The age-herald., 1901-07-25
Some of the Big Guns Have Opened Tire on the GraRd-
 father Clause SEVERAL SPEECHES MADE
delegates Are Allowed a Half Hour Each for Discussion and Some times Get More by General Con-
 sent-More Amendments.
BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.

Montgomery. July Special )-Oratory Is now the order of the day in the con vention and some of the big guns have opened fire. The grandfather clause is the casus belli and speeches for and against 1t were heard today.
 Those who spoke in its favor were Judge Walker of Madison. who made an able speech, and Messrs ONeal of Lau- derdale and Hefin of Randolph.
 Those who opposed the grandfather clause were Governor Oates. MT. Dent of Barbour, MT. Freeman of Winston, who Is Republican, MT. Banks of Russell and MT. Lowe of Jefferson, who pleaded for fair elections.
 Delegates have half hour each to dis cuss the question. and in addition they are frequently given more time by general consent. All of tomorrow will be spent in speech-making. Among others who will speak will be Captain White and MT. Weather1y
 Convention Opens.
 The fifty-third days session of the con- stitutional convention was called to order at 9:90 o'clock by President Knox. A prayer was offered by Rev. MT. Andrews. Roll call showed 107 member present. The committee on journal reported it was cor rect.
 General Sanford of Montgomery arose to question of personal privilege and corrected a statement made In the Mont gomery Advertiser as to his remarks on the Beddow amendment adopted yester- day.
 MT. Chapman of Sumter moved to re- consider the vote by which section and the, Beddow amenmdent were adopted yesterday.
 Judge Coleman of Greene said it was impossible to comprehend the full mean ing of the adopted amendment by nasty reading and that the amendment ought to be carefully studied, and he moved to postpone the further consideration of the motion to reconsider. This was done.
 The roll was then called to enable dele- gates to introduce ordinances.
 MT. Davis of Etswah introduced a res- olution to have printed a thousand cop les of Judge Colemans speech, made yes- aerday in introducing the suffrage ar ticle. The rules were suspended to vote on this resolution. MT. Pettus moved to amend by having 2OOO copies printed. This was lost and the original resolution adopted.
 Mir O'Neill of Jefferson introduced a resolution to the effect that the legisla- ture may provide for electors at gener- al election expressing their choice for United States Senator.
 motion to suspend the rules that this resolution might be put on it's passage was lost. It was referred to the com mittee on legislative department
 MT Williams of Marengo introduced a petition from citizens of Marengo Coun- ty, asking that the railroad commission CTS be elected by the people and given plenary powers.
 Suffrage Article.
 The Convention then took up the arti- cle on suffrage. Section of this article which contained the grandfather clause, was under consideration at the hour of adjournment yesterday. This read as follows:
 Sec. 4. The following male citizens of this State who are citizens of the Uni- ted States, 21 years old or upwards, who if their places of residence shall remain unchanged. will have, at the date of the next general election, the qualifications as to residence prescribed in Section 2 of this article, and who are not disqual- flied under Section of this article shall upon pplication, be entitled to register as electors prior to the first day of Jan uary, 1908, namely:
 i. All who have honorably served in the land or naval forces of the United States in the war of 1S12.. or in the war with Mexico, or in any war with the h. dians. or in the Civil war between the States. or in the war with Spain. or who honorably served in the land or naval forces of the Confederate States. or of the Stae of Alabama in the war between the States; or
 ?. The lawful descendants of persons who honorably served in the land or na- val forces of the United States in the war