Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-10
A FEW PLAIN WORDS.

OuI eSlteIllGQ HflSil ihC AHSN', No.
concluded, after long cogltation, that it
can no longer support Captain Johnston
for governor because friends and sup
porters of that gentleman are in favor of
bmetallism. Surely it must have known
long ago and from the outset that Cap
tain Johnston is bimetallist and that
nothing has occurred from the inception
of the campaign down to the present time
to change his attitude in that respect.
Colonel Bankhead has made many
speeches heretofore in behalf of the
double standard, and nothing that he has
recently said changes the situation
Why then does our ne:ghbor seize upon
the speech of Colonel Bankhead at Bir-
mingham as a reason for deserving john
ston? The argument it has used here
tofore that Captain Johnston, If nominat-
ed, can more surely win the victory over
the enemy, is still the argument that pre-
walls with the people.
From the outset it has been understood
that there is a difference in the party up
on the money question. The last state
convention recognized that difference
and agreed to tolerate the difference in
order to keep the party together for pur-
poses of graver moment than are now
connected with the currency. Why, then,
at this stage of the game, should our
friend prescribe Captain Johnston for en-
tertaining views which he has all along
entertained and pronounced, and which
the state convention tolerated? Are BIZ
metallists to be ostracised for honest
opinions which pretty much all the world
are now coming to acknowledge as cor
rect? Our friend appears to think that
the candidacy of bimetallists for local
offices is a breach of faith, or something
of that kind This idea is simply absurd.
Who can keep man from offering for an
Office and who can stop his mouth as to
any question affecting currency or any
thing else? The question of cur
rency is here. and It is here
to stay until it is settled, and 1t
will stay until it is settled right Every
intelligent man understands that there
is a difference of opinion on the question,
but not such wide difference as should
destroy the democratic party. We must
| protect and preserve the democratic par
| ty, because upon that party depends the
| security of the liberties of the people of
| these southern states. To preserve that
party we must stand by the catholic an
nouncement of the last democratic con-
yention of this state. We must recognize
| the fact that we differ on the matter OF
CURRENCY We must let the candidates
| for office take such position on that ques-
| ton as they prefer. No one has right
| to say that any man is not good demo-
| crat who takes this or that position as
| to currency.\ Why, then, should our es-
teemed neighbor, the News, desert the
cause of Captain Johnston because Dr.
Cunningham offers for the senate, or MI.
Bankhead makes an argument for silver
at BIRMINGHAM? These matters must
long since have been discounted in the
mind of our friend. 1t is impossible to
| prevent men from expressing their views
| or from offering themselves as candl-
dates. and it is equally impossible to I'M
derstand how the opinions of individuals
inside of the party should induce jour
| nal which has deliberately taken GER
| rain nosition to abandon it for such
| trivial reason
The News at the outset said that 1t was
for CAPTAIN Johnston because it was con-
! yinced that he could command, if nomi-
mated, a much larger vote than could
| Mr.. Clarke. 1t left out of view entirely
| the question of currency. That question
| only question was one of expediency.
Its purpose, its hope, it's object was to
| secure the success of the democratic
PARTY, 1t waived every other question
and planted itself Squarely upon the wei
| fare and the necessities of the party. The
| welfare and necessities of the party are
| now precisely as they were then. If there
was any doubt as to the desires and ne
| cessities of the party, we have only TO
| look at the recent election in Morgan
| county. That is a typical county.
1t was thoroughly canvassed by both
candidates. The issues were un-
derstood. The eyes of the people all over
/ the state were upon that county. The re-
| suit shows that Captain Johnston is
| enormously the favorite of the people
| The result in Morgan foretels the result
| in other counties The whole of north
| Alabama will go for Captain Johnston,
| and the opinions that prevail in north
| Alabama will be the opinions of middle
| and of south Alabama. The prevailing
| belief is that Captain Johnston is the
| available man to beat the enemy. Salts
| fed as our neighbor has been that such is
| the fact. and satisfied as Morgan county
| Is that such is the fact, we can see no rea-
son why the News at this late day should
| throw it's other leg over the fence and
| get down on the side of the candidate
| which ii has so often said could not GER
| tainly command the votes necessary to
assure the defeat of the enemy.
|
| RETROSPECTIVE.