The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-31
POLITICS In ALABAMA.
conoysL OATES sUSE OF ELECTION
rox o0vgxSoE.
A,prehsnsion that the Dsmeefs"
Possibly Lose the Lsgisiatsre-
Wants to sucossd ssnstor Morgan


you,nville Courier-Iournai spee'a'
from, birmingham, Ala, gives 'nns w"
Of the political campaign In 'Da' says
r,a s,ate election Is now but 'e"
~ ood interest In the outcome 20
t.nse. More feeling has pee CIV
=, ,na nresent campaign than J" as
- Zinc. Houston redeemed 'he 80
80. pen,,blican rule in 1874. Zen"
- now feel sure OF the eiecuo"
-, oates 10 the governorship' o''
are apprehensive about the S"no,or
which viii elect a successor ~
xo,ean when II meets III ~,
r'he state Senate is believed "
r,g,t Seventeen votes cohtroi ~
80 nine hoid-over Democrats i" 20.
h,lv and the party feel sure oi -"
.i.c,ion OF ut least nine more VIZ.
could give them a majority Vi o"o
,hair lowest estimate. The lo"s[ 1o The
snwaver. will, IL Is hgnreo, NJ NJ ma
bey TO the entire situa.loii' eve House
jority necessary 10 c0 ,,,iya Democrats
fieure that the party is aosoiu, uTaassmbers
~ nresent OF only forty-sN IN fef-
OF the lower branch, not lnn.I,Soehen Is
ferson county. OF when Dir, mas six
Na
members In the lower house, anu 10 civ
earded as doubtful. II IL eie0 70, ~
Democrats the House is saie ,,oorats
three Populists and three ,1a iority
20 In the Populists VIII nave
Of two in the House os,I, n is fig
In case OF this latter result tbpo,i,,,iefs
ured that NE first step OF me fopuhns,9
would be 10 elect Popu'ist opa an.
who would refuse to sum up az state
poInce the result Of the election oi oaa,e
ne,cers IL Is figured further that bogus
contests would be sent UP and nosus
investi cation by the Populst nDItSe
would follow, resulting In the 'n Intars
cut Of enough Oates counues 10 oe1 rh,s
,nonId II is figured, be followed up by
The lInseating pf enough democratic
LEGISLATORS on bogus contests iivi., ,bev
counties, on the allegation tnat W.
control OF the Legislature on loint pa,7
lot. SO as TO defeat Morgan for eiect,.odd
10 the Senate. 1t is openly asseI'ee
among many that tnts is ,he sChein eson
the Kolbltes. and that is the reason
why they are crying fraud III a"'"''0''
MoNGAN's OPPOSITION
Since Senator Morgan came TO ana
bama and entered actively INTO i tne c ond
vass for Democracy, the kolbites ana
Populists have determined to use every
means in their power to defeat ms eiec.
fion. In fact. X has been asserted tldt
the real purpose of kolbs candluaSy lV 5i
Governor is to go to the senate, onouidd
he be elected Governor. or be seated anu
capture the lower house or the Legs
lature as outlined above. 1t Is said the
Populists would elect him TO the senate
to succeed Morgan. the presiaelt ~, UI
that body TO preside. Is ex-officio Lieu
tenant Governor.
II the Democrats control the Senate
<olb would not be elected senator, as ne
would then be succeeded by a Deinocrat
n the office Of Governor. In this event
n. II. Skaggs, chairman OF kolbs cam
,aign committee; A. T. Goodwin, chair
nan OF Kolb's Executive Committee, or
Iome other prominent Popuifst or Hepuo-
lean would go 70 me senate, b nu' ~ n the
legislature Kolb would probably succeed
Morgan and the Populist President OF the
senate would become Governor.
Much. therefore, depends upon Wnetuel
he Democrats and POpulists elect the
legislative ticket In Jefferson county. IL
now seems probable that the Democrats
VIII get this county, which has always
been Democratic, but has lately been rem
miners strikes. etc, here, many
miners feeling aggrieved at the Demo-
cratic State administration because OF
the calling out OF troops.
DEMOCRATIC GAINS.
me above IS the view conservative
Democrats take of the situation at pres
emit Ii is admitted, however, that the
Democrats are making gains daiiy' anu
that 1t is very probable they VIII elect
their legislative ticket In several counties
heretofore classed as Kolb counties or
doubtful. The situation is close, to say
the least, and no little apprehension is
felt. as much depends upon the result
Senator Morgan is confident Of a Demo
cratic victory. He thinks kolb will be
showed under worse than he ever was be-
fore. He says there Is no doubt that the
X olbites in his opinion, will make every
effort to get control Of the Legislature ny
trick or fraud. He says that while kolb
is strong in some counties ne mas been
steadily losing since the campaign openeu,
while Democracy has been gaining daily
and has been making a winning fight
from the beginning.
Congressman w. II. benson, who repre-
sents the Seventh district, has caused
much talk by his queer conduct. He came
home from Washington recently, It was
thought, 10 take the stump for oates ana
the Democratic ticket. He took the
stump, but has not touched upon state
issues, dealing wholly In national politics.
ed the Populsts. Colonel benson has not
made any public denial as yet, though
by Democratic newspapers 70
define his position Is SAID ,hd that tnat ne is
false. The Populists are claiming NM
SO II is said. and there is already talk or
running him as a senatorial candidate In
case the Populists control the Legislature
Many of Densons friends. while surprised
al his silence TO the charge against him,
are not yet prepared to credit the story
that he has left the DEMOCRATIC party.
He has long been a conspicuous hsure IN
politics in this state, ana was
president of the famous Democratic con-
yention four years ago, when. after DAYS
OF balloting, Kolb was beaten ana Coy
ernor Jones nominated for Governor.
pRNsoN's FENCES.
II looks like benson has simply come
home 10 look after his own fences. and Is
out for reelection regardless OF the Dem
ocratic state ticket. His district is full
NJ Populists, and he was elected two years
ago as q Democrat by comparatively
small majority. His strange course is
watched with interest by both sides.
Nearly every other member Of the Ala
bama delegation In Congress is at home
i'm the canvass heart and soul Colonel
Oates, Senator Morgan. Congressman
Staiings Clark, Cobb. Bankhead and
Robbins are making speeches daily. The
candidates are on the home stretch now,
and II promises to be very lively until
the election, Monday week, and unless
the majority is very decided one way or
the other II Is probable the fight will not
end with the election for II Will take a
decided result TO satisfy either side.