The age-herald., 1901-09-19
Gives Reasons for Opposing The Measure In a
 Signed Statement
SAYS SUFFRAGE PLAN IS BAD
Opposes Creation of So Many New Officials and Declares Document Is Complex, Prolix and
 Ambiguous.


 given the Age-Herald signed statement
 declaring that he will oppose the ratifica-
 tion of the new constitution. The ex-Gov-
 ernor discusses the matter at some length
 in the following card:
 To the Editor of the Age-Herald:
 So many citizens have requested my
 views. on the constitution proposed that
 I have given that instrument careful
 study and now give my conclusions to
 them through the press.
 The constitutional convention, in conn
 pliance with resolution of the last Dem
 ocratic state convention, has submitted
 the result of it's work to the electors of
 the state for their approval or rejection.
 To submit and at the same time command
 Democrats how they should vote would
 have been breach of faith, and have in-
 cured an unnecessary and wasteful ex-
 pense; for all know that a considerable
 majority of our voters are Democrats.
 This was the view taken generally by the
 public press and ratified by the Demo- cratic state committee, who refused to declare 1t a party question, and voted down, by a large majority, a resolution declaring that the new constitution was excellent and should be supported by Democrats" So that every Democrat
 has the recognized right, as he should
 have to vote aye or nay as his judg-
 ment approves. So far, of the four sur viving candidates for the Democratic
 nomination for Governor last year, two
 have already declared their purpose to oppose, and another Is known to have
 been strongly opposed to one feature Tn
 the new constitution.
 Complex. ProIlx and Ambiguous. The constitution proposed is complex. prolix and ambiguous. It neither secures honest elections nor white supremacy. Its suffrage plan is bad. It authorizes the | creation of a large number of new offices, and curtails no unnecessary expense. It
 endangers the public credit and does not | adequately provide for the common | schools. If adopted it will prevent for many years any substantial reform that | is necessary
 | The suffrage plan is double. There is a | temporary and a permanent plan, and strange to say, the temporary plan puts | man on the voting list practically for | life, and provides for hereditary suffrage l The temporary plan only operates during
 next year Q902). It provides in substance | that no one can vote next year ip the | state and national election except. First | soldiers and their descendants. Second persons of good character "who under | stand the duties and obligations of citi- Zenship under republican form of gov | ernment." No other persons than these | can vote next year; and 1t must be re- | membered that this favored class will | elect State officers and a Legislature to hold office for four years. And this fa- vored class is to be chosen by four reg | istrars, appointed by three state officials | Gall candidates for office in that election) No Standard Provided.
 No standard of character or understand | ing is provided and no provision is made | as to the character or quantity of evi- | dence that citizen must produce in or | der to be registered. It Is left wholly to | the discretion of this board, acting judi | cially. Whether an old soldier can be l enrolled on his own oath. or whether he | will be required to produce one or more l comrades who were actually with him ir | the army, or>whether his father or grand | father, Is left wholly to conjecture, and | to the diverse and unrestrained discre- | cretion of sixty-six boards in as many | counties. If he is denied registration he | can appeal to the Circuit Court, where | the solicitor Is required to oppose him and he must employ counsel and procure | evidence to establish his right. As only | about ninety days elapse between the close of the registration and the election his appeal can hardly be tried.
 An eminent southerner once declared | that discretion has been said to be the | law of the tyrant, and when exercised un- I der color of law, and under the influence | of party dictation, 1t will become a ter | rible and insufferable despotism."
 | No machine more dangerous to liberty | or more subversive of the fundamental | principles of a democratic republican gov | ernment can be conceived than board | appointed by central power, to decide | who shall and who shall not vote in any l county Other devices are infant abortions | compared with this Ieviafhan of irrespon-
 sible and unregulated power.
 Declared Unconstitutional. | The provision authorizing soldiers and | their descendants to vote has been de- | clared unconstitutional or un-American by our two Senators. by two ex-Gover- | nors, and other able lawyers; even the | committee reporting 1t must have had l doubts for they reported provision au- l thorizing the Legislature to remedy, If | any court should declare any clause un- | constitutional; and this was the only l clause questioned. l If Democrats differ. what will Repub- l lican court decide?
 | Should this clause be struck down. as | think it will. the old Confederates and 1 their sons will be put in line with thoss | who can read and write or are property | owners, before they can vote. Not one or | the pension list could register and vote | under the property clause. When thast men started to the front in 1861, no ont I I 1kA A.