The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17
TAdv.l JOHN T. MORGAN
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE


 Communicated from the Johnston Head
 quarters.
 At meeting of the Democrats of Ala bama, convened in Birmingham on Sep tember Il, 1895, letter was read from Hon. John T. Morgan at his request, in which he expressed his views upon the qualifications of electors in the Demo- cratic primary as follows:
 If that 0hls) conference will address itself to the reconstruction of the Demo- cratic party in Alabama, ana get rid of the alleged power of the executive com mittee to ostracise Democrats who choose to follow principles rather than men, and leave mans right to vote in a Democratic primary to the Democrats of the precinct or ward in which he re- sides. to be finally adjudged and settled by them, we shall have vitalized party that shall live and grow instead of one that decreases in numbers and zeal, and must so decrease at every election.
 After one hundred years of experience 1t Is too late to bring in new definitions to ascertain who are Democrats and who are not, and to make 1t an infiexible test that Democrat refused to vote for some nominee of the party at a previous cleo ton.
 If a man subscribes to this declara- ton, am Democrat, and when vote will vote a Democratic ticket. he should be entitled, at least, to take the decision of the Democrats of his precinct as to his proper qualification to unite with them in their primary meeting; and when they decide the matter. no other committee or body of men should have the power to overrule that decision or 1eje ct the vote. This Is home rule and self-eovernmert It Is true Democracy.
 PARTY PRINCIPLE REQUIRES NO DIFFERENT RULE or PROCEED URE, AND IT IS NEVER DEMANDED TrNTIT, DISCIPLINE IS THE MERE SUBSTITUTE FOR COERCION, AND UNTIL PARTY SUCCESS IS MEAS ITRED cNLY BY THE SUCCESS OF PARTY BOSSES
 These burning words are reproduced for the consideration of those who have the welfare of the democratic party at heart. They were written by a disting- uiehed democrat in the full enjoyment Of his powers and their truth can not be changed by a change in the heart of the writer It would seem that the disfran- chisement by law of seventy-five thous- and Anglo Saxons would have suggested the wisdom of liberal treatment of the rest instead of a still more sweeping dis franchisement by arbitrary and parti- san action. we rather agree with Sena- tor Morgan: Democratic precedent has fixed the qualification for It's members and this should not be disregarded until 'discipline' is the mere substitute for CO., ercion.' and until party success Is meas ured only by the success of party bosses"
 If the people of this state endorse the action of any committee in hedging in the right to vote by undemocratic restrictions we see no reason why this same commit tee could not apply any test 1t should see fit and disqualify all save its own members for the right to regulate and restrain emplies the right to prohibit and destroy We believe that our people will repudiate a doctrine so destructive of the one essential principal of democracy, for there is and can be no test applied to ex- clude man from participation in dem ocratic primary when he stands ready to declare his belief in its principles and his intention to support Its nominees. We are confident that the democrats of this state will declare any broader assumption of authority unauthorized and void as be- ing contrary to the principles and prece- dents of that party.