The age-herald., 1901-04-23
Opposition Have Formed a
 Solid PhaIanx NEGRO VOTE WILL BE HEAVY Advocates of New Constitution
 Are Still Confident MANY SPEECHES MADE LAST NIGHT Republicans Have Taken Advantane of the Democratic Apathy and Quietly Gone About Work to
 Defeat the Movement.

The Republicans have thoroughly or ganized the negroes in Jefferson County. and instructed them to go to the polls today and vote against the constitutional convention. This work of organization has been going on for several weeks past, but the Democrats did not realize the magnitude of the opposition movement until yesterday.
 When the speakers who had been sent to the nearby precincts to speak last night. returned to Democratic headquarters they brought back with them the news of this organized opposition. The Republicans have declined to discuss the political situ- ation since their ticket was put in the field three or four weeks ago, dismissing all efforts to get interviews with them with the statement that there would b5 some startling developments later on.
 Solid PhaIanx.
 Tn the light of the information received at Democratic headquarters last night. it would appear that these developments were to be in the nature of a solid pha- lanx of negroes at the polls today to cast their votes against the constitutional con- ventfon.
 The Republicans have taken advantage of the apparents apathy of the Democrats relative to the convention and gone quietly about their work of organizing their forces to defeat it.
 A number of meetings have been held recently. according to information ob- tained by an Age-Herald reporter from other than Democratic sources. at which the negroes were drilled in the way the Republican leaders wanted them to vote. These meetings have been brought about quietly and ended in the same way.
 After hearing these reports from the outlying precincts last night the Demo- cratic campaign committee determined to get out the fullest possible Democratic vote today.
 Democrats Urged to Vote.
 Every Democrat in Jefferson County is urged to go to the polls and vote for tho convention and for the Democratic nomi- nees.
 In the cities of Birmingham and Besse- mer only those persons who registered for the last general election or have since become qualified voters can vote in the election today. This law applies to the ; cities in the State with 5000 or more popu- lation.
 At the four voting places in Birming- ham the polls will open between and o'clock this morning and close promptly at o'clock in the afternoon.
 There will be two voting places in each of the city beats as follows:
 Beat 21-At the court house and at 2oe South Twenty-second street.
 Beat g-In Third alley opposite the city jail and at the outhside fire depart ment.
 Speeches were made in Jefferson Coun- ty last night at the following places:
 At Pratt City by Congressman O. ". Underwood and Sterling A. Wood
 At Vivian by Solicitor Charles ". Ferguson and Attorney General Charles G. Brown.
 At Ensley by Judge W. H. Stanley and V Lee Cowart.
 At Brookside by. c. P. Beddow.
 John w. O'Neill one of the Democratic nominees for delegate to the Constitu- tional Convention, has been disignated as a special committee of one to see that the business men of the city vote in the cleo tion today.
 James weatherly, one of the Democrats ic nominees, spoke at a big Democratic rally in Mobile last night.
 Capt. Frank s. White spoke at Cullman last night.
 The following are the Democratic nomi- nees to the Constitutional Convention to represent Jefferson County: c. P. Bed dow. Charles W. Ferguson. T. J. Corn wall. James weatherly. H. c. Selheimer and John w. ONeill.
 There are ffty-fve Democratic nomi- nees from the State at large to be voted for at every precinct in the State