The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-23
Moral Duty of Alabama
 Legislature.
DWELLS ON THE PRIMARY
Candidates Went Out to Secure
 Peoples Verdict.
Spirit and Intent of Plan Was That Nominees Should be Sent te Sem ate If the Occasion
 Arose.

Birmingham. June 22.-(SpeciaL)- Former Governor Joseph F. Johnston tonight gave out the following state- ment about the Senatorial situation:
 Having been frequently urged by representatives of the press, and to prevent misapprehension as to my po- sition, I have decided to make a state ment in regard to the Senatorial sit uation.
 in saying that the members of the Legislature were not restricted in their choice of a successor to Senator Mor- gan insofar as this applies to the let ter of the plan of the State committee but not as to its spirit and intent. If the plan of the committee was tn- tended, as has been charged. to tie the hands of the Governor and bind him only, and not to be directory to the members of the Legislature. it was poorly conceived, for the Governor would have had the right at any time to nullify the plan by calling the Leg islature in extraordinary session and urging its members to set aside its ap- pointee.
 The fact, however, is that 1t was generally. if not universally, accepted by Democrats as intended to finally de- termine who should fill the places of our distinguished Senators in case of vacancies. So well was this understood that neither I, nor any other candi- date for the succession so far as know, made any attempt to secure the nomination of personal friends and ad- herents to the Legislature in single county in Alabama, nor did those sup posed to have Senatorial aspirations, who were not candidates under the rlan make any such effort.
 "The Democratic voters in the Sena- toriaI districts and counties did not divide in their choice of Legislative nominees on the question of the pref erences of candidates as to the success sion to the Senate. because it was &C., cepted that the succession would fol- low the vote in the primary.
 T had nothing to do with getting up the plan. did not approve all its details, but accepted it as a loyal Democrat and because it gave the Dem- ocratic voters opportunity to directly express their choice in tho selection of their Senators.
 "The delegates to the State coriven- ton held last fall were elected at the same primary. and by the sanie voters as those who elected alternate sena- tors. and the resolution of that con- vention. limiting the appointments to be made by the Governor under the plan until the next regular or extra ordinary session of the Legislature, was nothing more than a statement of the constitutional provisional in reference to all such appointments. It was not new doctrine and would have been the law without any such resolution.
 q am quite sure that neither nor any other gentleman who entered the succession race would have done so to secure the temporary appointment Of the Governor subject to revision in a few weeks upon the assembling of the Legislature.
 .sWhile the plan was unprecedented in requiring candidates for Governor to pledge themselves to appoint the nominees of the primary to temporary vacancies, I am quite sure that no Democratic Governor would have dis regarded the wishes of the voters fair ly expressed. for 1t ts the very essence of Democracy to respect and carry out their wishes.
 "Not to follow and carry out the plan would not only tend to create dis- cord in our party in Alabama put II would deal a heavy blow throughout inc country to the often declared pol tcy of the Democratic party in favor of the election of Senators by the peo- nIe. I think that had there been no urinary and the wishes of the Demo- crats of the State had otherwise been fairly made known to the members or the Legislature it would be their duty as am sure 1t would be their pleas ure to carry ou tthe Judgment and de- sires of their party
 50 far as I am concerned have al- ways in the past yielded Loyalty to the voice of my party and people even when I had occasion to distrust some what the accuracy of the declaration.