The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-24
Secret Caucus With Brooks
 Lawrence. PLANNED TO DEPRIVE
 CITIZENS OF SUFFRAGE Blmhshan Man and M. Dent
 at Troy. Great Audience q rlke ceusfy voters Hears sDeeehes .. the Psaitscs Wrapped up in the Proposed
 Constitutienai Amend
BY WILL r. sHEEHAN.

Troy. Aug. 2s.-(Special.)-- secret caucus. a caucus held in the office of the Governor of Alabama and attended by Governor Conner, Rev. Brooks Law- renee. Fred M. Jackson and John c. Sigiey. a Birmingham manufacturer- such was the birthplace of the consti- tutionai amendment and these were the gentlemen who officiated at that inter esting event.
 And Brooks Lawrence, in that caucus. objected to forcing the election in this year fearing the defeat of the amend ment. but the other members of the caucus. led by MT. Jackson. now Chair man of the Amendment Campaign Committee overruled his objection and fixed the date in November. because they feared the hundred and odd thou sand disfranchised voters would pay their poll tax and slaughter the amend ment, if 1t should come up next year in the regular election.
 So declared Peyton G. Bowman. of Birmingham. in an address, to q mag nihcent meeting of voters here today He challenged denial. He invited q controversy. He patted q package of papers in his inside pocket. as he sent out the sweeping challenge.
 Mir. Bowman spoke. to the voters of Pike with Congressman s, H. Dent, who for the first time had an epportn- nifty of thanking the people of Pike for their generosity to him. in the hot light which resulted in his being sent to
 Has Large Audience.
 There may have been better and larger political msetinEa in Pike than the .one held today. but no one could ever recall such meeting The court could be packed in the big court room. if so there were 600 people at the meeting And people on the outside said that fully as many people were turned away from the doors as got sit- ting and standing room inside.
 Senator John Gamble and Col. Chas Henderson worked up the meeting. Senator Gamble had but one regret there was no auditorium In Troy big enough to contain the great gathering that wanted to hear Congressman Dent and Mir. Bowman.
 Senator Gamble voted against the amendment while 1t was pending in the Senate. because he believed 1t was wrong. although he was told that his people were almost solid for It. and that a vote against 1t meant his polit- icai destruction. Senator Gamble has the satisfaction of knowing that an overwhelming number of his fellow citizens of Pike endorse his vote and that If he is looking for majority against tht amendment to yfndicate him. his vindication, according 10 Col Charles Henderson, will run any where from 500 to 1000 votes.
 Mr. Dent had every reason to be pleased with and proud of the day. He was in fine voice. his audience was sympathetic and receptive, his oratory spurred their enthusiasm. He probably never addressed more enthusiastic gathering and when he was done they crowded about him and he held ievee.
 It was country audience that wedg ed itself into the court room and over run the public square, when no more room was to be had. They came ir-- some Of them riding in buggies with red wheels and black leather trim mings--and some came in wagons with chairs in the wagon body for members of the family, and corn for the team under the chairs. They drove fast stepping horses or fat. sleek and we'll fed mules.
 4 Wealthy Commnnfty.
 Troy, as becomes the capital of a
 
 ty. is a wealthy little city. It is sup ported by one of the richest and best informed set of country people in, the State. They weret the people who came to the speaking and they are the peo- pie who have gotten the amendment so soundly beaten in Pike.
 Tn Troy and in Brundige there are many people and good people. too who are for the amendment But in Troy and in Brundige. too. there are other good people who are against the amendment The anti-amendment leaders declare that they are going to carry both the city of Brundige and the town of Troy. But all sides agree that when the amendment gets out in the country. the farmers of Pike are simply going to slaughter it. Josie beat, big heavy voting beat was re- ported almost solid1y against it. A man from Cross Roads. J. F. Wind ham, says that out of the 200 rural voters in that beat there are less than half a dozen for the amendment. The anti-amendment leaders are hustling to make the Pike majority 800.
 It would seem in passing from man to man and talking of that about which every body in Atlanta is talking. the sentiment against 1t fin Pike Is as strong as 1t Is in Montgomery County
 The old Guard stands firm in Pike There were probably fifty of them sit- ting right down in front where they could look into the eyes of the speak CT and some wore thebronze cross. One there was wo 1t might be said was a loyal and faithful private in the Old Guard and he was jest "bleeged to holler." A&E2AM "
 Enthusiastic Veterans.
 When one of the speakers would hit straight from the shoulder the Old Guard private would rise and call out" ''Hurrah for our side"
 And behind were packed sixty en- thusiastic and determined voters, as ready as he to cheer against the amendment In the midst of his speech Mir. Bowman called on every man in the audience against the amendment to raise his hand and a forest of hands went up in the court room. There were perhaps some pre- sent who did not hold up their hands huf thax- xtsara loEf n fha N.xaYxvIa al,,,.