The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-15
APPLAUSE WAS FREQUENT
Record of Jelks and Johns
ton Was Compared.
Governor Stands for New Const i.
ton, Ex-Governor Shown to Be
Its Enemy-Montgomery
Jelks Club to Be Or
ganized Monday.

A fine audience. including a number
of ladies, greeted Hon. Richard
H. Clarke of Mobile when he arose to
speak in behalf of Governor Jelks and
the rev constitution at the Montgomery
County Court house last night.
Notwithstanding the extremely high
temperature the City Court room, where
the speaking was held, was comfortably
filed. Chairs had been placed inside the
bar rail and Mr.. Clarke spoke from the
clerks desk. The room was cooled by
electric fans.
The distinguished citizen of Mobile was
never in better form. He spoke one
hour and forty minutes and his address
was frequently applauded with enthusi-
asm. He paid especial attention to the
new constitution and the reforms 1t
brought about. The record of former
Governor Johnston on constitutional re-
form was compared to the record of
Governor Jelks and the administrations
of the two Governors were measured side
by side
The address of Mr.. Clarke was good
tempered He was logical. lucid and
forcible The audience was sympathetic
and enthusiastic.
The Montgomery County Jelks Club
was not organized at the meeting as was
contemplated. Chairman c. B. Teasley
of the Campaign Committee said the club
would probably be organized Monday
night with something over 1000 members.
1t was announced that the speaking
would begin at $50 o'clock last night and
1t began promptly at that hour
w VIZ Hill intrndnced Mr.. Clarke
to the audience.
In introducing Mr. Clarke, Mr.. Hill said
the reputation of the distinguished Mo-
bilian as a statesman and an orator made
him known to all of the people
I'VE have with us" said Mr.. HILL "a
messenger from sister city who brings
the good tidings that on August Is she
will assist in nominating for Governor
of Alabama Hon. william Dorsey Jelks
He scarcely needs an introduction to a
Montgomery audience. His character as
statesman and as an orator has pre-
coded him and has won the admiration
of ALL 1t is my pleasure and privilege
to present to you Hon. r. H. Clarke.
Mr.. Clarke Given Ovation.
When Mr. Clarke went forward he was
given an ovation which he acknowledged
by bowling repeatedly and expressing his
pleasure at being in Montgomery.
Mr. Clarke began his remarks by re-
viewing the political history of Alabama.
The reconstruction period, he said, was
a humiliating one and the men who
passed through it would rather use arms
than pass through it again. He spoke of
the great debt imposed upon the State by
the carpet baggers and said the Demo
crats-none but the Democrats-overthrew
the reconstructionsts In 1875 the Dem
ocrats assembled in Montgomery to make
Constitution with bayonets glisten ming
lust across the border to come back to
Alabama if the Democrats assembled here
did not frame the Constitution in ac
oordance with certain views of the gov
erEment.
The Democrats made a Constitution he
said that was little better than make
shift 1t was well understood then that
when the time was ripe new Constitu-
ton would he framed to fit the genius OF
Alabama. Twenty-one years the people
of Alabama lived under this Constitution
and the time came for a change.
Mr.. Clarke dwelt upon the movement
for Constitutional Convention and the
overthrow OF the measure in 1899 by Gov
ernor Johnston. He declared that the
Constitutional Convention of 1901 was rep
resentative of the Democrats of Alabama
and an organic law was builded which
was now being put into operation. He
said he wanted every intelligent man in
his audience to ask himself the question
If he preferred to go back one year and
live under the Constitution of 1875 in
stead of the Constitution of 1901.
Benefits of New Constitution.
Then Mr.. Clarke took up the benehcent
changes made in the Constitution. He
said he regretted that it became neces-
sary to disfranchse the negroes. AS a
body of people the negroes were the OBJ
jects of great consideration by the white
people. But they were ignorant and he
declared deliberately that every negro
who could honestly qualify next year
would be permitted to vote. He pointed
to conditions that had existed in the
black belt OF Alabama and said that al
that time there were but two remedies to
insure white supremacy-one was the
shot gun ana the other was fraud. The
only way to overcome this condition, hc
said. was the rule Of the law. TT ere was
great responsibility resting on tbs
Democratic party. 1t had practically
taken away from the negro his voice il
the government, and It was the duty o.
the Democratic party to insure to tn,
negro as well as every other citizen Jus
and free right of citizenship
This sentiment was applauded.
Mr.. Clarke spoke of the benefits fo
public schools under the new Constitu
ton. The schools, under the new Con
stitution. he declared, were placed on ;
higher and firmer foundation by the new
instrument than ever before.
The reduction of the tax limit by tn
Constitution was touched upon by Mr.
Clarke, who said the full tax limit o
rs cents had been levied during tn
adminlstratio of Governor Johnston. TIL,
tax limit reduction to IS cents had saveC
the people $4,000
Miserable Little Economy.
"And TO this great saving how doe
this miserable little economy Of brushing
a few telephones out Of the Capitol stanC
compared?" asked Mr.. Clarke. and tn
audience answered him with enthusiast,
applause.
Mr. Clarke alluded to some Of the prin
c,pal changes in the Constitution Of grea
imnortance and benefit to the people. H
spoke of the restrictions upon issuance o
Aands and franchises by municipal cor