Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-06
THE OPPosTTToN.

| ty, but who followed Mr.. Kolb into what
was styled the Jeffersonan democracy,
every substantial right demanded by
them. 1t offers a white mans govern
ment, free coinage of gold and silver, re-
lief for state banks, extended pubic in
struction, fair elections and an economi-
cal administration. Nothing better is Of
fered by the populist PLATFORM and a
good deal worse is offered by that and its
allied platforms, the Omaha doctrines on
the one hand and the republican doctrines
on the other. The platform enunciated
| by the opposition must be construed In
the light of the surrounding circum-
stances and by the opinions of the men
| nominated to administer the state gov
| eminent. Three of the nominees are we'll
| known republicans, and it is in evidence
| that in exchange for assistance to elect
Goodwin the republicans are to have
| half of the electoral ticket and more than
half of the congressional nominees. The
populists offer half of the electoral vote
| of Alabama to the republican nominee.
| They have no earthly chance to elect
| their own nominee and they aim simply
| to secure the election of that party which.
| when completely successful, will once
| more set its iron heel upon the white
| people of the south. This opposition Is
| simply conspiracy to hand Alabama
| over TO her old radical enemies, those
| men who in the old days were treated as
political outcasts and social pariahs. The
coalition with the republicans was inno-
Gently explained by Colonel Reese when
he asked the populists not to let it go out
that the backs of their hands were turned
to the republicans at time when the re-
publican senators, with their populist al
dies, were about to send a smelling COM
mlttee to this state with a view of ex-
pelling Morgan from the senate and lay
ing predicate for the exclusion of Gov
ernor Johnston from the executive chair
by an armed force similar to that which
guarded Governor Smith in his barri-
caded usurped office, and which stood
ready with fixed bayonets to count in a
radical general assembly to sustain Gov
ernor Lewis.
In those olden days but few reputable
whites were bold enough or base enough
to breast the torrent of public reproba-
ton that was hurled al such attempts
to fasten negro rule upon this state in or
der that few whites might get office
by pandering to negro ambition. The
white republicans for thirty years num-
bered but few thousands. 1t required
as many negro votes as they could draw
to the polls to run their combined forces
up to 10000.
Those old enemies of the state now
hope to make capital out of the detection
from the democracy which followed the
candidacy of Kolb They imagine that
the tens of thousands who thought that
kolb had been wronged and was still a
true and loyal democrat. as he so often
and Vociferously declared, are willing to
go into this new camp and smoke the
pipe of fraternity with the negro repub-
leans. All of this is vain imagining.
Those people know full we'll that to sur
render Alabama to the senate commits
sion is to inevitably invoke a. force law
whereby the fairest portion of Alabama
would be ruled by negroes or be drenched
IN blood. This alliance they are asked
| to cement is an alliance whereby con-
| eresS is to be secured to force law
ana whereby president is to be elected
10 ENFORCE such law, and whereby our
general assembly is to be dominated by
that radical combination of whites and
blacks in which the vilest prejudices and
passions of both races are to blend to
the destruction of salutary laws and the
alarm of business and the ruin OF con-
| fdence.
We can understand how there can be a
| populist party in the north and west
| where appeals to both of the old parties
| for redress of local grievances have been
unheard, but we fail to understand the
bo owl e
at the south. If its doctrines are sound
| they can be reached through the demo-
cratic party. If the popullsts are a ma
| jority of the whites they can easily elect
| to the Legislature democrats who will
carry OUT their Wishes and to congress
men who will defend their rights. Such
| men they can secure a the polls and in
| the local conventions inside of the party.
| TO stand and refuse to act with the
| democracy is simply child's play. Over
| In Mississippi, where the elections are be-
| tween the whites, there is practically no
| populist party. 1t was apparent that the
| whites could settle all questions among
themselves and within democratic lines.
| And so it ought to be here in Alabama,
| and so we believe it will be. The TO-
| mentors of discord in Miss issippi, so soon
| as the negro vote dropped out had moth
| ing to fall back upon. Their occupation
was gone, and it was Immediately ap-
parent that without the negro there was
no possibility of imposing upon the Gre
| dullty of the people by mock display of
| numbers.
! Those followers of Kolb who stuck to
him because he cha lined to be a democrat
of pure water, and because they believe
| him to be such, can never follow him into
the foul-scented den of radicalism
| Those who abide by that unholy coal-
| ton will find that they have sold out ev-
! cry honest principle to obtain very pitt
| iful quantity of loaves and fishes
| LOUISIANA WANTS A CONVENTION.
Louisiana sees the necessity of a state
| convention to save herself from fraudu-
| lent elections. The Shreveport Judge,
which has generally been credited with
| being Senator Blanchard's organ, or at
| least representing his views, calls for
a constitutional convention and wants 1t