knowledge eminently qualities him to fill. D1. Cunningham also commands at tention. He Is versed in parliamentary law, has a level head and is very popu- lar with his fellow members. President Knox has shown his confidence in Bob Lowe's ability by putting him next to Mir. Smith on the Judiciary committee and on several other of the most impor- tant committees of the convention. Judge A C. Howze, in recognition of his high legal abilities, has been given the chair manship of the committee on exemptions, and Is on several other committees be- sides Among the younger members. II. c. Selheimer is very highly regarded by hls fellow delegates and Charles w. Fer guson. besides being one of the safest men in the convention, can always be counted on to gain vote by capturing the voter with a good story.
 James Weatherly Is one of the best law yers and brightest men in the convention, and John W. O'Neill Is a safe and wise legislator
 T. J. Cornwell of Bessemer is an au- ,thority on money matters and is an all round good fellow except that he Is sus- pected of wanting a new county.
 Lastly, but by no means least, is c. F. Beddow, a man of sound common sense and mental vigor, who is taking keen interest In the proceedings.
 There are so many able men in the convention that 1t would take the space of a stenographic report to mention all. J. B. Graham of Talladega, who Is chair man of the committee on education Is one of whom some mention should be made. He Is chairman of one of the most im- portant committees in the convention, a committee in whose hands to large ex- tent lies the character of the future ed- ucation of the white children of Alabama, and the question of any education at all for the colored children. He was given this position by President Knox on ac- count of his experience and knowledge of the subject and his high personal char acter Everyone feels confidence in what Mir Graham does and listen to what he says.
 The Negro School Plans.
 About twenty different schemes for pub lie school education have been referred to this committee, half of which pro- pose to give to the white people for their schools the taxes paid by them and to give to the negroes only the amount Of taxes paid by them. Judging by the num- Der of ordinances introduced to this eff feet it would appear that many in the convention favor this plan. Still 1t is safe to say 1t will not be adopted. Gov. Jones is opposed to 1t and thinks it un- constitutional MT. Graham Is also op- posed to It. He takes a broad minded view of the matter. ''To deprive the negro of the right to vote or hold office and then give him no money for his schools Is to put him in well and cover him up," he said the other day. Public policy alone would seem to dictate that the negro should not be driven to despair. If he Is denied the right s5 vote or hold office or denied aid fo. his schools those who are able will 'eave the State, and those who are pJt will have no in centive to prevent him from drifting into crime. Theys Is no labor that can take the pleo6 Cf the negro in the South, none so adapted to the soil or who are willingscr able to live as cheaply.
 Be,ides being to the material interest of t,1s white man to aid the negro in his ef- forts for self-improvement, it would, from a moral standpoint, be ungenerous and unchartable and distinct step back ward to withdraw from him all assistance of the white people. The convention is full of 1broad-minded men who realize these facts, and 1t is safe to predict that something more will be given the negro for his schools than the amount of taxes paid in by him. The school fund will not be equally divided. He will not get as much school money as the white man. He never has received an equal share, and 1t would be unfair to the white man If he did But he will receive a considerable percentage of the total school fund.
 No License Tax.
 The Confederate soldier is great pet with legislators. Anything proposed for his benefit goes with hurrah. The latest scheme for his benefit Is an ordinance in- troduced by MT. Burus of Dallas to ex- empt him from paying any license tax On callings which require manual labor. MT. Burus idea was to exempt him from license tax for peddling> and similar call ings, but the wording of the resolution struck a hearty chord of sympathy in the heart of an ex-Confederate, who was rich barkeepr worth about s50,0O0. whose manual labor consisted in mixing drinks. He pays heavy liquor license and wrote to a delegate asking him to vote for the resolution, saying he approved of the idea of not requiring ex-Confederates to pay any licenses.
 With regard to the suffrage question prediction as to what will be adopted would be mere guesswork Some of the committees will report next week, and possibly the suffrage committee will make partial report which will give the con- ventiop q change of diet-that Is, more talk and less ordinances.