The age-herald., 1901-07-25
Eastern Warning to Alabama.

Eastern Warning to Alabama.
 ''I read with much interest the Age-I Herald's observation on the work of your Constitutional convention, and hope your statesmen will heed the good ad- Vice you give them," writes a distin- guished newspaper man of New York.
 Without intending to meddle or sug gest, permit me to send you a few facts which you may use any way you see fit If you consider them worth attention.
 There is more interest at the North, especially in New York, in the Alabama notwithstanding than there was in the Louisiana, Mississippi, South Caruli- r1a and North Carolina conventions com bined. Alabama now easily leads all other Southern States in the amount of interest it commands North, and the ma terial development of the State will be hastened, no man can estimate how much, by a safe and conservative con- stitution.
 "Of course, there are still a few Puri- tans and bigots alive, but the great mass Of Northen interest in the South is now friendly and sympathetic.
 "The great mass of public and political opinion here is in full sympathy with Alabama and the South in the movement to get rid of the ignorant and vicious negro vote, and no matter what the par tisan papers say there is nowhere the slightest intention of cutting down Sou- thern representation.
 "Every day men of importance are ask ing me about the Alabama convention and the general situation there, and all the papers here devote much space to the proposed new constitution.
 "I am sure am not over conservative when I say that if your convention would adopt a fair and honest educa- tional qualification for the franchise-and no other one that could and would be enforced, such action would be worth more to the State in money way than all the advertising and promoting done for it during the past twenty years.
 Such a constitution adopted by the people would bring into the State flow of money for investment and large in- Aux of desirable population. I have heard this view advanced scores of times since your convention met, by bankers, investors and politicians. some of whom I know are awaiting the outcome to in- vest in Alabama securities. Such a constitution would easily make Alabama the foremost Southern State In the esti- nation of intelligent public opinion all over the country. It would mean mil lions and millions of the development of the States resources.
 Northern sympathy for the negro is a theory-not condition-but there is a lingering Puritan prejudice against open evasion of the National constitution.
 "Get rid of the negro vote by a fair educational qualification, and a united North will applaud your action and sus- tain it.
 "Why should maudlin sentiment for a few ignorant whites-many of whom are ignorant from choice-stand in the way of the magnificent prosperity that Is al- most within the grasp of the State?
 'Ts it possible that the politicians of the State cannot meet the opportunity like men and statesmen? The chance of today may not come to them again.
 The writer of the letter from New York is Mir. Walter l.. Hawley of the New York Sun, former Alabamian who has achieved the highest distinction in New York journalism