The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-23
%. w. McIver,)'

OpeIfka. July 2.-(Staff Correspond
ence .)-Politics In East Alabama Is just
beginning To- take shape and one hears It
in the hotels or S Wherever !n two GOT Of more Sa
people happier to congregate. In East
Alabama the population is varied, in some
counties there were negro majorities, and
in others the whites predominated, 30
that the .situad IN now since the negro
has been eliminated Is rather problemat-
ical In Lee County there is always q
division and the result Is very uncertain.
In 1892 Lee went for Kolb over Jones by
a vote of .2.5ss to 2.s92s In 1894 1t went for
Kolb over OATES by vote of 1908 to 1,424
and In 1895 it went for Johnston over
Goodwin by a vote of 2,4S1 to 1,70s; In
1898 it went for Johnston over Deans by
2,693 to 800: in. 1900 there were 31ss for
Sanford. Lass for Steele, Republican. So
1t will be seen that In a State election
where there lie opposition Lee Is doubtful
and generally against the Democratic
nominees. I give the figures to show that
there Is a large independent vote here,
that IL in the habit Of doing as 1t pleases
and voting for the party Of its liking and
for the man OF their choice regardless of
nominations. In County affairs the peo-
pie are Of the same way of thinking and
several times recently there have been in
dependent tickets and county officers have
not always been the Democratic nominees
but the Democratic County ticket has
been frequently defeated. In a recent
election there was opposition in the coun-
ty and many of the most prominent citi-
gems voted against the regular ticket. and
the question now 10, what are these citi-
Gems going to do about voting In the
primaries this Year, Will they offer to
vote and II they do and are challenged,
what will they do about taking the oath
required in the plan fixed by the State
Committee? viii they make the eertih-
cate required by the Committee or will
they content themselves by giving their
support to Johnston and not offer to vote?
This is the course that many will take,
but there are others who will swallow
the plan and offer to vote in spite Of the
certificate required. I am not prepared
to say how Lee will go In the primaries.
az l said before, that 10 very doubtful
but I md strong ana growing senti-
ment here for Governor Jelks and the
new Constitution, It. being recognized that
they are linked together and must stand
or fall together. If Governor Johnston is
elected and gets a Legislature Of the
same way Of thinking. the new Consti-
tuition will be torn into threads and it's
most ardent friends ana supporters will
not recognize It when they are through
with the amendments they will offer. And
right here I would say that it is very
important that this matter should be
looked after and friends Of the Constitu-
ton. strong able ard influential men in
every County should be put out for the
Legislature and elected or else the whole
work OF the Convention is lost ana the
new Constitution a nullity. There are
many laws to be enacted to carry into
full force and effect the new organic law
and IL it's friends are not charged with
their enactment they will never become
laws and amendments will be offered and
tsicks and subterfuges resorted to that
will make the whole thing farce and
the new Constitution will become a delu-
sion and snare, its provisions revoked
or annulled by lack of laws to enforce
them and the whole thing lie in confusion
and dismay. Let the Legislature be look
ed after.
,.t Jelks Sentiment.
There is a strong JelSs sentiment here
and find that a movement is already on
foot for organization. A Jelks Club is to
be organized and am told that many
citizens heretofore for Johnston have sig
nihed their purpose of Joining the Club
and going actively to work for the Gov
ernor and the new Constitution The
meeting is to be held soen and there will
be such demonstration that the John
ston followers will be 'dumbfounded and
astonished. to see what strength
will be developed against their
man and his cause. heard one
business man say that Jelks has made
safe and conservative Chief Executive