The age-herald., 1901-10-10
REPRESENTATION AND REGIS.
 TRATION,

To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
 Since the publication of my card of in- quiry and your comments thereon I have carefully read and re-read the proposed constitution, and compared 1t with the old one and must say that while neither is what the people of Alabama should have, yet believe the old the better of the two on comparison. The old leaves many things to the Legislature. while the
 new prohibits much from 1t. There are two very insurmountabie difficulties in the new, the apportionment of represen- tation and the franchise. Tn the appor- tionment of representation 1t is based upon population and not upon the white population, so that the white counties are deprived of their just proportion in the Legislature. It Is evident that the purpose is to hold the power in the Leg islature by virtue of the negro, who has
 no voice in the law-making department
 of the State. To illustrate. Jackson coun-
 ty has three times the white voters of
 Dallas or Lowndes, yet they have more
 than twice the representation. This is,
 unjust, and we of the white counties are opposed to this unjust discrimination.
 know the argument. but 1t is fallacious
 and untenable. A white man Is a white man, no matter where he lives, and if the
 negro Is out of politics let him be out. and
 not hold him to beat white men over the
 head as is the case In the proposed con-
 stitution.
 Now, as to the elective franchise, you
 say the negro will not vote, if so it must be done in open violation of the proposed constitution. for I know many who are
 qualified in every respect under it and who can register and vote. Whereas
 know numbers of white men who cannot register because. they are not qualified. The provision for three irresponsible reg
 istrars in each county to do as they like. only takes the place of three irresponsible election judges who stole the vote for three irresponsible registrars who manip- ulate the voter instead of the vote. I am
 only discussing what we have before us. Under the law as 1t now stands. white' men steal the vote; if we adopt the new constitution, white men will steal the voter. which fixes the theft In the organic law, while the vote stealing is merely legislative. It Is not necessary who is, responsible for the negro in politics but how to get him out. I want him out. but under the new constitution proposed he is made to serve a worse purpose than under the law as 1t now stands. When any man says that the negro is not to be
 used under the proposed law. then point to the fact that no one Is to be a registrar who is not a white Democrat when if justice had been intended at least one registrar would have been Republican There is no pretext, but there are goody honest Republicans in every county in the State. The whole thing Is partizan from beginning to the end and should be
 voted down by the people. wanted to stand by q new constitution that had the interest of the whole people in it. But partisan make-shift Is reprehensible to the last desree-and 1t is my opinion based upon what see and hear that the white counties will vote it down, and if a count of the vote as cast in negro coun- ties Is given the thing will not be ap- proved at ail-not fin single county in the State l.. c. COJILsON.
 Scottsboro Aia October I 1901