The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-07-11

| system adopted by only one State in tn
Union, South Carolina.
/ "Wonid you select the system that send
| Tillman to the Senator" asked Mr.. Lowe
instead of the system that elects Johr
T. Morgan and the grand old Pettus II
| Alabama?"
Mr.. Lowe said il great demand ex'
| listed In Alabama fora primary 1t would
| be manifested There would be great null
| titudes here with petitions. No such a
| multitude was here. IL the committee re-
| sponded to a supposed popular demand
| on this occasion why should not the COM
| mite go further, he asked. and nominate
candidates. He said he saw that the en-
emies of the Democratic Party were re-
joicing because of the confusion of the
party.
Forces and Criticism.
The committee chairman said he hoped
the committee would not force vote.
For himself he desired to hear from the
people. He foresaw that the assumption
fauthority of the committee would be
criticised; the regulations of the primary,
IL ordered, would be criticised and dis
satisfaction would reign.
He said he did not care for the opinion
OF man, who having accepted nomina-
lions by the party. and at the hands of
his own nest. This man or men had not
made demand or a suggestion to the
committee, Notwithstanding the doors and
windows of the court room were open.
In conclusion Mr.. Lowe said the paths
| in which his fathers had walked were
good enough for him and his vote would
be recorded in favor of convention, but
| he would like to see the matter go over.
When Mr.. Lowe concluded he was APP
plauded.
Then Mr.. Sanford, the young orator
from Troy arose and began slowly tc
| address the Committee. In the begin
ming he referred to the argument thai
had been made. Saying he approac het
/ the subject with some hesitancy the audi
ence was apparently in doubt as to thu
/ position he would take.
| Doubt was soon dispelled by Mr.. Sam
| ford who broadened into an eloquent ant
elaborate reply to Mr.. Lowe and al
earnest advocacy of the primary plan
He boldly challenged some of the state
ments of Mr.. Lowe and was frequently
applauded.
In the intensity of his argument Mr.
Sanford kicked over a chair and the in
cident caused general laughter.
Mr.. Sanford said he had made lis
of the State officers and five Congress
men from tho Southern districts of Ala
bama and had found that they Cam
either from the black belt or Jefferson
County. This, he said showed the bale
full influence of the convention system
Applause for Sanford.
This statement was created with voci
ferrous applause.
Wilcox County, he said with irs LIS
white Democratic voters had ten dele
gates in the convention while Pike Coun
ty with its $500 white Democratic voter
had but eight votes in the convention
Applause and cheering broke out at thi
statement.
Mr.. Sanford said If the Committee de
clared for a convention he would like TO
his friends Messers Mallory and Steven
to go into Jackson and Marshall Countie
and explain this unfairness.
He did not want to delay the n.stte
further, he said, it had been delayed to
long already. He was ready to vote o.
the question which was presented. Tina
question as 1t presented itself to him, wa
whether the vote of a Democrat In on
section of the State was not as good a
the vote of a Democrat in another sec
ton.
Mr.. Sanford closed with an eloouen
plea to the Committee to come tc tn
rescue of the party in it's peril. lie wa
| wildly applauded at the conclusion o
his remarks.
Mr.. Mullins. the young committeeman
from Clanton, followed Mr.. Sanford Il
an argument for the Convention system
He said ne could not let the questio,
come to vote without registering hi
protest against the attempt to abolish tn
time-honored custom of the Democrat
party.
Mr.. Mullins declared that the agitation
80 ~zwtvs -.
who were enemies of the Democrat
party. Mr.. Mullins spoke briefly and wa
applauded.
At the close of Mr.. Mullins's speech
Mr.. Hefin of Lafayette delivered
speech in favor of a primary. He sal
as a candidate for Secretary of State i
had been his intention, according to Gus
tom, to resign from the committee. l
had been urged upon him, however, tina
it was the hour of danger for the Demo
cratic party. He had never shirked
Democratic duty and he was here to per
form that duty.
Mr.. Hefiin declared tSat nine-tenths O
the Democrats of Alabama, includin
Democrats in the black belt, wanted
primary. He had been in all parts o
Alabama, he said, and the first question
that was asked him in the county was:
Squire. how do you stand on this her
primary question"
Opinion Honestly Reflected.
1t had been his experience, Mr. Hefi
said, that the newspapers reflected tn
honest opinion of the people and news
papers all over the State are clamorin
for a primary.
In conclusion Mr.. Hefiin said he woul
feel that he had discharged his duty t
the Democratic party and to the Demo
cratic masses when he had registered hi
vote for primary.
The speech of Mr.. Heflin made an ex
cellent impression and he was frequent
ly applauded.
At 6 o'clock Mr.. Sanders of Iimeston
county began an elaborate argument Ii
opposition to the primary plan He SAT-
that in Limestone county there were no
twenty-five men who favored a primary
The patriotic people of his county, he de
clared, stood with black belt Democrat
who had been loyal to the party in tn
olden years.
Mr.. Sanders argued that the primar.
plan was new and untried; that it wa
| expensive and that it would not exclud
fraud He adhered to the Convention
plan The party would not lose an.
| friends, he said by ordering a Conven
ton and it might lose by ordering a pri
mary.
Previous Question Moved
At 500 o'clock Mr.. Sanders concludes
| his remarks and MIR. Sanford of Tro!
Immediately moved the previous ques
ton. He said he did so because he be
lieved the matter had been discussed Il
all of it's phases.
Every person in the court room wa