The age-herald., 1901-02-27

Aee-Herald Bureau, 509 Fourteenth St.,
 N W, Washington, February S.-(Spe-
 cial. )-The prospective adoption by the
 State of Alabama of a constitution that
 will eliminate the negro as factor in
 the politics of that State-the lines fol-
 lowing those of some other southern
 states in disfranchlsing the negro by pro-
 v1ding an educational qualification,
 which does not apply to illterate white
 men, makes the future of the Republican
 party in that State of not little interest
 At present the party there Is divided in-
 to factions, whose chief object in life
 is to secure federal patronage, AS a re-
 suit the party has not made the progress
 it might, although there was something
 of growth of the Republican vote there
 during the last election, several counties
 going Republican that had not before.
 The factionalism in Alabama has been
 very unsatisfactory to the national party
 managers. The President has been quite
 disgusted with it, and the leading mem
 bers of the Republican National Commit
 tee have been harrassed by it. It had
 been suggested that the President would
 be well advised if he simply overlooked
 the claims of the waring factions and se- lected gold Democrats of good repute to fill federal offices as they became va cant In fact. 1t has been said, on excel lent authority, that this was really de-
 termined upon.
 In this connection the probable dis franchisement of the Alabama negro Is
 of interest. Several prominent Repub- licans, one of them from Alabama, have suggested that the elimination of the ne-
 gro as political factor in Alabama, re- gardless of the views of the Republicans
 throughout of the country, might hold as
 to Its unfairness and unconstitutionality
 and offer an opportunity for rejustment
 and revivifying and recognizing the par ty so as to make it an important instru-
 ment in that State.
 With the negro out of consideration there, it has been argued that the white men, who are in sympathy with the Re- publican party's policy on finance and
 with it's general attitude on national questions, but who have not allied them
 selves with 1t because of the prominence
 of the negro, might now join the Repub- licans. It has been held that the appoint ment of Gold Democrats of undoubted character and standing in their commun- tiles, would have much influence on lay
 ing the foundations for a new Republican
 party in Alabama The President has for
 some time been very optimistic in his views as to the future of the Republican
 party in the south
 It partly for that raocop +bot I,o deprecated the propesd reduction of Southern representation because of the dlstranchlsement of negroes, and it was
 his attitude that prevented serious at- tempt from being made in Congress to reduce Southern representation. The
 President believes that with the indus trial growth of the South and that Ala bama has been remarkable there will be decided drift toward Repubicanism. He has appreciated that the prominence of
 the negro question and the prejudice that
 naturally survived the civil war have seriously interfered with the growth of Republicanism in the South, but he has always been hopeful of the future of Re- publicanism there.
 With the negro question out of the way in Alabama, and with care in the selec- ton of gold Democrats, who sympathize with the administration on other ques- tions, it is certainly possibility for the l Republican party In Alabama to increase In number and influence and ultimately to | be given serious consideration, even If | 1t does ot become even more powerful | politically. This may be a dream. but | same clear-headed men have given it se- | rious consideration.