Birmingham state herald., 1896-05-31

speech opening the campaign at Leeds, in this county, yesterday morning.. He was attentively heard by a goodly as- semblage, who heartily applauded the salient points of his speech.
 His Speech.
 The full text of Captain Johnston's speech follows:
 Fellow Citizens: I am here today to speak to my own people. the people of this sunny land where I was born and raised, the people by whose side I have stood in war and peace, and the people whose prosperity and happiness has ever been near my heart.
 And I am here to speak frankly and fairly and soberly of the issues involved in this campaign and the dangers that threatens us.
 I am not here to misrepresent or abuse any party or any man, and shall not knowingly do so. If anything l may say shall seem harsh, I think you will find upon reflection that it is the truth that is harsh and not the speaker.
 Ishall first take up our platform and see what our party has declared as its con fession of faith, and I want every voter to understand fully that to me this plat form is an honest, direct, clear letter of instructions from the democracy of Ala bama, to be honestly and fully and fear lessly carried out and performed, and not to be put aside after the election.
 Pubic Credit.
 We stand heartily pledged in our plat form and by our record to maintaining the faith and credit of the state.
 We have not forgotten that Alabama, during the war and when many of her bonds were held by alien enemies, press ed her products through beleaguering fleets in order to meet the interest on her bonded debt.
 ,tx- will preserve inviolate every contract that the state has entered into.
 There can be little hope for the progress and development of any state, or for the elevation of its people, if the strictest good faith is not maintained in fulfilling the letter and spirit of every undertaking it enters into not only with respect to its financial obligations, but with respect to vested rights that have accrued under its legislation.
 The morality of a state should be that of its most honored and worthy citizens.
 Immigration.
 Before our convention met, indeed in the very first speech made in the cam paign, declared my purpose If nomi- mated to do what could in directing the currents of men and money so long flow ing into the western states towards our own borders
 I shall endeavor, with the assent of the general assembly. to organize an efficient bureau of immgration one that will not be a political hospital, but will have no purpose to serve other than to build up and enrich our state, by bringing in worthy citizens from less favored re- gions, and in extending watchful care over the citizens so acquired, in order that happiness and prosperity may be found by them under our sunny skies. To aid in making known our diversified re- sources, the salubrity of our climate, the .A |. nv ah 1 f1- tages we have for successful manufac- ture will to me be a labor of love.
 If we will but exert ourselves to de- velop and restore and give value to our farm lands the towns and cities will take care of themselves, for 1t is upon agricul- ture that largely rests the prosperity of nearly every town and city in the state.
 Education.
 Our platform sounds noa doubtful note on the question of public education; 1t pledges our party and the state honestly and squarely to the improvement and extension of our public schools to the lim- it of our abilities without resorting to op- pressive taxation.
 We have made some progrsss, but Ala hama stands unenviably near the foot of all the states in this vital matter
 We must move her forward in this great work with wisdom and energy and untiring patience and zeal.
 Universal education Is the only safe guard for universal suffrage. A man may vote intelligently without education, but, armed with that weapon he can repel the attacks of the demagogue and rise above passion and prejudice. .
 want to see our schools making great CT progress in training the hand as well as the brain, so that our youth may be better able to meet the actual struggles that maturity brings to all.
 One of our most distinguished sons, Hon. ]. l.. M Curry, a gentleman whose talents and virtues are recognized in both hemispheres, iseow doing great work in awakening the public mind to the importance of this subject
 r Elections.s
 Our platform declares: We are in fa- yor of honest and fair elections, and we recommend that laws be enacted under which primary elections and other party proceedings for the selection of candi- dates may be conducted"
 This declaration seems- to- be plain enough for any man to understand It treats of general elections, declaring they should be honest and fair, and then rec ommends the passage of laws to make the nominations fair and honest; and yet MT. Goodwin, not content with this plain language. impeaches his own fairness by