The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-31
REPUBLICANS ID FIGHT AMENDMENT Re presentativeS of Thirty-three
 Counties Meet RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED Nearly 200 Republicans to Enter Fight for Liberty and Homes-Much Enthusiasm Aroused-The
 Speakers.
RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED

The republicans of Alabama went on record yesterday as being opposed to the proposed amendment to the constitution.
 The meeting was held in answer to a call by Julius w. Davidson, at Magnolia hall.
 It was attended by 175 delegates, rep resenting 33 counties.
 The meeting was called to order by MT. Davidson, and J. B. Sloan of Blount county, member of the constitutional con- vention of 1901 and former candidate for Congress. was chosen chairman. Wallace 0. Edler of Chiffon county was made secretary.
 Speeches were made by J. W. David son, Judge Asa E. Stratton of Mont gomery, J. B. Sloan of Blount J. E. Hollingsworth of Talladega. c. B. Ni- chols of Clay, William Vaughn. J. A. W. Smith, Dr. Masterson and others.
 The resolution committee, consisting of J. A. W. Smith of Birmingham, chair man; J. E. Hollingsworth, William Vaughn, W. c. Edler Asa D. stratton and J. w Brasfeld of Walker. introduced the following resolutions, which were 1 adopted by standing vote: The Resolutions Adopted.
 Whereas, Article VIII, section ITS, of the constitution of 1901 provides that to : entitle a person to vote at any election been duly registered as an elector, and l shall have paid on or before the first day of February, next preceding the date of tho election at which he offers to vote, all poll taxes due from him for the year 1901, and for each subsequent year. and "whereas, The recent legislature, called in extra session for that express pur- pose. proposed an amendment to the con- stitution depriving people of constitutional rights enjoyed since the formation of the government, to be submitted to the quail flied voters at an election to be held in an off-year. at a time when 1t will be impossible for those who had not paid their poll taxes to do so and become qualified electors; and
 ''Whereas, It was well known that more than half the white men of Alabama, otherwise qualified to vote and who are liable therefor, had not paid their poll taxes, and
 "whereas, The proposed amendment Is antagonistic to the principles and policies of the republican party; be 1t, therefore
 Resolved. d) That we, the republicans of Alabama, in conference assembled, de- nounce the proposed amendment as an effort on the part of extreme and fanat- ical leaders, whose only hope of success is to secure the indorsement of the pres- ent radical state administration, and to secure the election and control of the next by the building up of a Conner machine, created through the multiplicity of offices made by the legislature during this ad
 minstration; and to take from the people the constitutional rights heretofore en- joyed, of
 l (a). Having legislature to assemble at a fixed period of time with power to leg
 islate upon questions involving the right
 to sell or otherwise dispose of, or to use
 or keep for use spirituous, vinous or malt
 liquors, as freely as upon questions of murder, burglary or other crimes, or
 misdemeanors.
 "Cb). Having the right to have the
 home, office, store or other place of bus
 mess free from search for evidence of l a petty offense-not criminal in its na-
 ture-being made so only by statute be- l lieving such a search to be unreasonable under a proper interpretation of our pres
 ent constitution; by a majority-large or l small--of the minority of white men of l voting age, as the most wanton, un-Amer- ican attempt ever made in the history l of this state to empower the minority,
 led by ambitious politicians to control
 the majority
 l Jury Trial Denied.
 Resolved, (2) And well knowing that
 the palladium of the liberties of all Anglo l Saxon peoples Is, and for centuries has
 been the inalienable right of trial by l jury we denounce the recent act of our
 state legislature in its evident purpose l to deprive the people of the state, in 1 many cases, of this ancient right, as a
 wanton and deadly blow at the consti- 1 tutional liberties of the free, God-fearing law-abiding citizens of the commonwealth I of Alabama; and one calculated to drive 1 thousands of free men and millions of | capital from the state.
 Resolved, (3). Recognizing right of | trial by jury as the best security for | liberty we denounce the effort of the i present ultra democratic state admins | tration to concentrate power in the hands of the governor of the state, and l to give him control of every jury in Ala bama through his appointees. This was done in the refusal of the last special session of the legislature to pass the new jury law as drawn by the bar asso- ciation-but amended 1t so as to put the l appointment of all jury commissioners in 1 the hands of tho governor.
 Resolved, (4). That we urge all re- l publicans to go to the polls and to vote against the adoption of the proposed