Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-02
Tho Political Outlook in the State Of
Alabama.
DEMOCRATS ARE NOT HARMONIOUS.
kolbites and the Regulars Are Still
at Odds.
EFFORTS AT COMPROMISE.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

BlHMlNGHAM. Ala, September go 1893
Although the next election for governor
and other state officers in Alabama does
not take place until the first Monday in
August. 1884. the campaign has already been
opened many months ahead of the time.
Unless all signs fail. too it win be the bit
terest campaign in the states political his
tory 1t is feared if the breach now existing
In the democratic party is not healed and
the two factions gotten together on an equal
footing that actual bloodshed may result.
1t Is still the old fight between the Koib-
ties or the alliance element led by Capt.
Reuben F. kolb. their twice defeated candi-
date for governor. and the regular old line
organized democracy, led by the old party
war horses. 1t was this latter element
that put Gov. Jones into Office last year.
at least that is what the alliance men say.
AS Yet the regular democracy has no avowed
candidate for governor, although ii seems
to be generally believed that Congressman
William c. Oates of the third district. will
be the regular party nominee He has al
ready signiiied his willingness to accept the
nomination If rendered him. He is regarded
as the strongest democratic leader in Ala
bama today.
The split which now exists In the demo-
cratic party in this state. unless peace is
patched up. may result in many things. 1t
may end In the defeat of the regular dem
ocracy's candidates and the election of
Capt kolb as governor. or it may result
hcanS. negroes and populists to pool issues
and elect state officers II may mean
political upheaval and revolution in state
affairs Politicians generally feel that the
crisis in the matter OF the control of the
states affairs is rapidly approaching.
Tee Cons- OF the split.
The cause OF the split in democracy's
ranks is generally known. Capt Kolb. the
leader of the alliance element. was barely
defeated fer the democratic gubernatorial
afras In, Iafaa only
complished by all the other candidates pool
Ing issues and uniting their strength on
Gov Jones. who was nominated and elected
Last year Kolb was again candidate,
and was Jones. Kolb declared that he
had been sgindled out of the nomination in
1850. and when he saw he would not be
nominated in 1882 his delegates bolted the
democratic convention and nominated him
On an Independent ticket. RE made the
lace and lacked only 1l.Oe9 votes of defeat
fcG Gov. Jones. the regular nominee Then
Capt. Kolb and many of his lieutenaEt3 sup
ported the Weaver electoral ticket. How
ever, many of those who voted for Kolb
for governor came back into the party and
voted :or Cleveland and the national cleo
tors. THese were declared by the state
democratic executive committee being
r-lnstated to the party.
Last May the state executive committee
of the JeHersonian democrats as those
who followed Capt. KolD last year call
themselves. met here. and drew up Iropo-
siCon which was presented to the regular
s;ate democratic executive committee. The
proposition contained pan looking for
uniting the two factions OF the party. BY
IL the Jefersonians proposed that state
primary election be held next March and
that all white men be allowed TO partici-
pate in 1t: Ii was to be primary for the
rofntnatio of state officers, the nominees
Of IL to be the regular democratic candi-
dates The two state committees and the
two county committees % both factions in
each county all over the state were to con-
duct the primary. The plan further pledg-
ed the nominees as being opposed to all
laws which tended to the eisfranchisenent
Of any white man This was regarded by
regular den, cratic leaders as being slap
In the face for the Sayre election law that
was passed by the democrats in the last
general assembly. all the kolb members
voting against it.
The Proposition Rejected.
The regular state democratic executive COM
mittee met in Birmingham i'll June an l. after
red hot session. rejected the proposition of
the Kolb faction.
On September Z the Jeffersonian commit
tee met again anG drew up another plan
1t proposed primary election at which al
men who claimed t. have been democrats
prior to 1892, w:tIoac reg ard to how they
voted in eit.-er TIE state or national cleo
ton thai yea. be allowed u participate
and come BE- ~ into til, democratic rarity
1t should be stated. however. that in re-
tectinS the first proposition Chairman Smith
OF the regular COMMITTEES wrote to Chair
man Goodwin of the Jeffersonians that
vote for Cleveland last November would be
regarded as the true test OF a mans democ-
racy In Alabama The way re voted in the
August state election wouli not be conslJ-
cred at all. This answer, however didn't
open the doors of democracy to thousands
VINO had left the party last wear. and not
only voted for kOlb for governor but had
also voted for Weaver for President This
their leaders now admitted was done in a
mt of anger. as they felt that the regular
party leaders had swindied kolb out of the
Covernorship
1he-e are thousands of people now who
stil believe that Capt. Kolb was elected
governor last year, and that he was count
ed out IL has been charged time and
asaia that shady election methods have
Deer IN vogue for years among democrats
in many counties in this state Kolb en-
de2vored to contest for the office of gov
osuor before the legislature last winter but
= majority of that body wouldn't hear him.
He had. 50 he said, a big amount of proof
of fraud at elections.
The second Proposition.
Now.as to the second proposition of the
JerersoHians to get back into the regular
organized party. Chairman Smith of the
regular democratic committee has lust is
sued a call for a meeting of that committee
in Montgomery. October 10. to consider the
proposition Some action will then be
taken 1t is almost a foreSone conclusion
that the proposition will not be accepted as
1t stands now. Chairman Smith himself
tnlnAS the plan THROWS the doors
wide by taking in all who Claimed to be
democrats" prior to 1892; il is apt to cause
great confusion. he says. 1t is thought by
many, however. that the regular committee
will likely offer counter proposition in the
nature of 4 compromise which the Kolb
element. il is expected, may accept The
general opinion is that unless this results
there will be no running the democratic
party and the breach instead of healing will
grow wider. There is a very decided senti-
nlent among the old leaders, with few ex-
ceptions, not to let this kOlb element back
into the party. These leaders assert that
the Kolb men tried last year to turn over
Alabama's vote to Harrison by voting for
Weaver and that trade with that end in
view had been entered into by Kolb with
Chris Magee-
An exception to this class. however is ex-
Congressman G. W. Hewitt of this city
He Is the father of the harmony movement
among the old line democrats. In fact the
latter plan presented by the JeffersOnians
is his own idea of getting the party to-
gether again. At big poltica- meeting
held here a few nights ago to discuss the
Jeffersonian proposition Col. Hewitt said
that unless the plan was accepted the state
would be in danger of negro rule. He fears
that the democratic party will split all to
pieces and be defeated all over the state II
they do not unite At this meeting resolu-