Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-29
A WORD WITH THE GENERAL.


The report of General Harrisons
speech at the recent republican conven-
ton in Montgomery says: "Alluding to
the State Hera1d's criticism of himself,
General Harrison, styling it a so-called
democratic paper, said he only hoped the
people of Birmingham knew its opera
tors as well as they are known in Lee
county,"
The general doubtless has fond recol-
lection himself of these gentlemen, and
his conscience pinched him when he
would, if he could have placed a spear
in their side. But elouded sentence of
inference was all he could say. The gen
erals mind no doubt reverted to the fact
that when he was a bimetallic candidate
for congress in the Third district to sue
coed Colonel Oates it.was to these same
operators" more than to any other
cause he owed his nomination and cleo
ton, according to his own acknowledge
ment, which he had the manhood to ex-
press publicly at the time.
The general doubtless also remembers
that after his nomination for congress,
at the suggestion of-some of his jealous
supporters and at his own instance, one
of these same operators" stood by his
side in the hotel lobby in Union Springs
with the honored distinction of being
his best man in the fight for the nominal
ton, while his friends were extending
him congratulations over his success.
Yes, dear general, not only the people
of Lee county know the operators" to
whom you refer, but the citizens of the
entire Third district have a vivid recol-
. ~ of In, oal-
ing believe that you were a democrat
without "prefxes or afIixes," but, like
the people, they too soon learned that the
republican viper you had kept warm in
your breast was nursed to life in time to
show its venomous fangs after the dem
ocratic party had made you its stand
ard bearer and was pledged to vote for
you against a republican opponent who
had been nominated against you.
The State Herald challenges General
Harrison to point out in a single speech
made by him to the public while he was
seeking the democratic nomination for
congress wherein he declared his allie
glance to the gold standard. We chal-
lenge him also to deny the fact that after
receiving that nomination he assumed
middle ground on the question and hum
dreds of democrats voted for him under
protest simply. because he was the nomi-
nee, they having no faith in the PROPOSE
ton that he would stand up for demo-
cratic principles on the financial question
in congress against the money power.
Had the people of the Third district
known that it was the purpose of Gem
eral Harrison to shield his views on the
financial question until after his nomi-
nation and that he was a gold standard
advocate instead of a bimetallist, as he
claimed to be, he would not have carried
his home county, Lee. And had they
thought that he was so soon to follow in
the footsteps Of KOib in boiling the party
to which he appealed for honors and
place and throw his influence to the re-
publican lzader, Mckinley, who, not sat
ished with his successful efforts in
placing upon the people the robber tariff,
but supported with his oratory, as well
as his vote, the iniquitous force bill, he
would not have dared canyassed that
district as a democrat, much less have
received the nomination as the standard
bearer Of the democratic party
No one knows better than General Har-
rison the sentiment of the people of the
Third Congressional district, and had he
not known full well that he would have
met with an ignomnous defeat there is
not enough power in all the political par
ties or populism enough In all the party
platforms in America to have prevented
his seeking a reelection. The general
kpsSvs he cannot again press down upon
the heads of His constituents crown of
msapplied confidence. nor can he cruelty
them on a railroad cross-tle.