The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-03
SENATOR JOHN 7. MORGAN URGES
THE ELECTION OF GOVERNOR JELKS.

necessity for his approval as Governor. /.
But. to emphasize his appreciation OF
the measure. and to honor his name as
participant in the act calling a Constitn-
tional Convention. he voluntarily affixed
his signature to the bill. as the Governor
OF Alabama.
The state Convention of the Demo-
cratic Party made nominations for dele
gates. at large, to the Constitutional
Convention, and the counties and dis
t-icts made their nominations or, dele
gates, and all necessary legislative ana
executive acts were performed that was
requisite to the lawful election OF dele
gates.
The delegates so nominated were not
agreeable to the personal aspirations OF
Governor Johnston, to promote which ne
had diligently devoted his official patron
age, and, without any cause or reason,
in the slightest degree connected with
the welfare Of the people, he reassemolea
the Legislature and urgently recon-
mended the repeal of the law calling the
Convention to reform the Constitution.
1t was done. and the Democratic Party
was split into factions.
It is needless now to discuss the ques-
ton OF his power. or that of the Legis-
lature to repeal the law. Its appeal was
urged and approved by him. There was
great dissatisfaction with his reversal
OF the policy of the Democratic Party
and the hopes Of the people for relief
from negro domination were almost de-
stroyed.
In the electionh of she succeeding var
these questions came before the people,
and arrest accusation of the breach OF
his pledges to the Democracy were made
against Governor Johnston. He sough:
his ''vindication'' in primary elections by
the people as a candidate for the Sen
ate of the United States and struggled
to ally himself with the forces of the
Populist Party, without any considerable
success. They remembered his record
and refused to trust him. The people re-
fused to approve his course and his ap-
peal for vindication was decided against
him.
In that campaign Governor Sanford
was chosen to carry out the wishes of the
people for the reformation of the Consti-
tuition and his lamented death devoived
that duty on Governor Jelks. Governor
Johnston's second-sight policy of keeping
the people under the heel of negro domi-
nation until they could outlive the OPP
preston or would yield to his plan Of re-
lief was condemned in the nomination of
Governor Sanford in the primaries and
afterwards by a great State Convention,
and he now claims that he was greatly
wronged because the Convention, in sor-
row, thought 1t best to pass the subject
in silence. When the Constitutional Con-
vention met under the law, second time
enacted, Governor Johnston was in the
opposition and Is still in opposition to
the Constitution ordained by 1t.
He contended in his campaign for Sena-
A.. TF,.sA1 ka.AA h.
vote had become harmless TO the State
and that there was no occasion for re-
formation of the Constitution to abridge
1t, In his speeches and messages he de-
clared that there was no such thing as
negro supremacy or domination in Ala
bama. In this way and in other ways he
sought the support of that vote in the
election of his friends to the Legislature.
with a view to his election to the Sem
ate. II any change has occurred in his
opinions and line of action l have seen
no evidence OF the fact.
He opposed the ratification of the new
Constitution by the people. and he now
says that IL he is elected Governor, he
will accept the new Constitution as a
valid law but that he will seek to amend
1t, and will administer it so as to make
1t light on the people; as If 1t was a bur-
den on them too intolerable 70 be borne.
Is 1t the white race or the negro race.
to whom he thus pledges his official
powers as Governor; for the removal of
these alleged constitutional burdens? He
omits to inform u.s. AS he does not want
the office for Its salary or its honor. but
for vindication, he owes 1t to the people
that he should, at least, state the points
in which he will seek to amend the Con-
stitution, and to relieve the people from