The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-13
JELKS WILL PRESIDE
RATIFICATION MEETING TO BE HELD IN BIRMINGHAM.
Hon. John B. Knox to Be the Chief Speaker-shelley Will Ask Fer e Division of
 Time.

Birmingham, Oct. 12-(Special.)--Gov ernor Jelks will preside at the big ratifi- cation meeting to be held at the Jefferson Theatre Thursday next. The orator on that occasion will be Hon. John B. Knox, president-of the State Constitutional Con- vention. Governor Jelks will deliver g short address in support of the ratifica- tion of the new constitution after which he will introduce Mir. Knox who will re- view the new constitution in detail setting forth the reasons why 1t should be rati- fled.
 Considerable interest is felt in the meet ing of the State Democratic Campaign Committee which is to be held in this city Monday next. There has been some misunderstanding about the date of this meeting and 1t was positively announced today that 1t will occur on Monday. The committee will take steps looking further to the securing of ratification. The proposition of the standardization com- mittee for a general white primary will come up and it is expected that final answer to it will be determined upon. It is the belief that proposition will not be accepted because the Democratic party as an organization has committed itself to the new constitution too often for there to be any doubt as to where it stands on the matter. It is also the view of the Democratic Campaign Mana ger that General Shelley and his com- mittee are without definite authority to speak for any one except themselves. The anti-ratifications do not claim to speak for the white Republicans and 1t IS pointed out that if general white pri- mary should be held under the Shelley proposition white Republicans would take part in 1t.
 The anti-ratihcationists will organize their campaign in this county Monday next. V. Lee Cowart, a well known law yer, will be at the head of their county committee Mir. Cowart will open head quarters at his ofice opposite the post office. He has not yet announced the personnel of his committee. but 1t is un- derstood that 1t will include several well known labor leaders. The opponents 'f the new constitution will make a strong effort to line up the labor vote against ratification.
 State Superintendent of Education J. W. Abercronibie was at Democratic cam paign headquarters today and expressed the greatest confidence in the eventual re- suit, feeling assured that ratification of the new constitution will win on the ground that the new constitution Is a great improvement over the old one. Mir. Abererombie spoke last night before the Teachers Institute of this county and made a strong argument in course Of his address for the new constitution by point ing out how 1t will benefit the schools. He also showed the evils of the flood of local legislation which has heretofore obtained with the Alabama law making body. He cited the fact that very worthy bill which provided for the pay | ment of public school teachers monthly was defeated at the last session simply because local legislation crowded 1t out in the House after it had passed the Senate and had been favorably reported | to the House. This 1t is proposed undei | the new constitution to obviate.
 General Shelley. chairman of the anti ratification committee, has asked for division of time with Hon. John L. Bur
 nett, Congressman of the Seventh Dis | trict. for Hon. w. T. l.. Cofer Of Gull
 man County. the latter being an opponent | to ratification. No reply has as ye
 been received. General Shelley stated
 today that he will ask for division o
 time at the Jefferson Theatre on Thurs
 day evening next when MT. Knox VII
 speak In this city. If the division l'
 granted. Colonel W. H. Denson may p'
 named to speak against ratification.