Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-28
POLITICAL PLOTS IN ALABAMA.
Preparing for . Lively Fight Between DEM
ocrats and Alliancemen.

promises to be the hottest political fight ever
known in this state is on. 1t Ii the old contest
of the Kolb alliance element against the old
line democracy, or the country against the
town faction.
Alabama has just passed through two heated
campaigns within the past year-the guberna-
toriRl campaign. which closed with the re-
election CT Gov. Jones, the candidate of the
oid-t democracy, on August last, and the
national campaign, wherein q large part Of
the kolb element supported the third party
electoral ticket. 1t was hoped by a great part
of the people Of this state that the present
year would be free from state politics, but as
last years result was not satisfactory to a large
element of people both inside and outside the
democratic party the struggle of 1894 has been
precipitated rather prerlaturely.
Reuben F. kolb. who ran for the democratic
nomination in 1890 and was defeated after was-
ing hard and close fight and who was a candi-
date for the nomination last year, but when de-
feated for 1t bolted the party convention and
ran against Gov. Jones, the regular nominee,
on an independent ticket and was defeated at
the polls by small majority. is in the race for
the third time. OF course he is not out for the
democratic nomination this time, as he quit the
party last year, himself and leaders supporting
the third party electoral ticket in the presiden-
tial race.
kolb announced in an interview while in
Washington attending a monetary convention
some months ago that he would make the race
for governor of Alabama again. He declares
that he WAS robbed ont of the nomination in
1880. when he needed only about dozen votes
In the democratic convention to nominate him.
at which time the friends Of the other candi-
dates all conferred their strength on Jones and
by nominating him defeated kolb. kolb as
serts further that he defeated Jones at the polls
in 1892. but was counted out. In this many
people believe as he does The majority of
I'M kpl Wtll
be remembered. carried his fight to the legisla-
ture, but that body gave him no relief There
is no law in Alabama providing for a contest
for the office of governor. kolb and his friends
endeavored hard to persuade the legislature to
enact such a law in order that kolb himself
might contest Jones' seat However. majority
of both houses of the legislature were opposed
to kolb and no such law was enacted. nor were
kolb's charges heard or contest entertained in
any way.
THE NEW ELECTION LAW.
The Kolb element also plead with the legisla-
ture to enact a reform election law by which a
stop could be put to what they called "ballot-
box stufing" There was a general feeling all
over this state at the close of last years cam
paign that a new election law was needed
whereby more honest elections could be as
sured.
An election law was passed. but it wasn't the
kind that the Kolb element wanted, and they
voted against it and spoke against it in the leg
islature. However, their element was in the
minority then and could accomplish but little.
The new election law is virtually the adop-
tion of the Australian ballot system. In other
words, education Is required for the voter to
correctly prepare his ticket and vote it. As a
large part of the kolb and alliance element
are comparatively ignorant people. whom a
complicated ticket or intricate system of
voting would be calculated to puzzle. the new
Law will naturally affect them materially. For
this reason the kolb element has bitterly op-
posed it.
The county alliances now are holding meet
ings all over the state and passing resolutions
denouncing the new law and declaring that it
is a scheme or conspiracy to defrsud them out
of their rights citizens. The Butler county
alliance met a few days ago and denounced the
new law in unmeasured terms, and concluded
by saving in written resolutions that unless
the registrar appointed to register the voters
in that county honest man he would
cease to live.
This serves TO show the bitter feeling which
is already being manifested by the alliance
element In this state.
The appointment Of county registrars is now
going on. The appointive power is with the
governor. and for this reason the alliance ele-
ment fear that they won't get what they term
a square 6eal." There is. however. good rea-
son TO believe that none but honest men will be
appointed
CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR.
Candidates for governor are already coming
to the front. 1t is not customary with the
democratic party. and the people generally, as
for that matter. to elect governor for more
than two terms. and. as Gov. Tones is now serv-
ing his second term, he will of course not be in
the race next time.
Koib is running on his own account, as he
couldn't hope to get democratic nomination
after boiling the party last year.
Ex-Congressman A. C. Davidson, who repre-
sented the fourth district in Congress for two
terms and who is quite an able man well a
stanch democrat, Is announced as candidate
for the democratic gubernatorial nomination.
The fact that he is a candidate is published on
the statement of bis son.
\ strong effort is being made by an element
Of the party to have Congressman William C..
Oates. who represents the third district noml-
mated for governor. Col. Oates antagonism to
the koib alliance element is felt keenly by that
faction. and his candidacy would be especially
dIsagreeable to them. Col Oates is quoted
saying that should he be nominated he would
accept. and that he couldn't decline under any
circumstances
There Is a strong feeling among certain of
the party leaders to get man for governor
whose candidacy will reunite the party in Ala
bama. The democratic party split all to pieces
IN this state last year and it feared that the
state would fail to go for Cleveland. The di-
VISION sui exists 10 certain extent ana much
bitterness is still manifested. For the good Of
the party they say that man who will be ac-
ceptable to both factions should be put up.
whether or not this Will be done remains to be
seen. Congressman Wheeler of the eighth dis
trict has been spoken of such q man. but
whether he would make the race or not is not
known.
THE THIRD PARTY.
The third party has a fairly strong foothold
in Alabama and was greatly encouraged by the
large vote its candidates polled in this state in
November. 1t is probable that this party will
further koib's candidacy. Already third party
voters are i'll the field making lively canvass.
j. &. Manning, secretary of the peoples party,
Is on a lecturIng tour now in the counties which
were for Weaver in the last election. He says
his party will sweep Alabama next year. That
their leaders are already doing much work can
not be disputed.
ocratic committee, which is the committee of
body TO convene in Birmingham on May IL.
The call states that the object OF the meeting
Is to discuss the election law passed by the last
legislature and take proper steps to secure a
fair and honest election for the people OF
Alabama"
As the elemen. which the committee repre-
SCENTS Is strongly opposed to the new election
law resolutions denouncing it will doubtless be
passed The meeting is looked forward to with
much interest.
kolb Is working an active canvass of the
backwoods counties and politics are heating
up all over the state. During the coming sum-
mer and fall the campaign will get well under
way, and before winter it will be at white heat.