The age-herald., 1901-07-26
GRANDFATHER CLAUSE E STILL MAIN TOPIC
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were no better entitled to vote than oth- CTS. The majority assumed that the white race exercised the ballot rightly, but the Supreme Court of the United States might assume that the negro had exercised 1t rightly. The majority of the committee did not have that confidence in their off, spring that parents usually have They have made shroud out of its swaddling clothes. He pictured scene of the plans funeral with the majority marching along singing, 'T will show you the way" see myself in the funeral procession, said Captain White, but I am not related to the deceased (great laughter). Mississippi took the understanding clause and North Carolina the grandfather clause, yet we have taken both, One is surely unneces: sary, and why burden ourselves with 1t? The Republicans in Ohio. under the dio- tatorship of Mark Hanna, are now clam bring for Federal interference in the South Can we afford toDpare our rep resentaaion' in Congress and the electoral | college?. The Republicans are waiting now until the trap Is full, when they will strike a blow at the whole South which the Democratic party will feel. You law yers know what will be the effect of fraud in the scheme. Here his time expired.
 MT. Weatherly Speaks
 
 the suffrage committee and one who sup ported he majority report, he felt it his duty to state his reasons for doing so.
 The object of the plan was to create a reform in the suffrage far-reaching in It's character and based upon the hope that eventually under its operation our peo- pie might be completely restored to ideally harmonious relations with the nation, of which we are part In years we have not been in touch with l the nation upon the question of negro suffrage. Alabama, exercising a revolu- 1 tionary right has decreed that the | fifteenth amendment insofar as it shall in- clude all of the negro race. shall not be | in force in Alabama. By force and by fraud its provisions have been annulled 1 and as always happens when those methods have been resorted to, other evils have followed. We feel that we cannot perpetually decree this annulment by such methods. There is no dissent among our people as to the fourteenth amendment, although for twenty-six years the negro has been denied the right to vote. One has been discorded and the other maintained. He has always beer given his civil rights. We are in accord l with the national government except up on this one proposition. We will never assent to the proposition that becaus, he Is a negro he must vote whether he 1!
 
 What are we here for? Not to purif, the ballot or eliminate the negro only, bu we are here to put on a permanent basi. the elements which will hold our civilfza tion together and to restore Alabama tS her true relation to the federal govern ment.
 Insofar as the negro shows that he 1. inexperienced we want 1t fixed in our law that he shal lbe disqualified from voting We want to hold out to the people of Ala bama the hope that all fears of future disturbances on account of the negro art banished.. We want to be fully and com pletely restored as an integral part o the most majestic government that eve lived upon the face of the earth. (Ap plause.)
 We are trained in the art of self govern ment and knaw that an ideal condition cannot be obtained in a real and practice. situation. What is the situation at pres ent? The white men all voters and tn negro never having voted freely and of hi own volition. Our plan to regulate tn suffrage must be ratified and approved b the electors and we must present to then the best plan we can devise to fit existing