The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-05
Outlines His Platform and
Scores Public Record of
Ex-Governor Conner
FINE BARBECUE is
SERVED IN FRANKLIN
Charges That Conner Has Cost Ala
bama $1OO, 100000 in Progress
and Violated Platform Upon
Which He Was Elected


sioner, is now fun hedged candidate fol
governor.
In a speech delivered here this morn
ing, in which lie enuncated his platform
and numerically scored the record of cx.
Gov. b. b. Conner, he included the officia
announcement of his candidacy.
Mr. Wallace made good impression
The people had gathered from various
other sections of Franklin county, and
there were representatives here from Ma
rion, Lawrence and Colbert counties. A
fine barbecue was served.
The speaker charged that Mr.. Come.
has cost the state $4,000 600 in progress
He indirectly referred % the former gov
ernor in his scathing criticism of these
who employ little children in their cotton
mills His direct reference to Mr.. Conner
were in regard TO his financial record as
governor, his approval of bill which
permitted Theodore Lacy to rob the
state of the convict fund.- and his action
in imposing prohibition on the people de-
spite the fact that he had been elected OH
platform declaring for local option.
Mr.. Wallace spoke as follows:
Alabama, IL the people expect TO eni-
brace the splendid opportunities of the
future, needs and requires the services OF
governor who is a man of vision and
of action. one that has proven his power
to conceive and has demonstrated his
ability to effectuate. The progress OF
civilization demands the retirement OF
the dead issues of the past and the in
auguration of programme of unity OF
action for the upbuilding OF the state ana
the development of its resources.
1.-The job of governing in the past has
been worked hard and relentlessly II is
not necessary to play to the crowd in
order to accomplish things nor to con-
tinue the agitation, turmoil and strife
which has been visited upon the state in
the past to the detriment of the people S
happiness and business interests. to make
a governor great Alabama needs a man
for governor who has been identified with
the states best history and progress
man of courage. determination and fixed
purposes, not hesitating temporzing,
Vaseillating man. but one who is right
and knows that he is right.
"a Constitutional Convention
To meet the demands of progress. the
next legislature should call a consttu-
tional convention. Our present organic
law needs changing in SO many particu-
lars that to amend 1t to meet the needs
of the times would be practically impos-
sible. The dominant idea In the last con-
stitutional convention was to regulate the
right to vote so as to disfranchise the
negro and to establish the rule of the
white man forever in Alabama. The suf-
frage clause of the present constitution,
therefore took up large portion of the
time and attention of the members of
the convention, to the exclusion of that
degree of deliberation which should have
been given matters that involved many
important principles of the states future
greatness
''Our constitution should be so changed
ms to abolish the pernicious fee system.
thus placing all county officials on salries.
so as to permit local taxation for public
schools: reform of our judiciary sys-
tenn change in our convict system; the
removal of restrictions upon the legisla-
ture inthe passage of bills by eliminating
superfluous details which are now neces-
sary in order that a bill may be enacted
into a law: and numerous other changes
that readily occur to every student Of
the present constitution which is but a
barrier and hndrance to the growth and
development of the state. The present
splendid suffrage clause would no doubt
be rewritten in the new constitution.
which should be submitted, when adopted
by the convention, to the people for their
ratification or rejection.
Education of White Children
''rhe most imperative requirement that
springS from the exigencies of the times
Is the education of the white children Of
the south. In the southland alone pre-
dominate a majority of pure blooded
Americans. Hero resides citizenship
that Is free of miXed blood imbued by
patriotic ideals and animated by the same
noble inspiration as in the days OF yore.
when the American patriots responded to
the call 10 arms and won FOR us the hert-
age of our independence.
The state is now appropria ting and
should continue to appropriate great
proportion of its revenue for the MAIN
tenance of our public school system. A
number OF counties have supplemented
the state appropriation by voting the ad-
ditional one mill permitted by the cui,-
etitution. IL is utter folly to hope for
the establishment of model and mod
ern system OF education in Alabama with
out local taxation for public school pu.-
poses. In Massachusetts, where an ideal
educational system Is said to prevail. &c
and eight-tenths per cent OF, the revenue
for the public schools is raised BY FOCAL
;taxation even In Nort- Carolina SO per
cent is raised In the same manner Ala
bama occupies her same old place at the
bottom. with only "a per cent by local
taxation.
when the constitutional incubus shall
have been removed and equal opportunity
to embrace common school education
shall have been made possible to every
white boy and girl in Alabama. a law
compelling compulsory attendance should
be passed and thus our educational prob
lem would be happily and properly solved.
Equalization of Taxes
i"The state owes a solemn duty to itself
to educate the children The more in
telligent the child is made. the better
and more patriotic citizen will he become.
hence the greater the state. 1t is our
duty to kindle the flame of knowledge in
the minds of the children of Alabama.
In the south is the reserve force, exist
ing in superb solidarity. of the patriotism
OF the nation. Here flowers the typical
American spirit impelled by the south's
sacred history and traditions, and with
proper education and training our future
citizens will take their proper places. as
uuhhard Rrnc r. ~