The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-27
Nstes by the Wayside.
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| forceful that was struck with its sound- ness. It was that there could be but one regular Democratic organization in
 Alabama and that was the one with a Committee headed by Hon. Robert J. l Lowe as chairman. The Democratic
 party in the State convention which | nominated the State ticket headed by
 Colonel Sanford in 1900 appointed com | mittee and until another convention re- | places that committee 1t is the only
 really responsible representative of the
 party in the State.. The speaker con- | tinued, it is true that in the cam | paign for the Copstitution ratification the | lines were faxed for the sake of har-
 mony, the result not being feared, and | the anti-ratificationists allowed to form
 an organization of their own and fight
 the measure, although the record will show that 1t was a party movement
 from It's inception up to the action of the committee on the day of the adjournment l of the Constitutional Convention, when as said before discipline was faxed and l party members allowed to act as they
 saw proper not being bound by any party action to follow party dictation. That
 is true and in the campaign for the Con- l stitution the side organization was per-
 missable, although the Democratic Com l mittee took up the fight officially and appointed a subcommittee to make the campaign. It was an innovation in Ala
 bama politics, yet 1t was done and party
 discipline was not violated, nothing being
 said as to harm and danger to the party
 in future. Now to the point. The very moment that canvass was over the party lines were closed up again and on other questions the party rules were in full force and effect again, and there could be no other organization formed insidel the party which could be recognized as official or authorized, 1t could only be considered in the nature of a revolution or belt from party control and domination. That fact was recognized by the antis when they met the other day and while they resolved to carry the fight before the people and make the issue in the pri- maries. they were too sharp to form any organization and it Is incontrovertible that there can be but one regular, au- thorized Democratic Organization in the State and that is represented in the Com mittee with MT. Eowe as Chairman"
 "The largely increased values in prop erty given in for taxation this year over
 last. fully uphelds the prediction made by the Committee on Taxation in the late Constitution Convention" remarked leading member of that committee recently. "The Committee" he continued had free and full access to the figures and facts to be found in the offices of the Auditor and Treasurer and with the statements made by those efficient officers with their able clerical forces-it was soon clearly evident that the values would be largely increased and that the maximum limit of the tax rate for gen. eral purposes could be easily reduced to 65 cents on the hundred dollars and the fears of the people as to increase of tax rate be forever satisfied. An eighteen mil inT1 i1 &e thing for Alabama and l am firmly con- Vinced that property will continue to ap- preciate in value from now on year after year, until very soon the tax rate can be safely reduced and there be no necessity for ever again assessing the full limit allowed by the Constitution. I see much good to result from the operation of the new Constitution in the way of more wholesale and more carefully con- | sidered general laws and a great saving to the State in that way, to say nothing | of the great satisfaction to be derived | in the enactment of all local laws by the | counties for themselves. Four year terms of the legislature will also bring | untold and unthought of blessings. | Changes in laws cannot be so frequent | and i'll advised as in the past. Under the 1 new Constitution there is a great period | of progress and advancement for our | State very near at hand"
 We must turn our attention now to | the intelligent and modern development | of our agricultural inteersts," remarked | an intelligent and observant gentleman, | recently, talking of the present condi- | tions in Alabama. This is strictly an l agricultural section." he said, and we must make, as nature has intended | agriculture the basis of our operations. | It has been clearly evident to me for | many years that the system prevailing, | of farming for the middle man could | result only In ruin to the farmer and | of much damage to our section. That | has been the outcome and we all realize that change must be made from cotton basis to a common sense living | at home plan. But how to do 1t is the question noW to be determined. It will | easily solve itself. we are slowly coming to it, and l see in the movement for good | roads so ably and commendably aided by the Southern Railroad, its most speedy and most desirable consummation. Just as soon as we can have good roads in the canebrake and prairie lands of Ala bama, the natures paradise for farming. brain and muscle will come to develop and farm then intelligently and then our agricultural district will blossom as the rose and the farmer be the most prosper ous and independent of all our people.
 
 gence and thrift. lies the only successful future of this section of Alabama and I am happy to know that its truth is being fully recognized by our own people and by all interested"
 Nearly all of the Registrars provided for under the registration plan have been appointed and from their character 1t isl evident that Hhe pledges of the Demo- cratic party made in the recent canvasV are to be kept and that, in making up the permanent registration list under the temporary plan, no white man is to he dtsfranchised except by his own voluntary act. First every white man must take the time and trouble to go and apply for registration. That is the first act re- quired of him. And there IS another he must pay his poll tax. if he comes within the ages mentioned, and failing either or both of these he has disqualified and himself for which the Registrars and no one else can be held responsible. There may be some white men, who. with the facts before them may deliberately give up the right of rather than go to the trouble and expense of complying with the re- quirements, but if there should be, they will be good riddance. The negroes l are being thoroughly posted on the suf- frage plan and 1t is certain that they are going to avail themselves of every opportunity to get on the list and to secure to themselves the right to exercise the right of the ballot and many of them may get on, but they will be in such small numbers comparatively. that they