The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-15
VOICE FROM THE TOMB
EX-GOVERNOR JOHNSTON Is-
 SUES A STATEMENT.
Says the Majority Claimed for the Ratification Was Brought About Through Fraud-A Wreck
 on the Southern.

Birmingham, Nov. H.-(Special.)- l.)-There but but few additional returns received here today from the election held Mon- day. The headquarters of the State Democratic Campaign Committee closed up last afternoon and the information that was given out today was that the late returns which were coming to hand did not change materially reports made heretofore. At the headquarters of the standardization committee it was an- nounced that General Shelley was in Montgomery. Former Governor Joseph F. Johnston was in the headquarters and this afternoon he gave out the following statement:
 Birmingham, Ala. Nov. I 1901.
 Ratifiers claim 27,000 majority; they have closed up their headquarters, ceased to give out any details. and, like the Arab, have silently stolen away.
 Let us see where this 27.ooo majority Is to come from, and who is expected to furnish it:
 Der of white and colored men in each county over 2 years old; I give below what the census discloses as to certain counties:
 Barbour County, majority of negro vot- CTS. 1.2S9, majority claimed for ratifica- tion. 1000; Clarke, 422, claimed for ratifi- cation. 1922; Dallas, 7.346, claimed for rdlIHCdtlOn STGPne, o,9ff. C1diTeu for ratification 1.00o Hale, 39a5, claimed for ratification 1000; Macon, 2,736, claimed majority for ratification 1000; Marengo. 4,o03. claimed majority for ratification 1,500; Monroe. 251 claimed majority for ratification 800; Montgomery, 5,9SS claim ed majority for ratification 3,5Oo: Perry, S,429, claimed majority for ratification. 5000: Pickens. 436. claimed majority for ratification 150; Russell, 2.4O6. claimed ma A q claimed majority for ratification 5000; Wilcox, 4.25S. claimed majority for rati- fcation 3,000.
 Negro majorities. 4S.S77; ratification ma jority. 27.199
 These figures show that, If the grossest frauds were not perpetrated, of these 43,- ST negro majorities in these counties, 35,- 53s voted to disfranchise themselves, and only s,339 voted against ratification, leav- ing the majority S,1s9 claimed for ratifi- cation in these counties and in the State.
 And yet those advocating ratification have the effrontery to say that in the white counties the negroes voted against ratification.
 The majority claimed for ratification is exactly this shown in the counties named above. and was claimed the day before the election and the day after the election when no human being could know.
 W Hat WOuiu iIdhe HtSTO III DdlldS vote to disfranchise himself when he might have some hope of office by reason of his numbers. and In DeKalb vote against it. without such hope, Is an un- fathomable mystery.
 The Booker Washington incident seems to be the only explanation offered to con- solidate the negro vote in the black belt for qualification.
 But let us go little further and ex- IN.. oIoiyx ed for ratification
 Chambers, negro voters 3,3S0, white vot- CTS 3.457, ratification majority 5000; Tal- ladega, negro voters 3,s17 white voters 3.990, ratification majority 1884.
 So we see in these two sample counties where all the inspectors and clerks were and where there is a white ma jority of exactly 250. that some 4.000 ne- groes must have ratified for white su- premacy and honest elections
 Every sane man knows that these ma iorities, aggregating 31.000, are fraudu- lent on their face, and yet, without them the new Constitution Is defeated in every other county in the State but four or | i've by some 30.000 majority.
 What honest white man wants a Con- | stitution -epudiated by q majority of | O.Oo0 white men, imposed upon the State 1y the fraudulent count of negroes votes hat were never cast?
 What honest man who stands for fair elections can forever damn his record " indorsing and affirming such unpar- lleled and unbushing fraud.
 Can the white men of the Black Belt, whose chief security is in the numbers. he sympathy and good will of the white nen in the hills and mountains afford o give them mortal offense?
 Is white supremacy to be secured by nd rest upon negro votes in the Black Belt?
 Certainly those favoring ratification ave had fair chance. theV started | ut with a handsome campaign fund and eplenished it. they had the active aid f every State official; they had both enators and every Congressman: they ad all the sheriffs but five or six. and
 vast majority of Probate Judges and Jerks: they usurped the Democratic orr anization; they had several hundred ewspapers and nearly all the lawyers. nd over 100 speakers on the stump; on ur side we had no campaign fund. but tx newspapers in all the State. and ourths of the white counties roll up D.000 majority against ratification.
 Was there ever such a victory of the eople against money and official power nd influence and ability and organiza- ion?
 It Is a victory that happily demon trates the ability of the Anglo Saxon 0 stand against all odds, unterriied and esolute and ready to fight again and gain.
 Is 1t not a good time for men assum- lg leadership and hoping for preferment 0 pause. to hesitate?
 Is unblushing fraud to be rebuked now. r destroyed hereafter with all its apolo- ists and defenders?
 Can any decent man rejoice over any l ictory obtained by methods he dare not dvocate and cannot defend?
 Can political ambition defy all decency, ide rough over the white people, hreaten the peace and endanger the onor and progress and glory of our 
 Joseph F. Johnston. It Is not denied in the headquarters the anti-ratIficationsts that it Is the mention of keeping up the organization l nd a meeting is to be held in this city ' ne last week in the month. There Is ope in the anti-ratificatlon headquar- ITS that the official returns which will ! e given out on Saturday will not show le majority for raflhcat tion as claimed 1 v Congressman Underwood I
 Wreck on the Southern. A wreck occurred this morning at 10:30 clock at Powderly on the Alabama ! treat Southern Railroad and an un- l nown white man. who was riding the ' uss rods under freight car was crush to death The journals under the car ] roke while the train was in motion and ! lree cars were totally destroyed and wen others derailed The white man