The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-07
KEEP FRIENDS OF THE CoNsTI
 TUITION ON GUARD.

TUITION ON GUARD.
 Former Governor Johnston. in his re- cent speech in this city discussed the paramount issue in the campaign in the following manner:
 I am not here to make any war on the Constitution--not at all I presented my objections to it at the time and place that 1t was in order to do 1t. There are some good provisions in 1t, good many; all of the ed Constitution that was pre- served was good, and all the things that l recommended them to do and they did, was good, and there were two or three that had overlooked. but what we have got to do Is that this Constitution has been proclaimed as ratifed-we all know 1t was defeated, of course, except 1t was ratified by the negro vote in the black belt But 1t has been proclaimed, and 1t is the law of the land, aid we must accept it. and I propose to accept 1t in good faith and to give 1t fair trial. and to amend 1t wherever 1t is necessady to do it to preserve the rights lnd liber- ties of the people.
 This insidious assault upon the integ- rity of the election through which the Constitution was ratified is characteristic of its author. The purport of the assault is that the Constitution was defeated but, nevertheless, the white men Of the black belt fraudulently counted negro votes in order to override the majority of legal votes cast against it and that the only validity that attaches to it results from the Governors proclamation Of it. And yet, the gentleman who makes this charge, and who bitterly opposed the rati- fication of the Constitution, now asks the white Democrats of Alabama to choose him in preference to one who favored and fought for its ratification, and is in full sympathy with its provisi ,ns and pur- poses to be Chief Executive of the State to see this organized law carried into execu- tion. The absurdity of the wicked in- situation is seen when it is stated that out of 190,347 votes cast at the election when the Constitution was ratified. 10S, ,6la were for the Constitution while only s1.- 734 were for mo Constitution, showing a majority of 26,S79 for the onstitution. This election was held when negroes could vote and it is we'll known that large number of negro
 
 in all parts of the State. This was es- pecially the case in the counties where the majorities were for no Constitution for instance in the counties of Butler Coosa, Lauderdale and Lee. The charge that fraudulent negro votes were count ed is aimed principally at the counties oi Dallas, Hale. Montgomery. Perry, Sum- ter and Wilcox, large negro counties | But the entire vote of those counties may be eliminated and still there will remain a safe majority for the Constitution. The registration of voters just about concluded also shows that about 1sO,OO white voters have been registered, which is over 72,OOO more than there were votef cast for Constitution. There have beer probably 5000 negroes registered. The re suit of registration puts beyond all doubt the absolute good faith with which the present administration and the whit, Democrats of the whole State have thus far executed those provisions of the Con. stitution which are intended to put tho ballot in the hands of every white mar who desires it and to exclude 1t from the ha nds of every negro except those whc show themselves entitled to it under th' | provisions of the Constitution. In other words to place the ballot in the hands ol the white men and exclude 1t from the hands of the negroes in Alabama. There can not be a doubt now that the ballot of every white voter in the State. let hiK live where he may in the State, will be equal in privileges and power with that of every other white voter.
 The present administration has done this much towards carrying out the prin' ciples and purposes of the new Constitu- ton. What has, been done is a certaiy guaranty that what remains to be dont will be done, if left to it, in the same way and in the same spirit, and the Demo crats of Alabama will see to it at thu approaching primary that the legislativ, and executive powers to do what remains to be done to carry the new Constitutio, into full effect is not transferred iron it's friends to it's enemies.