Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-07
THE GRAND RATIFICATION
MOSeley to the Bat and koIb on
Deck.
THE COLORED BAND PLAYED
A Number of Negroes Were Present, but Not
Enough Whites to Punctuate the
Crowd.

last night on the 7:30 Louisville and
Nashville accommodation from Mont
gomery.
Notwithstanding it had been advertis-
ed through the newspapers and by circu-
lars that Mr. GOODWIN would open his
campaign here and the voters of Jeffer-
son county requested to meet him. when
the train arrived Captain Kolb and four
or five others composed the gathering
who met him at the train, and as Mr.
Goodwin grasped their friendly hand he
looked around as much as to say
r'Where In the hi is the brass band?"
A colored band had been secured for
the occasion, and though several min
utes late in reaching the union depot and
the candidate and his friends had sought
the hotel, they filed down First avenue
and Nineteenth street playing the Bon
ME Blue Flag" and rested on their oars
at the corner of the government building,
apparently awaiting to see what would
turn up.
The speaking did not begin until 8
o'clock.
The following gentlemen were on the
stand: Mr.. GOODWIN, Captain Kolb, Mr..
Bowman, DR.. Mose1ey, Governor Smith
and Louis e. Parsons.
Captain Kolb presided and introduced
the speakers.
In introducing Mr.. Goodwin Captain
Kolb said that last week and the week
before two tickets had been nominated
in Montgomery, one headed by Joseph
r. Johnston and the other headed by
Alex I. Goodwin, and the people were
here tonight to extend greetings to their
candidate, Mr.. GOODWIN, the next gov
ernor Of Alabama.
Mr.. Goodwyn's Speech.
Mr.. GOODWIN said he realized for the
first time his candidacy for the highest
Office In the gift of his people. He had
just finished a contest of eighteen
months duration for his seat In the ma
tional congress. His family, he said, had
protested against his accepting the nomi-
nation for governor, and he had written
letters to his friends asking that they
nominate another man; but now that the
people have seen fit to place their banner
in his hands he proposes to carry 1t to
victory.
A majority of the democrats, he said,
are honest, but have been victimized by
INSCRIPTIONS politicians.
The speaker here gave history of his
contest case, and dwelt at length on the
question of ballot box stuffng. He said
that in the counties where his party has
the appointing of election managers he
will advise that the opposing party be
given clerk and inspectors at every box.
Captain Johnston declares for honest
elections, but he wants no such thing.
The impression has gone abroad that the
convention that nominated Captain john
ston declared in its platform for honest
elections, and there never was greater
mistake. The platform declares for honest
elections only in primaries, and that
specific plank was framed by political
jugular to deceive the people. Il am go
ing to invite Captain Johnston to joint
discussion throughout the state, and ex-
pect to test his sincerity as to his real
position on honest elections. l recognize
Captain Johnston as gentleman OF high
character. and our difference Is of a po-
Iitical nature He stands for organized
democracy and stand against 1t.
On the tariff Mr.. Goodwin says that he
Is n protectionist. Johnston had said in a
Joint discussion with him at Iallassee
that the difference between them on this
point was that Goodwin favored an ex-
aggerated protection and he favored a
sufficient protection.
The speaker dwelt on the indebtedness
of the state and charged the democratic
party with all manner of frauds ana cor
ruption He did not know how the IN
debtedness could be paid except by taxa
ton, and he was in favor OF protecting
the states credit at whatever cost.
On the question of finance Mr.. Good
wyn saws he Is an American bimetalllst.
Taken altogether the speech was ex-
tremely weak, and when robbed of its
vituperaton there Is nothing left.
Bowman's Speech.
Mr.. Bowman was next introduced and
made his usual characteristic speech,
charging the democratic party with
stealing everything in the state except
the Alabama river.
Captain Johnston's paper says he Is
going to the black belt with 10000 ma
jority. If Captain Johnston can strike
the black belt with l majority l am will
ing to yield his election"
AS to the commissarieS Mr.. Bowman
said they could not be done away with,
unless the law is repealed granting them
q charter.
He expressed himself as unalterably
opposed to a constitutional convention.
That is meant the disfranchisement of
the negro and the ignorant white man.
DR.. Moseley.
said he thanked his God for fusion, and
waving his familiar beaver he called
upon his colored followers to give three
cheers and tiger for Goodwin. Said
that he had been fighting against fraud
and corruption in Alabama ever since
the bald eagle of the mountains was in
Quoted into office.
Captain Kolb stated that Mr.. Vaughan,
another leading republican, who was ex-
pected to speak, was i'll and could not
be present.
Louis e. Parsons was then called for.
He said he did not expect to make a
speech and was there to look at the
crowd that he had been with the reform
movement for four years; that he voted
for Captain Kolb in 1899 and 1894. He
had always been for defeating the demo-
cratic ballot box suffers in Alabama and
is still In the fight.
The grand ratification upon the whole
was not up to the expectations of the
leaders. While there were about 500 or
900 present, there were not enough
whites among them to punctuate the
crowd.
1t was evident from the speeches that
the campaign will be made on the old
republican style, intermingled with the
cry of fraud and ballot box stuffing,
which has characterized Kolbs past