The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-19

 new Constitution of Alabama is safe be- yond a peradventurc.-Johnst Ala ba inian.
 Here are few samples of Johnstons friendship for the new Constitution. He canvassed the State against its ratifica- tion and in Autauga County the posters announcing his appointments began in these words:
 PUBLIC SPEAKING.
 By those who favor the manhood suf- frage of the present Constitution and oppose the Propcrty. Educational. Grand Daddy and Poll Tax Suffrage of the new Constitution.
 Then followed appointments for speak ing in Autauga County. the first one be- ing for Hon. Joseph F. Johnston at the court house in Prattville, November 4, 1901. Governor Johnston filled that ap- pointment and his speech was so denun- ciatory of the new Constitution that some of his former ardent supporters aban- doned him then and there.
 How could the white people of the State rid themselves of the ignorant and corrupt negro vote except through the
 
 clauses of the new Constitution? Will the form Governor answer? And it is well known that the grandfather clause was incorporated in the new Constitution for the purpose of avoiding if possible. the disfranchisement of single white man and today it can be truthfully said that not white man who has applied to he registered has been refused registration by any of the registrars in the State. Not withstanding this well known fact and stons own paper, says that 'in the hands of Joseph F. Johnston the new Constitu- ton of Alabama is safe beyond a persd- venture" the same paper in the same is sue contains the following:
 Who dsfranchised these white men? Those who counseled and stole the rati- fication of the Constitution are the ones who disfranchised the 100 900 white men in Alabama. Governor Jelks. proclaiming as ratified the Constitution which he knew was not ratified is responsible; the leaders of Governor Jelks, who counseled the stealing of the ratification. are re- sponsible. There are two more days in which registration may be made and tfose two days may be devoted to regis tering the negroes if it is necessary for the machine gang to retain power Men who will counsel and steal the ratifica- tion of the organic law of the State are capable of doing anything in politics.
 The former Governor is driven to des- peration. Not one of the evils that he predicted would follow the ratification of the new Constitution has come Every white man who has applied has been reg istered. The negro has been eliminated from politics in Alabama. The registrars and we'll in the interest of the white peo- pie of Alabama, and according to the let ter and spirit of the Constitution. Moth ing is now left tbe desperate ex-Gover- nor on which to base a charge or appre- hension of fraud but the simple and just provision of the Constitution which or dains that on Friday and Saturday pre- ceding the day of election in November. 1902 the registrars shall sit in the court houses and register those who shall have reached the age of 21 years since August l. or those who shall prove that by req son of disability or unavoidable absence from the County they had no opportunity to register prior to August 1, 1902. Yet the eX-Governor seeks to make our peo- pie believe that these registrars will so disregard the law and their oaths of of flee as to devote these days to the regis tration of negroes.