The age-herald., 1901-01-29
To Nominate Candidates to the Constitutional Convention CHAIRMAN LOWE RESIGNS Robert H. Thach Elected as His Suc- cessor-Some Opposition to the
 Plan as Adopted-The
 Proceedings


 son County, will be nominated by a con- vention to be held in Birmingham March H. the executive committee making an or der to this effect yesterday The delegates to the county convention will be selected by the respective beats in a primary elec- tion to be held on March g., in accordance with the directions of the State commit tee
 Robert J. Lowe rendered his resignation as chairman of the County Democratic Elk ecutive committee at the meeting held yes terday, and Robert H. Thach was elected to fill the vacancy thus created. MT. Lowe in rendering his resignation stated that his private duties were of such character that it would be impossible for him to give the proper attention the approaching campaign would require, and for that reason he felt compelled to sever his connection with the executive committee. During his two terms as chairman of the committee, MT. Lowe has discharged the duties with uniform courtesy and firmness, and carries with him in his retirement the good will and es- teem of every member of the committee.
 MT. Thach. who succeeds MT. Lowe as
 
 young lawyers in Birmingham, and a man of much ability. He has served on the Con- gressional committee for a number of years and is a member of the City Council, being one of the Aldermen from the Seventh Ward. He is a member of the law firm of Garrett, Underwood & Thach.
 The only discordant feature about the meeting of the committee yesterday arose over the adoption of that portion of the sub-committees report ordering a conven- tion to select candidates. There were sev eral speeches made in opposition to this feature of the report, and on it's adoption Dr. M. c. Ragsdale from beat l. Williams, withdrew from the meeting and declined to participate further in the proceedings.
 The Meeting.
 Chairman Robert J. Lowe called the com mittee to order in the room occupied by the second division of the City Court at 12:40 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and on roll call the following members of the com- mittee were found to be present: Chairman Robert J. Lowe, Secretary Robert A. Mor- ris, Beat 1, M. c. Ragsdale; Beat g. D. w. Houston; Beat T. J. A. Bell; Beat g, Bird Hill and A. B. Perdue; Beat 10, N. A. Bar | reLI, SeaC 1Z, J. 6. 1fltl, bSdl ii, q. L Clayton Beat IT, J. P. Reed; Beat IS, J. R. Tate and P.1J. Stith; Beat 19, c. l.. Smith, proxy for c. K. Clayton; Beat 2O A. J. Heron; Beat 21. Henry R. Howze, J. H. McCory and D. D. Courson; Beat 22 J. A. Harrison Beat 25, s. F. Cunningham; Beat 27, J. J. Waldrop; Beat 2s. T. M. Tate; Beat a9, J. B. Aird, proxy for George W. Brown, and John Harkns; Beat 30 A. w. Nichols; Beat 31, W. H. Duke: Beat 8, Philip Erlic, proxy for S. Lefkovitz, and E. A. Little; Beat 34, W. R. Starbuck and M. F. Wood; Beat 35; c. c. Rogers; Beat 37 John G. Bradley, D. R. Copeland Wal ter L. Kelley Pat O'Hare and Harry Jones; Beat 3S, V. Womack; Beat 42. J. l.. Cole; Beat A. o. D. Williams, proxy for T. w. Riddle; Beat 45, Joe Edwards. On motion of J. H. McCary a committee of three consisting of J. H. McCary of Bir- mingham, M. F. Wood of Woodlawn and Bird Hill of Elyton, was appointed on proxies. On. the return of the committee it reported the following proxies correct: c. l. Smith, proxy for c. K. Clayton of Palos; J. B. Aird, proxy for G. W. Brown of Pratt City; Philip Erlick proxy for Sam Lefko- vitz of Bessemer; John G. Bradley, proxy for D. R. Copeland of beat 37, Birmingham: o D. Williams proxy for T. W. Riddle of Huffman. The report was adopted.
 On motion of J. R. Tate of Brookside, P. J. Smith was seated as member of the committee from beat IS.
 Purpose of Meeting.
 After the adoption of the report of the committee on proxies, Chairman Lowe stated that the committee had been called together for the purpose of making arrange ments for the selection of candidates for delegates to the State Constitutional Con- vention and to select delegates to represent Jefferson Couny in the State convention of the Democratic party to be held on March 1s. He explained the manner in which can- didates for delegates to the constitutional convention are to be elected, and then said:
 "Gentlemen of the Committee: congratu- late you that you have been called from your business to serve the State on this oc- casion. When the agitation for constitut- tional convention began eight or ten years ago few took part in it. Those few were inspired by desire to enfranehise the peo- pie of Alabama, to purify the ballot and to give every Caucasian the privilege of ex- pressing his choice of candidates and meas ures at the ballot box. I am not here to say anything against the methods that have prevailed for they have been as fair as conditions would permit them to be; they have been as fair as those in any other State in this country; North or South. This discussion has grown out of @ conviction that a change must be effected and has been added on the ground of no selfish de. sire. It was never intended that the Gen. eral Assembly should call constitutional convention; the leaders of the movement wanted the people to have 2 chance to vote on the question.
 "I congratulate you that in this good year of our Lord the question fs left with the people to decide-lsft for the people of