The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-03


 equally patriotic, we are attempting to do our duty as citizens--why am I reoC.. d to pay one dollar and fifty cents and my brother exempt from 1t? The only answer you can give is, that your brother was born two years before you were. That. gentlemen of the Con- vention. will never be a satisfactory answer to the proposition that we are now putting before the people.
 Mir. Rogers fSumter)--I would like to ask the gentleman from Pike. why adopt any age for pol! tax. why say to the man after forty-f1vs that he should not pay and to another man that he should pay 1t. Answer that question.
 MT. Sanford CPike)--I am coming to that now. recognize the difficulty that We are laboring under, and that Is that we. have adopted a poll taa system to eliminate a certain class of the vicious and illiterate from the fran chise in this State. further recognize the fact that it is absolutely essential to the furtherance of that plan, that the age limit should be rai Sed tu sixty years in order to cover the whole peo- pie. and I am In favor of raising the limit to sixty years. hut l am not in favor of discriminating against the class who are now under forty Ave years of age. There is no reason in it, there is no good sense in if. there Is no good Judgment in 1t. The gentle. man from Tuscaloosa feel. misrep- resented the white people of this State when he says that they will resent the raising of the age limit. believe that the vast maJority-and place the plane of patriotism of the white people or this State upon higher standard than does the gentleman from Tusca- loosa. Every man knows that this money when 1t Is collected goes into the coffers of the public school fund, every poor man knows that when he pays his one dollar and half he gets, three, four. five ar six fold what he put into 1t, he knows he gets the benefit from the taxes raised upon the prop- erty of the rich man. he knows he gets the benefit of the taxes raised from i,hc property of the great corporations. he knows that every liberal minded man in this State whether he be high or low, rich or poor, desires to educate his children and the children of the poor white peorie of this State. submit to the Convention. In my section, in the wire grass section. where we are cul- tivating the poorest lands in the State, and where we have high class nf civ- ilization. I submit to this Convention that every white man is willing >to contribute one dollar and fifty cents towards tho education If the children of the State. I am opposed to dis elimination in anything. We are here to eliminate. as has been said by tho gentleman from Lauderdale. the ignor- ant and vicious voter. This commit tee composed of twenty-five patriotic. unselflsh and sensible men have evolv- ed a plan. the basis Of which is the collection of poll tax. Stop at forty five years and half of thetr Iabors have been for naught. Raise If to sixty years, and I tell yoI. as the gen-\ tleman from Laudersiale said, when this question is put plainly and simply and without any endorsing or without any frlls and furbelows Of Oratory and talk to tho plain people, it d plain manner, they will endorse your actior. But if you go back with ] plan haf made. go back with plan that updn its face is a dodge, It's very appearante being to dodge what some members of this Conventions conceive tn be pledge not to raise inc tax limit. they will repudiate your actions, and will not appreciate your labors. appeal to this Convention to meet this nHt- ter in a manly way to place the statd-
  that we should do this in order to eliminate and gain the great ends tor which we were convened. Ler us fix the age limit at sixty years, ist IF tix 1t so that every man who Is a c!ttzenof this State shall be required If he pt"- ticipates in our republican form of gtv- ernment, to contribute me;hing t,- wards the education oI the citIza,a who are to follow him and take up the burdens of the State.
 Mir. O'Neal-Will the gentleman d. low me to interrupt him? Here is the census showing males 21 years old and over who can read and write in Greefs County. There are only S07 native l.264 negroes who can read and writt. 8 the negroes pre- redomlnate under this reading and writing clause.
 Mf. Lowe Jefferson)-Wil the gen. tleman from Lauderdale permit q ques- ton?
 The President-The gentleman is out of order unless the gentleman from Pike yields.
 Mir Lowe (JeffersonJ-Does the gen. lcman from Lauderdale think we are egislating here
 The President pro tem-The gentle m m from Jefferson is out of order un- ess the gentleman from Pike yelds.
 MT. O'Neal-We are legislating for .he whole State
 The President pro tem-The gentle- man from Lauderdale is out of order.
 M.'. Sanford (Plke)-No man in this doubts that every delega'e lpol this floor is using his utmost udgment and his utmost patriotism o Ilctect not cnly the men who are Had in purple and fine linen. but they Ire doing everything in their power = ,lottot the interests of the poor man n A& bama as well. There Is not d delegate upon this floor, within my who is here for selfish ,f us to take hold of these questions n a patriotic manner, having the in- ereStS of the citizens in view and fear 10 wrong, and when we have lsIsr- aimed what is right to do. ani e; t,le 'ohs equenCe take care rf Itselt. and ct the people take care If our 7r;s
 MT. Reese--I have been asked by one }. the most intelligent citizens knew. his question, "Is i. not apparent on he part of soma that some of tho white countics--"
 MT. Samtord (P.kel-I will ask the gentleman just one moment to let me cad what I would submit in case ;ei ar opportunity.
 The Presiden- pro tem-Does the gen leman yield?
 Mir. Reese-Tes.
 Mir. Samford-Under the rulings oi he Chair 1t cannot be offered now. but n case the opportunity is offered me
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