The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-23

THoU0HTs or THE PUBLIC.
The state OF Alabama, like every other
free community. develops bad with good
politics. Some men Of audacity ana the
slit Of speech 70 about seeking whom
they may deceive to their own good. The
state deserves good government she has
noble history, unsurpassed In all the
beauties Of virtue and vaior In q people.
Not most In war nor most in peace has
Aiabama been great ana noble, but most
IN the success In which she has resur-
rectsd herself from the dust and ashes
Of militarism.
Up to 1876. for eight years, we had In
Alabama a so-calied State Constitution,
the offspring OF miiitarism rampant.
True, brave and wise men lifted the pail
and gave US the Constitution Of 1875. Ala
bama led all the reconstructed states In
throwing off her military Consdtuion.
Leadership In political reform has often
distinguished the state, but mostly is her
bold act OF 1875 to be mentioned in her
honor.
Mr.. Joseph r. Johnston was quick 10
see that even nnder the partial relief Of
the Constitution Of 1875 the State had
grown and had reached upward and be-
yond thai restricted and necessarily con-
tracted organic law. when the Demo
crafts Of jefferson county met in the
spring Of 4ssa. Mr.. Johnston was
quick tossee us opportunity. He caused
the Democrats OF the strongest county.
Jefferson, to demand Of the party dec
iaration for new Constitution. Jeffer-
son sent Johnston as a delegate to the
State Convention; the Convention put him
in the lead on the Committee on Resolu-
lions and he reported demand for a
Constitutional Convention. The idea Of
fighting Kelb by means Of new Con-
stitution had so possessed his mind that
when he became Governor. In 1896, by de-
feating the candidate of the Kolb fac
ton, he urged the General Assembly to
disregard the refusal Of the party Con-
vention of 1897, and to follow his Head for a
new Constitution by ordering consttu-
tionaI Convention without delay. He pro-
posed to set aside the party action Of
1892.
Governor Johnston found out by 1893
that stronger men than himself would
come to the front In . Constitutional Con-
yenticny He reflected upon the mistake.
from his standpoint, that he had made In
proposing an opportunity to them. Some
leaders in the rich field Of thought and
craftsmanship. no where so fruitful a. IA
a Constitutional Convention. would Inc
vitality present themselves. They would
ever after be dangerous men in his own
field Of small personal pelitics. He aban-
doned his convictions, that the feeble Con-
stitution Of 1875 was insufficient for the
expanding State. He went to the Popu-
lists and Republicans to aid him in de-
feating the new Constitution, He aban-
dons any position ana all positions. as
better men occupy them, TO coApste with
his ambition.
The pubic 10 now doing some thinking
on Governor Johnston'k record on the
primary method Of nominations. The par
ty ordered primary In 1892 for delegates
to a Constitutional Convention in that
year. Governor Johnston saw that the
primary had elected delegates largely
from the number of his rivals ana enc
mics. what next7 He dissolved the ac-
tion of thu primary. He forbid the dele
gates selected by the primary to meet in
Convention. He had no power, of a
Itgitimate character, in the premises,
Under the Constitution of 1875 the General
Assembly had no authority for submit
ting an enabling act for constitutional
Convention to the Governor Tor approval.
(ArticIe s, Sec. 49, The Governor. there
fore had no legal power to interfere with
the act. Governor Johnston set aside the
FIRST primary OF 1899. arbitrarily and vim
dietively.
Governor Johnston now asks the Demo-
cratic party to set aside the action OF the
second primary of 1900. held to select dele
gates to the state party convention,
solely or the ground that these primaries
selected delegates who refused to endorse
his second term In effiee. So
The primaries in 1889 and 1900 displeased
Governor Johnston. He usuFped power in
ONCE and disposed of the first In order OF
these two. He asks now that the verdict
Of the second be set ASIDE. Why sci
aside7
Governor Johnston demanded E primary
for 1902. He did not want 1t. He would
not accept 1t in its true sphere when Il
was offered to him. He came within
haiIing distance OF the Executive Com
mittee celebrating on his dsmand here
on July 10th. with an organization Of his
own, Of menace and censure. an session
all the time. The hsxt week he called .
Convention, one hundred and fifty
strong. from all parts of the State. to
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