New-York tribune., 1891-12-26
THE SEDUCTlTE ALABAMA CAMPAIGN.

At this glad holiday season there comes WIN
peculiar appropriateness story from Alabama
concerning the political campaign there. American
political campaigns have too often been somewhat
unlovely affairs. Too often personal abuse ana
vtuperation have entered into them Muu
singing" rather than dignifed argument In 700
many cases has marked these contests instances
are not wanting, even, in which the voice Oh
the eloquent but vindictive slX-shootlng revolver
has been heard in political discussion IN remote
parts of the country. The coroner has no place
in a rightly-conducted campaign. But, as we In
timated. there comes from Alabama the report
Of a political campaign so mild, so beautiful, SO
inviting, so altogether lovely, as to make every
man who reads of it resolve to move to Alabama
and go into politics.
The campaign proper cannot! we suppose, pe
said to be open in Alabama yet, but what amounts
to the same thing is going on IN vigorous
canvass by Governor Jones and Captain Reuben
+. Kolb, for the Democratic nomination Tor the
Goyernorship, nomination in Alabama by this
marty meaning, of course election. There were
hints early in the contest that it would be one
OF the usual kind, and it expected that each
candidate would charge the other with being
nar and a peculiarly villanous sort of scoundrcl.
But it was all changed after Governor Jones
visited the mining camp of Adgers, IN Jefferson
County. Dancing was proposed, and the Governor
was called upon to lead it with Mrs Johns, the
handsome wife of the superintendent OF the mines
At the end Of the first dance whae
did the gallant Governor do but lmplant
one of his choicest kisses on the tempting
lips of Mrs. Johns The action took I'M
mediately and was greeted with applause by the
miners, though it was noticed that Mr.. Johns
looked rather gloomy and ehpped his hands In a
sort of a half-hearted way. The next night Cap
tain Kolb arrived in town and another ball was
aiven. lie was called upon to lead the dancing.
and did SO with the charming wife OF the mining
boss, Mrs. Hillhouse. The Captain is not the
kind of a man to get left, politically, and as he
started to lead Mrs Hilhouse to her seat, he
stopped and impressed no less than two tender
kisses on her rosebud lips. There was uproarious
applause by everybody, with the possible exception
of Mr. Hhouse, who is said to have looked slightly
pained and to have thrown no real vigor into the
wav he stamped his feet on the floor. This fur
| nisbed the keynote for the Alabama campaign
Rails are being held throughout that whole State
for each candidate II he Is the first one in that
particular place, he kisses his partner as many
times as he sees fit. When, night or two after
the other aspirant comes along. he kisses his
partner few more times than the other did his
thus gaining many votes. Sometimes one candi-
date is the first at town. sometimes the other
Great excitement prevails. For some unknown
reason the enthusiasm is greatest among the ladies
of Alabama, especially among the handsomer ones
| They were never known to take SO much interest
in a political campaign before in the history Of
| the State. We are utterly unable to account for
this strange phenomenon
We welcome the new style Of campaign and
hope to see it spread to other States 1t is even
better than campaign of education. The Aus
| tralian ballot is good thing, but the Alabamian
campaign is better Christmas mistletoe is no.
where beside it, The only difficulty we can see
with it is the tendency it will have to multiply
| candidates. Already candidates are begin
ming to spring up in Alabama, and it is estimated
| that before the campaign closes half the men
in the State will be striving after the nomination
| for Govornor