The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-31

registrars?
 to the registrars.
 MT. Lowe-Wouid you. say leave your rights to vote to registrars to be ap- pomted by commission from Montgom- cry?
 Mir. O'Neal--Yes. would say that.
 Mir. Lowe--I just wanted that dis tinctly understood.
 Mr. O'Neal--I would say to the reg istrar in the fundamental law that you must permit any soldier who serves honorably, and am willing to trust that registrar to see whether or not that soldier deserved it or not.
 MT. Lowe-Would the gentleman be willing to be tried before jury when he had not right to challenge a jury man? Would you be willing to say that jury system should be establish ed in Alabama that denied to the de- fendant the right to challenge jury-4 man?
 MT. o'Neal--I don't think the case is at all analogous.
 MT. Lowe-Would you be willing to have your right to vote passed upon by three men whom you had no right to challenge. appointed by partisan commission?
 MT. O'Neal-we are not on that question yet This article says if that Board of Registrars deny to a man the right to vote he has right to ap- peal to a court and jury of his peers for vindication. If you abuse that power, if you take advantage of your position to act unjustly and wrongly we open the courts of the land to you for appeal and for redress What more can the gentleman ask than that. we have got to trust somebody. When you go before the Board of County Commissioners or Tax Board do you challenge them? You have no right to challenge you have a right to appeal. MT. President. the day has passed to reopen these old wounds and old sores, this Is the day of reconciliation, day of peace, a day of reconciliation be- tween the sections. The last words Of the great Captain of the North on his dying bed prayed for reconciliation between the sections, the last words that graced his dying lips and gave benediction to his dying hours was peace and good will between the sec- tions, and thank God today we can say to the people of the North in the lan- guage of Webster: Standing hand in hand with hand clasped n hand, we should remain as we have been-clti- zens of the same country, members of the same government-united now and united forever"
 MT. President. I therefore move. in view of these facts to lay the amend ment offered by the gentleman from Montgomery on-the table.
 Upon a vote being taken the amend ment was laid upon the table by a vote of 92 ayes and 10 noes. on division.
 MT. Robinson-I have an amendment to offer.
 The following amendment offered by Mir. Robinson of Chambers was read:
 "Amend Section by inserting after the word upwards in the second line. the following words. 'and those who will become 21 years of age before the 1st day of January. 1905. /" The President-The question will be upon the adoption of the amendment bers.
 Mir Robinson-I am satisfied if this Convention understands that amend ment they will adopt it. I am in fa- vor of this majority report, and want to rub off all the rough places that ap- pear in it. That amendment when in- corporated in this Section will read as follows:
 "sec. 4. The following male citizens of this State, who are citizens of the | United States, q years old or up-
  years of age before the 1st- day of Jan uary, 19o5," shall be registered. 1 Mir. President. that does not extend | this temporary plan. This board Of registrars, if that am mendment is adopt ed, will go out on the 1st day of Jan uary, 1905, and the only effect of that amendment is that the young men who become of age after the 1st day of Jan uary 1903, and who become of age be- fore the first day of January, 1905. shall register before the 1st day of January. 1903. although they cannot vote until they become of age. Now, 'Mr. Presi- dent, this is a remarkable change in the history of suffrage and elections in the | State of Alabama, and the sole pur- pose of that is to give these poor young men who are now IS years of age and who cannot go to school-who are la borers-at least three years to prepare themselves for the permanent plan which provides strictly educational and property qualifications without any conditions to it at all, and the practical effect of that is to let these young men, before they arrive at the age of 21 in 1905. register under this tempo rary plan, where they would not need the stern requirements of an education al qualification. Now, what harm can that do? Can any delegate here raise objection to it? Don't you want to throw the strong arm of protection around these poor young men who have not had the opportunity to go to school? They cannot go to school in the day time and prepare themselves. They must do it at night around the fire that is made of pine knots. Now, that is the simple effect of that amend ment, and there is many father in Alabama who would come under that temporary plan, but, with the stern rule that would cut off his boy, will say, q will vote against a Constitu- tion that does not give my boy the privilege to register when he is not in position to meet the stern rule of this permanent plan"
 That is simply this amendment. He cannot vote under the first Section un- til he becomes 21 years of age. It has been said that he would have four years before the next general election. That is not true. There will be ar election for President of the United State in November,~l9 1904. Every Judge of the Supreme Court, every Judge oi the Circuit Court, every Chancellor, ev- cry Probate Judge, and all the county officers will go out of office in 1904 and we have got to hold an election ir 1904 to fill the places of those men Now, I ask this Committee if they can not extend this provision to take in the poor boy and give him time to ac- quire an educa ton by which he could meet the stern rigors of the rule un-