Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-12
A REUNITED DEMOCRACY.


news columns this morning for the evil
dence and assurance of a brilliant vic
tory for Capt. Joseph F. Johnston of JEFF
ferson county, and the triumph of what
the State Herald conceves to be the
principles of true democracy.
The desire of Captain Johnston and
his supporters was that the financial
question which has yexed and divided
the democratic party should not be in
jected into the campaign, in the pres
ence of the necessity of united party
at the August election, and they patriot
ically sought to eliminate this issue, for
the present, from the state campaign.
To their credit, be it said, this desire was
shared by the conservative and patriotic
advocates of the Sound money" theory
in the party, and the counsel of the sa-
gacious chairman of the democratic
state executive committee the real head
of the party in the state, was against
this course. Notwithstanding the peril
of such a course, the wreckers and mar
plots of the party, led by the Montgom-
cry Advertiser, persistently and vciously
determined that this issue should be
made and fought to the bitter end, how
ever disastrous might be the result in
August. In vain an appeal to and al
most a demand upon Governor Oates
was made to lead a movement, the real
purpose of which was to crystalline the
sentiment and concentrate the support
of the advocates of the gold standard
in opposition to Captain Johnston's cam
didacy. Failing to secure the co-opera-
ton of Governor Oates the Advertiser
set about to get another who should rep
resent its peculiar financial views and
political methods. 1t succeeded finally
in inducing Hon. Richard H. Clarke of
Mobile, than whom no man in Alabama
is more distinctly an adherent of the
single gold standard, and in whom the
Advertiser could find the fullest express
sion of its desires.
Mr.. Clarke began this campaign as the
avowed and determined advocate of the
gold standard. During his entire can
Nass he has urged this issue and made it
the chief feature in all of his speeches.
With all of his ability he has contended
for the supremacy of that system. His
appeals have been made in it's behalf
rather than for the welfare of the demo-
cratic party. He has not. at any time.
stood in need of material aid. He and his
ha
range of human power to compass the
defeat of a gentleman whose views are
known of all men to be opposed to those
he maintains.
On the other hand, Captain Johnston
went before the people. of Alabama seek
| ing the support not of a faction of the
| democratic party, but asking the suf~
frage of all democrats who believed in
| the principles of true democra-
cy and who would vote for
its candidates in August. He pleaded for
| a reunited and harmonious party-its
| rehabilitation and the restoration of ir-
| resistible militancy. Bearing aloft the
battle flag under which the party has
won its most glorious victories and
achieved it's most splendid triumphs, he
has appealed to the reason, the patriot
| ism, the tolerance and the magnanimity
| of all those true and tried democrats who
| followed the lead of Houston in 1874, but
who in recent years have been estranged,
| to again come together and restore the
| fortunes and prestige of the party Nor
has the appeal been in vain. The odd
| guard has needed his counsel and fol-
lowed his leadership. Democrats of all
classes and names. whether sound
money or bimetalists, have seen the
necessity of uniting upon man as the
democratic candidate for governor, one
whose high integrity and great ability as
| a man, whose unsulied democratic rec
| ord and splendid leadership will assure
success in August From every section
| of the state the advocates of sound
| money! and of bimetallism have united
| in a common purpose and effort-the
restoration and upbuilding Of democracy
In Alabama.
And what is the result? This morning,
from the Georgia line on the east to the
Mississippi line on the vt7t; from beyond
the sweeping tide of the majestic Ten
nessee to the foam-crested waves of our
| own southern gulf democracy feels
new inspiration and pulses new
| life, and is already glrding itself for
encounter with its foes under the gal
| liant leadership of Capt. Joseph f. John
ston, which will achieve for it in August
a victory not less brilliant and lasting
than that won for 1t by Houston, twenty
two years ago.
Again the State Herald congratulates
the democracy of Alabama upon the
nomination of Capt. Joseph F. Johnston
| as it's candidate for governor.
| NOT OUR FAULT.
Yesterday the State Herald saw proper
! to reproduce an editorial from the Even