The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-12

Letters to The Editor.
JoHNsToN's RECORD.
AS Bolter and New Constitution
Halter.
Birmingham, Ala, Aug. Q, 1902.

since Alabama IaWned INTO StatenoOu
in 1919, sufficient talent has readily been
found to fill the high office of Governor
without forcing man against his incli-
nations to third term. EX-Governor
johnston. with a flare of trumpets. ana
sounding of tin horns. recently dashed
from under the avalanche heaped upon
him in his little run for Senator against
the splendid Morgan, and into the polit-
ical arena red-headed and wrathy, with
Colonies Bill benson and Peyton Bowman
sending up sulphurouS smoke and fire
Caesar. Anthony and Lepidus, who pro-
pose to capture and divide out the po-
hticaI empire of Alabama.
One pleasing assurance of the ex-Gov
ornor Is that If he is boss it has
a2cn for the good of the people" In 9TH
e. words, he defends upon the grounds
that he has been an easy boss Had
such "a declaration fallen from Caligula,
Nero or Galba, it might have appeased
them-even if the Roman resented the
mid slavery OF Julius Caesar even to the
death-hut it has been the proud boast in
the Western republic, particularly of the
Southern States, that they tolerated no
autocrat, either in politics or govern
ment.
The only claim argued by Ex-Governor
Johnston for political elevation was that
he had served chairman of the State
Democratic Executive Committee and by
black belt methods, rolled up large Dem
ocratic maioritieS. He impOrtuned three
conventions before he convinced them
that he should be nominated, and it was
in a great measure through sympathy
that he was nominated in the end. AL
though the President of a national bank
he rode the free silver hobby for all there
was in it. but no sooner did he get in
than he abandoned the hobby, and has
apparently forgotten there IS such a ques-
ton.
In his first announcement and declara-
ton of principles for Governor this time,
he bases his claim to the office upon the
ground that the Democratic Party in con-
Vention assembled failed to indorSe his
administration. The reason why his adj
miniStrat ton was not Endorsed are album
dant, and on the surface He, with his
own hand. wrote in a democratic plat
form that the virtue and intelligence
shall rule in Alabama; he advocated a
Constitutional Convention. publicly and
privately; the subsequent platforms of
the Democratic Party declared in favor
of a Constitutional Convention; on the
LIST of December 1896, in his first mes
sage to the General Assembly, he urged
them to submit the question to the peo-
pie, and declared no amendment would
do. He approved the measure when it
passed. The known and avowed object IN
calling a convention was to get rid of
the negro vote, and establish fair cleo
tons.
All at once, a change! Populists and Re
publicans swarmed like bees in the Gov
ernor's office. The Governor turned his
back on his old friends who had stood
| by him for years; turned his back on the
| party by whose votes he was placed in
| the high office. On May 3 1899 Governor
Johnston took occasion in his message
to the General Assembly in special SEES
| sion to denounee and diScredit the Dem
| ocratic Executive Committee and State
Convention of the Democratic Party met
| to nominate delegates to the ConStitu-
tonal Convention.
Thus he became a bolter. He bolted the
State Committee; he bolted the conven-
| ton to nominate delegates to the Consti-
| tutional Convention. and now denounces
| the Democratic Party for not indorsing
| him. and proposes to force the party TO
humble itself, to bow to the boss" get
| down in the ashes; place him in power
| that he may give vent to the slumbering
| hate h" has so long nursed in his bosom
The Ee anocratic Party pulled itself to-
| getheT and in spite of the fact that GOV
| ernot Johnston took the stump against
| it-to1d the people everywhere that the
| Democratic Party could not be trusted
that, although the party had pledged it.
| self not to disfranchise white men. he
| said they intended to do it. The conven-
ton plan is now the law of the land, the
| negro disfranchised, and not one white
| man who did not choose to disfranchise
| himself. Like some precipice, the mar
| gin of which is garlanded with flowers
| obscurin gthe darks and deeps eX-Gover-
nor Johnston gushes for the first time in
|
| Constitution, words intended to conceal
the rude dagger which he carries to slay
| the infant which he asks the Democratic
| Party to intrust to his care and keeping
| the same he once attempted to abort, once
| again made herculean efforts to strange
in it's birth. AS well leave a lamb to the
| tender mercies of the wolf; as well leave
| a Moses to Pharoah; as well had the
| heroes of the Revolution left the new
| born Goddess of Liberty-she who had
| all u tot
Arnold. No. the people of Alabama want
| the Constitution administered, moulded
| according to its true purpose, without be-
| ing distorted or disturbed in its integrity
The nearly two millions of people in
| this state, with her vast fields of agri-
| culture. untold tons of coal and iron, her
| expansion moving forward in all direc-
TONS to the noble destiny awaiting her
| with her face turned to the future, has
| not the time or inclination to take a
backward step, to gorge the rapacity and
| vindictiveness of one man who has not
been wronged. but Is mad because he
made the mistake of his life to stop and
| examine the sore toe" which he once
| said with great humor that Kolb was eX-
| hibiting.
The people condemn a man who has
been false to his friends, false TO his
| party, false to the white people of tho
| State. They condemn man who stab
| bed his party, and then shows the wound
| he received in return as an argument for
| aid; aid not in doing the work of pat
| riot but to take revenge like an Iago;
to be led Samson-like to the pillars oi
the new Constitution and white suprem-
tcy that he may Irvine his arms about
| them and bring ruin upon all.
| Alabama demands man as her chief
| executive in full harmony with the adj
| vancing spirit of the age. whose record
proves that he favors gathering the fruits
of the new Constitution, who is in favor
| of the Acknowledgement of the negro. a