Birmingham age-herald., 1894-07-31
Between B. L. Hubbard and W. H.
 Skaggs at WoodlaWn.
THE LATTER oUTCLAsSED
Colonel Hibk ard in Plain, Un- vanished Terms Sounds the
 Praise of True Democracy.

About 500 men assembled at Woodawn last night to hear joint discussion of the political issues in Alabama by Col. B. l.. Hubbard and MT. w. H. Skaggs.
 It had been arranged that Capt. John M. Martin should open the discussion with speech of half an hour, Mir. Skaggs to follow him in an hours speech and Colonel Hubbard to close in an hour. This, however, MT. Skaggs and his friends re- fused to abide by, and after consultation between Colonel Hubbard, Captain Martin and Mir. Sims, democrats, and MT. Skaggs and MT. Embry, Jefersonians, and MT. Vaughan, republican, it was agreed that Colonel Hubbard open in thirty minutes speech, to be followed with an hours speech by MT. Skaggs, and then Colonel Hubbard thirty minutes rejoinder.
 There was no comparison between the speakers. Mir. Skaggs was nothing like the equal of Colonel Hubbard as a debater, fact painfully evident to his own political associates present, who seldom attempted applause.
 COLONEL HIBBARD.
 Colonel Hubbard began with brief re- sume of what democracy has done for Ala baIna during it's twenty-two years of power, among the things he mentioned being the public school system, tho appropriations for which have increased in that period from $85 ,000 to 1881 ,000 annually; the homestead exemption law and other acts for the benefit and protection of the labor ing people of the state. He said that every two years for the past twenty-two demo- cratic legislature has assembled aud en- acted laws, to none Of which has there ever been any great objection until the enact- ment of the Sayre election law. This, he said, was not perfect, but it threw some safeguards around the ballot box, whereas prior to it's becoming q law there were none.
 The opposition is composed of populites, republicans and disgruntled and dissatis- fled democrats. One wing of these, the populists, at the convention which nomi- hated General Weaver for president, had indorsed the Australian ballot law, which provides that no one, except blind man, who cannot read sball vote. The Sayre law prevents no one from voting.
 He said that up to two years ago there was peace in Alabama. There was no talk of shotguns and Winchesters in connection with politics, but one mans ambition to be governor bad thrown the state into tur- m il and strife. Kolb's organized opposi- l.on two years ago did it. The democrats. he said, are more honestly in favor of free vote and fair count than all the opposition. The only issue presented to the people Of Alabama by opposition to democracy is that Kolb must be governor. He said Captain Kolb was born in Barbour county about 55 years aga, of rich and respectable parents, and thSt he was blessed with all that wealt Il could give. He became lawyer, but tn g coAArecor6s fail to show that he ever had ans \actice; he tried farming, but never worke4any; he then went into the broker age business and broke himself. Here Colonel Hubbard eulogized Captain Kolb as brave Confederate soldier, and then said we next find him as commissioner of az riculture, posing as the peculiar friend of the farmer, yet during the four years he filled that office we fail to find a single law intended to benefit the farmers that he ad- Vocated.
 ke went before the democratic conven- ton four years ago and acknowledged that he was fairly defeated for the nomination for governor. Two years later he was a democratic candidate for governor, and when the primaries were over and he saw he WAS defeated he organized a convention of his own and had himself nominated for governor. After his defeat in the election be set up the cry of fraud and set about to