The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-10

ne read at length the report or the committee outlining the plan of the general primary which had been adopt ed by the committee.
 Having completed the reading of 1t. MT. Whitson handed the document to the Secretary and began his address in support of the plan and the sub-conl- mittee's action. He was given close attention and several times the mem hers voiced their approval of what he was saying by earnest applause.
 Argument of MT. whitson.
 The tforcefui speech of Mir. Whitson in full in presenting the report was as follows.
 Mir. Chairman: want to explain In brief the reasons that moved your com mittee in suggesting the plan that we have submitted.
 First. we have adopted tho plural ity nomination by the primary system. We have called convention for no purpose except for the purpose Of nominating two candidates for Asso- cate Justices of the Supreme Court and electinE members of this commit tee. For my part. deem it absolutely essential for the preservation of the party organization that a convention of the Democratic conservative party bc held every four years. Not only do I deem It important. MT. Chairman, for the preservation of our party organi- zation and the party spirit. and the party interests of those who fight the partys battles although they may not seek the rewards that apply to themselves, but ! deem 1t of imperative interest to the Democrats of tho State Of Alabama In order that when a great national battie comes on Tn this land. the Democrats of the Stnte of Alabama will occupy a more indeDend ent position in the politics Of the na- Ice they have in the past, and we may pre- vent that which has heretofore oc- cured and that for the Democracy of the South a distinction he made be- tween the Popuiism of the West and the plutocracy of Wall street
 "Wo haven't taken the thing from the people. We have submitted to the people and the Democrats the affairs Of the State of Alabama: the full. fair and free privilege of expressing them selves for each and every candidate for office. and he who receives the highest number of votes to be declared tho nominee for such office,
 Justices Out of Politics.
 We have saved the Justices of the Supreme Court and don't believe there Is man within sound of my voice who recognizes the importance of pure tu. dietary and the importance of the dig nity of the State of Alabama that will not agree with your committee that 1t is Ill important that the judiciary of the highest court of Alabama should he taken out of the trading and trafFicking Of politics. We have sought only then to nominate two Justices of the Su. preme Court of Alabama.
 And, MT. Chairman, another reason may exist: That the iawyere of the State of Alabama above all others are better qualified to judge of the quail fications of that high court They rep resent the interests of their clients The 1eople at large the common masses of the people, can scarce be said to he fitted to judge of the qualifications and legal attachments of men for the high position of Judges of the Supreme Court of Alabama, and surely we de- prive them of no right in saying that ther representatives,, elected by them selves, on the principles on which the governmet Is founded,-that their rep resentatives In the Democratic con vention shall nominate candidates for those two high offices; that there bc no other candidates nominated; where there can be no means of favor. and where there can be no trad nR or traf- licking; to nominate them singly alone and solely upon their merits, upon their attachments and upon their rec ords. Surely there can be no objection from even the most blatant dema- gogue in Alabama to the calling of a convention for the nomination of can- didates for those two ofices.
 As To Federal Senators.
 Next, we have provided for allowing the people to express a choice, which we concede is a new departure in the State of Alabama. l do not propose to make any extended argument or at tempt to make any extended argument In defense of the report of the com. mittee. It stands for itself
 T can well understand that when this government was founded. when the Constitution of the United States was enacted, when the dignity of a member and representative in the leg islature of the State was regarded as being as high as thnt 0f oven n Sena- tor in the Senate of the United States, T can well understand, Mir. Chairman why 1t was then and under such con. instrument. upon which our govern ment Is founded, provided for the election of United States Senators by the legislature and took from the peo- pie the power to elect such officers But. Mir. Chairman, in the more than one hundred years that have passed since that day, changes have come over this land and the powers of the gem eral government have grown greater and greater and the dignity of the Rep resentative in the legislature has grown less and less. The result has been in many States of the Union dis astrous but thank God 1t Is not so in the Southern States; that multi-mil- lionaires have bought members of the legislature like sheep and elected them selves Senators of the United States by virtue of no other right than the right of bribery and power of wealth. Such has been the case in many States.
 The history of the United States Senate and some of its present members speak for itself. While such condi- tions have never existed In the State of Alabama. MT. Chairman. the time has come--oT at least we submit there can be no reasonable objection in permit ting the people of the State to express a choice for that great office, and that Is all we do
 Election of Senators.
 The plan provides for a recommen- dation to the members Of the Legisla- ture for election, and why? Because l the Constitution of the State of Ala bama the instrument for which the Democratic party Is responsible because l 1t was enacted by a Democratic con vention. ratified by the Democratic voters and stands as the work of the party, has given to the candidates ot this State certain representation in the Legislature and in the Senate.
 This committee will have the power as we conceive it. to override the Con- stitution of the State of Alabama and indicate by means of the primary, or undertake to allow the people, the voters In the primary. to override the Constitution of the State of Alabama