The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-02
To the Editor of the Age-Herald:


 The coming session of the legislature will be the most important one held in this state for many years. for it has been charged with the duty of passing the nec- essary legislation to put some of the chief provisions. of the new constitution into executing and needs no legislation to make 1t operative, but the details of many of its best provisions were wisely left to the legislature to work out.
 Chief of these, of course, is the framing of an election law which will be effective and at the same time satisfy the public conscience on the subject.
 The last election, for the first time in thirty years. or more, seems to have giv- en entire satisfaction as far as it's fairness was concerned No complaint has been heard against it from any quarter This desirable result was brought about by the fact that the officers charged by law with the duty of appointing the inspectors in almost every instance recognized the lists furnished for that purpose by the oppos- ing political committees and thus gave to GdCn party buCll ItpItStildllOn aS was entirely satisfactory to 1t.
 There was no law requiring this to be done in Alabama. The courtesy, for it was but courtesy, there being no law to the effect, of permitting each political party to have at least one inspector of its own selection at every voting place, was granted in obedience to an overwhelming
 
 almost every instance by the appointing officers themselves in favor of honest elections.
 What was granted as matter of cour- tesy and which has produced such happy results, should be required as matter of law. A fair election is essential to the liberties of the people, and the liberty or the people should not depend upon the courtesy of an official. It should be fixed in the law
 Upon this subject there seems to be no substantial difference of opinion Fraud in elections begun in Alabama when the republican party invested the negro with the ballot, for which he was unfit. The republican party practiced 1t as long as 1t had the opportunity and left 1t to us as the foulest legacy of that dark period So long as unrestricted negro suffrage ex- isted in this state it was an essential part of our political life. It was an evil which we had to overcome or ultimately it would overcome us. The democratic par ty was strong and great enough to meet the emergency. It put into effect a con eli the practice; it showed its good faith through officials elected and chosen by 1t in advance of any statute requiring it by giving Its opponents no cause for com plaint whatever on the subject.
 But it's duty will not be done until such a law is put on the statute books as will give to men of opposing political views as matter of right what now they must sue for as matter of favor. That this will be done there seems to be no reason able doubt.
 Next in importance to a new election law, in my judgment is the passage Of a proper statute to provide for holding elections in the several counties of the state to determine whether or not tax of one mill shall be levied for the support of the public schools. It is to the lasting credit of the framers of the new constitution that its educational pro- visions are far better than the old and as such that instrument had the cordial support of the majority of the friends of better schools in the state.
 But it is mistake to suppose that those who advocate continual improvement in this matter, regard these provisions as finally disposing of the subject. The agi- tation in favor of better schools in this state will not end until we have them