The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-24

II should admit any portion of this vote ] which we thought ought not, upon principle, to be admitted to the elec- torate, but the discussion that has taken place here inclines me to think | that was mistaken in that, and l am inclined to think that under the plat form, we are obliged to allow those white people of foreign birth, who were qualified voters at the time their declaration was made, to remain dual- | flied voters under this Constitution. and, therefore, 1 think 1t Is the sense of the committee to accept the modHi- cation that has been made by the reso- lution that has been offei ed, but de- sire to offer an amendment providing that if these same people who have declared their intention to become citi- zens of the United States shall fail to become citizens after they have had an | opportunity to do so, that then they shall cease to participate in the elec- torate of this State, and l offer that resolution.
 MT. Sanford (Montgomery)-When it says any white man, didn't 1t have rel erence to citizens of the United States born or naturalized? It could not have reference to men who were not citizehs of this country.
 MT. Smith-As I said, I am not good interpreter of that platform pc, cause I was kicker against It, ana I have taken the interpretation or the gentlemen who feel themselves oouno by it, and they think that every man who could vote at that time was VIII tt | in the meaning of the platform, wneth- ar he had become citizen of the Tinted States or not and l am abiding bv the interpretation that l have re- ceived. su,o,+ | of MT. Smith as follows:
 | "Proyided, that all such foreigners who had declared their intention .o | become citizens of the United otates: !. shall cease to have right 10 Vose U thev shall fail to become citizens or the United States after they are ehtitieo to become such citizens.
 Mir Sanford (Pike)-I would ike to have hoth of the amendments read to- gether.
 The Secretary read the amendments ts as follows: Amend by adding atter inc words United States in the hrst line of Section 1. the following words and every male person or Iorelsn birth who before the adoption or lnis Constitution, may have legally oecia Al, so his intention to become citizen or the Tinted States; provided, that all such foreipners who have declared their m | tent,on to become citizens or the | JTn,ted States, shall cease to nave right to vote if they shall fall 10 oeconie citizens of the United States after they are entitled to become such c1tlzehs'
 Mr. Sanford (Pike)-I am not member of the Committee on sutfrage' but no man in this Convention mas 'h1 question closer to his heart than have. There Is no member on lnis floor who would go as far or further | to nrotact the interests or every wbite man and every black man | in this State than I would. mere is no man in this Convention who wouiu | 20 further to guarantee 10 the PeopiI 1 of Alabama white supremacy tnaii | would, and there is no man Wltnih lhe | sound of my voice who would oe iui tber from disfranchislng any "hile voter of the State of Alabama than he who speaks to you now; but, MT. Pres- ident. the man who is not a citizen or the State of Alabama does not come l within the pledges made by the Demo | cratic party in their conventions that have preceded this Convention. Wi, admit that upon first blush, IL occurreo to me that the amendment offered by the gentleman from Jefferson was tne | proper thing to do. That, pe:haps' u | would be wise, to incorporate It III our organic law, but we have no more rlgnt to extend the right of franchise to men who are not citizens of the state or | Ala bama-- -
 MT. Sanford (Montgomery)-And of the United States.
 Mr Samford Pike)-And who lived
 within it's borders, than to those who own property here and live on the out side of its borders.
 MT, Lowe (Jefferson)-Will the gen. tleman permit an interruption
 
 will: I beg pardon; l will permit the interruption.
 MT Lowe-I want to ask the gentle man if there is such thing in the plat form changing any provision or the Constitution regulating the rlsht or white man. 1 ask the gentleman m that connection, if the proposition of the committee does not alter the exist ing Constitution as to the right Of white man to vote! .,...
 MT. Sanford (Pike)-No man in this Convention would be further from v1o- lating a pledge of the Democratic par ty with reference to the sui frape than I would be, but when I say that, I mean the intent and spirit of the platform, and not It's letter-not necessarily its letter. There can be no good reason why men Wno are of foreign birth. who have come to l o1r friendly shores. ana WHo HdNC Ci
 gagged in our manufactures, engaged Tn
 Working out mines for the dollars and
 cents that come to them, should be
 nermitted to participate in our repuo- iican forms of government before they have learned the alphabet of repuo- lican form of government. There is no
 sense in placing the elective franchlse
 in the hands of 8 man who has not
 become familiar, either by education
 or by study or by having it instllled into him from his youth up-I say tnere
 is no reason why man who has no' become educated to republican form of government should have the rlgnI
 of exercising this two-edged sword. lie owes no obligation nor allegiance to
 this people, he owns no property Tn thls State. he has no sympathy, perhaps,
 with the great destiny of this people, and vet. forsooth, we give him the
 right of casting ballot which has been
 said to be a two-edged sword, and cuts
 on both sides. l. for one. am not will
 ing to incorporate in Our organic law
 a clause that will give to people of an
 entirely different view of government
 the right to exercise the franchise and
 assist in maintain this government un-
 til they have at least had few years
 in which to consider our forms Of gov
 ernment. It may be true that at the
 present time there are comparatlVely
 few of these citizens within our bord-
 CTS, It may be true that for the pres
 ent they are confined to few hun
 dred in the magnificent county or Jef-