The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-07
DEMOCRATS THROW
 DOWN THE GAUNTLET
Bowie Says Republicans Have
 Sprung FightingIssue
ANXIOUS FOR THE FRAY
If Smiths Objection to New constItu- tion Is Good, crumpackerlsm Will Extend to AIabama--It
 Would Hurt the State.

Anniston, October 6.-(Special.) )-Sydney J. Bowie, democratic congressional nomi- nee from this district, has just returned from a canvass of Cleburne county. He spoke at eight places in the county and is very much gratified at the good crowds and the great interest manifested by the democracy of that county. He thinks the county is in splendid shape and will give a substantial majority for the en- tire ticket.
 In a conversation today MT. Bowie said: 1T notice that the republican lead CTS in opening their canvass at Fort Payne, have decided to make an attack upon the new constitution as the key note of their campaign. This was to be expected and is an issue which we glad ly accept. The new constitution has given us white supremacy by law. It has given us an absolute assurance of honest elections. It has given us reduced taxes. It has given us better schools. It has given us less frequent legislatures. It has consolidated our state and national elections. It has abolished the evils of local legislation and re-established home rule in local affairs. Other blessings which might be mentioned have followed in the wake of the new constitution.
 "In the face of these manifested vir7 tues it seems a little peculiar that in se- lectlng their point of attack upon the new constitution they have omitted to com plain of anything that was new and have confined their criticism to that which was old. It would seem that If the new constitution is to be fairly criticized 1t would be upon the things which are changed and not upon the things which are unchanged.
 Basis of Representation.
 "The precise point of attack Is the oas's of representation. This basis was founo in the old constitution. It is found In the constitution of 1868. It is found in tns constitution of the United States It IS found in the organization of the electoral commission and of e house of represen- tatives.
 "But the amusinl feature of 1t all is that these men who are now stralnns their lungs to their utmost capacity in denouncing this provision In our new constitution had not a word of condemna- ton for 1t when it was found in the olo
 "In the work of revising the old consti- tuition, the democratic party had TO aid, assistance or comfort from the reput- ncan party, With the single honorable exception of MT. Lane, not one or them raised his voice in behalf Of calling the constitutional convention or of the ratl- hcation of the new constitution after It Wss framed. A few may, and doubtless 1 I.tt flan xroc cf ma the lily whites were up in arms and open hostility against the whole move ment MT. Vaughan, the state leader and chairman of the party, declared his op position to the new constitution because he said he favored manhood suffrage. What republican leader except MT Lane gave any real aid or comfort to the reform and redress of evils which cried aloud for correction? Where. by speech or by pen, did they lead in the aggitation of this movement? The basis of representation against which they, now enter their solemn complaint was fixed in the old as it is in the new. If no change was needed in that basis, then, how happens 1t that it becomes of over whelming importance now? If they could get along very well with ...e legislature as it was then constituted, what makes it so dangerous now?
 Means Crumpackerlsm.
 "The truth is that if we abandon the population basis of representation in our state legislature we cut all the ground from under the feet of our representa- lives in congress, who have up to this time successfully resisted the passage of the infamous Crumpacker bill. The posi- tion assumed by MT. Smith and his as- sociates is identically in the state the same as that assumed by MT. Crum- packer at Washington. If we desire to cut down by half the representation of the southern states in the electoral col lege and in the house of representatives and still further swell the the power of the northern states in the Union at our own expense, the surest and best way to do 1t Is to follow in the leadership of the lilly whites' But if we wish to preserve our rights in the Union and maintain our dignity and our proper in- huence we will continue to walk in the well beaten paths of our fathers.
 "The people of Alabama have a better constitution than they have ever had before and they will not turn it over to the tender mercies of tinkerers who have swallowed for the forty years the riminal of negro equality and now strain at the gnat of a legislative appointment based upon population"