The age-herald., 1901-05-18
Alabama Statesman Discusses the Coming COnstitu-
 tonaI Convention
A GODSEND ID THE STATE
Incubus of Ignorance and Vice Must Bs Eliminated From the Politics of Alabama-Will Be Done
 With Wisdom.

Washington. May 17.-(special.) )-Sena- tor John T. Morgan gave out today an in- terview touching upon the work of the Alabama constitutional convention.
 His statement is frank and direct, and will attract attention in the north as well as the south. He says:
 "The constitutional convention of Ala bama, which will meet next week, will be a representative assemblage of the best citizenship of the State It will be composed of 155 delegates, all from un- official life. Men of standing in profess sional and business life, lawyers. mer- chants, bankers and farmers.
 This convention will be capable of determining what is best for the family of citizens composing the State. This action will not be influenced by the con- sideration of what may advance the in- terests of the democratic party; the ques- tion Is not one of party, but involves ad- ministrative integrity and the character of the State The convention meets to relieve the State of an incubus of ignor- ance and vice; to eliminate an element composed of men who have neither char acter, intelligence, capacity, sense of re- sponsibility, patriotism nor loyalty to any obligation. The action of the con- vention must accord with the require ments of the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the federal constitution them; but this incubus, this corpse, must be shaken from our back and I believe 1t will be done with wisdom and justice to the State.
 'T believe that a majority of the peo- pie of the United States will sympathize with and approve of what the State has done when 1t Is accomplished. T do not want to go into discussion complish what they will assemble for: but there is not the shadow of a doubt that, without doing violence to the four teenth and fifteenth amendments to the Aeuerdi coHStituliol, the ignorant, 1rre- sponsble incapable and unpatriotic ele- ment will be deprived of the power to participate, to it's detriment in the ad- ministration of the affairs of the State. And by this action true liberty and re- publican institutions will be strengthened and restored to the full character of man hood"
 Effect on Politics.
 ''How will politics be affected by the elimination of the negro?" was asked
 With the Democrats of Alabama De- mocracy Is a creed. It was born into the territory of a passed century; 1t has grown up in the State; 1t enters into the formation of character by inheritance. education, temperament and bent of philosophy; this creed form a part of the character of our people. The idea re- gently advanced that the elimination of the negro is going to give birth to new Republican party in the south Is not based on an understanding of the reaf sentiments of our people. It is assumed that we are coopered together by fhs negro question, brass-bound with hoops tightly clinched, and that when the negro is removed the slaves will shrink, the hoops fall off and the whole thing go to pieces.
 "The intelligent of Alabama vcte their convictions know of no man who is Democrat merely on account of the negro. There some Republicans who vote with us on State matters, for re- spectability's sake, and for the protec- tion of their families and their business, but they vote the Republican national ticket and maintain their party loyalty. The elimination of the negro will enable these men to vote for Republican State officers without sacrificing their self-re- spect. Democrats will still be Democrats and Republicans still Republicans. The Democracy of Alabama is based on rea- son. Is matter of political philosophy. It has certain definite creed, as a re- ligion, and our people do not look with favor upon any departure from-it wheth- CT it be toward the doctrines of the Re- .publicans or of Popuiists or any other not strictly and to the letter Democrats. They are extremely sensitive in their faith.
 ''The vote for MT. Bryan fell off in Alabama at the recent Presidential elec- ton, ana that IS easily accounted Tor. n was not they did not like Mir. Bryan, or that they doubted his sincerity, but many thought that he wanted to ingraft into the creed something that had not been there before. something that was not Democratic, but was designed to render the creed acceptable to those who were not Democrats whom he would make his allies. There were some who would not accept this even from MT. Bryan, who thought they could see MT. Bryan standing with one foot on the platform of Democracy and one foot in the mud. Democrats who thought this remained at home and dm notv
 Among such people you may not look