Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-15

 We are not only fighting for free silver, we are also fighting for honesty in the party First thing you know they will call every man who advocates a free ballot and a fair count a populite. l have never been called an intimate of John sherman. Some men get their de- mocraey from postofflce windows or from Buzzard's Bay. I get mine from Monticello.
 E CT don't want to restrict the democrat fc party to three inspectors in each beat. I want to see all the white people in one column
 This was a speech that does credit to the patriotism and good sense of Captain Johnston, and Is in thorough accord with the sentiments of the party in the state. It is exactly what the party platform has declared for in the past, and is exactly what the democratic convention will de- clare for in the future in its platform. It Is no crime to declare for honest cleo tion methods. but 1t worse than criminal to attempt to destroy a public man be- cause he does not declare against dis honest methods in politics"
 Rule or Ruin
 The Jacksonville Republican rebukes the Advertiser:
 "When the Montgomery Advertiser was engaged in the task of announcing the candidacy of Governor Oates for gov
 
 sition that the differences in the party mlist be harmonized and that the party was in no condition to stand a repetition of the Oates-Johnston contest of last year It went so far as to insist that such contest would very probably turn the state over to Moseley, Bowman and their followers.
 But what Is the Advertiser doing to- day? It Is bending it's every effort to bring about a repetition of the Oates Johnston contest of last year. It now laughs to scorn the idea of harmonizing the differences in the party in the state. It insists on q fight to a finish. This, too. in the face of it's prediction that such fight would bring defeat to the democratic party and place the state in the hands of the republicans and popu- lists.
 But the policy of the Advertiser is one of rule or ruin. and rather than fail in it's effort to defeat worthy democrat like Captain Johnston. it had rather sink the party in the state and aid in the inauguration of Bob MoSeley as gov ernor of Alabama.
 But are the sound money men in Alabama willing to be led to this ex- treme by the intolerant spirit which dl- rects the policy of the Montgomery Ad- vertiser? Some of them have already boldly spoken out and denounced the ruinous policy of the Advertiser and de- clared that the nomination of Captain Johnston is the very best thing that can be done to save Alabama to the demo- cratic party. Others are waiting and will support any man in the state whom the Advertiser declares as its candidate. They are now eagerly waiting for its announcement, and as soon as the com mand is given they will fall into line ana march to the music of Frank Glass; An Animated Contest. The Prattville Progress thinks the breach will be widened:
 "From all indca tions there will be an I.animated contest in the democratic par ty for the gubernatorial nomination in this state. The Progress believes that this Is no time for wrangling among democrats, and 1t has hoped that some man would be selected as leader on whom all democrats could unite. Then the usu- al bitterness occaSioned by contest would be avoided and the party would be in better trim to meet the enemy. But 1t seems that such is not to be the case. Since Governor Oates has declined to be a candidate to succeed himself the anti | Johnston democrats. headed by the | Montgomery Advertiser and the Mobile Register, have been looking around for an available man to put in the field, and it now seems that Congressman R. H. Clarke of Mobile will be the man. If bitter fight is to be waged, if the breach in the democratic ranks is to be widened, MT. Clarke is the man to pit against Captain Johnston, as he has already made himself obnoxious to the Johnston element of the party by leaving congress last year and using all his influence in the state against Captain Johnston. "So far as the Progress is concerned, whether 1t be Clarke or Johnston, Tomp- kins or Bankhead chosen at the head of the democratic party next year 1t will give the entire ticket its loyal support, and we believe we speak for every loyal democrat in this county But if there is to be a contest between the elements of the party, if rancor is to be engendered in the breasts of the people, there are hundreds and thousands of democrats who may be either driven from the party or weakened in the cause. For this req son the leaders of the party who have at heart it's future interests should make an effort to place forward one of the most conservative and substantial democrats and thus avoid a contest that can do the party no good.
 This is no time to waste our ammuni- tion among ourselves, for all of 1t will be needed to fight the enemy next year."