Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-03
GOODWIN FOLLOWS BANKHEAD.
But the Tares He Scattered Refused to Take



Root.
Luverne, June 30.-(Special Correspond
ence.)-This has been lively day in Luz
verne, speaking from a political stand
point This morning at IL o'clock Hon.
j. ii. Bankhead addressed good sized
audience in the court house. The audi
ence was composed of the very best citi-
zens of this county and would have been
credit to any commonwealth His
speech was fine, dignified argument,
and made a profound impression upon
all of his hearers, including the populites,
VINO, as 1t happened, were of the best
citizens of that party in the county.
Many expressions of approval were heard
on every hand, and 1t is very clear that
such speeches in the white counties of
TOUR state are calculated to do much ma
terial good. Colonel Bankhead spent
most of the afternoon here and left for
Troy overland, where he is to speak to-
morrow.
Tonight Mr.. A. T. Goodwin spoke to a
crowded court house, composed of about
rs populites, 100 negroes and nearly ev-
.ery democrat in Luverne, all of whom
aGhe democrats) went out to satisfy their
curiosity and in order to see the victim
of a great defeat, which is now at hand.
Z Goodwyn's speech was labored effort.
He does not seem well and his delivery
Is made with much hesitation. He -ac-
rover the old Confederate veteran in con-
gress, but made several glaring mis-
statements with reference to the reason
why he voted as he did. This part of his
speech did not set well at all upon the
goodemen present who have been follow
ing his lead, and the whole court house
was as quiet as graveyard while he
was trying to explain this vote of his.
Many of his followers will turn from
him when the true light of his negro
vote Is given them, and the democrats
of this section hope sincerely that the
campaign committee of the state will see
to 1t that competent speakers from our
party follow GOODWIN up and show to
the people that Goodwin acted the dema-
gogue in every sense of the word when
he cast this vote. The negroes can easily
be shown that 1t was simply policy
vote on his part and was given in order
to delude them.
Prospects for a democratic victory are
very bright in this section. With few
more speeches from Goodwin such as he
delivered here and few good speakers
to follow him up the better element of the
populite party will desert him entirely.
One populite was heard to remark as he
left the court house when Goodwin was
about half through with his harangue:
IT have got enough of that man and he
will never get my vote. If he had made
speech like that in this county five years
ago the white people would have almost
mobbed him. 44.s
The pop officials several days ago sent
out postal cards to all of the faithful who
live anywhere within ten miles of this
place and succeeded in getting them to
come out to hear Goodwin. The asser-
ton is ventured, however, that they
would not answer a call of this nature
so numerously again. His speech was
very unsatisfactory to any of them ex-
cept to those termed the bell rams" and
of course they are willing to swallow
anything with the hope of getting office.
1t was noticeable fact that of all the
populites present probably more than so
per cent of them have. been candidates
for office, are now holding Office or are
looking forward tostwo years from now
with the hope that they will be the IA
vored of their gang. 500
.Goodwyn's speech, of course. made in
dignant every democrat who was present,
1t being so replete with untruths, vilifica-
tions and Astounding so with vindictive-
ness. His speech certainly did him nor
his party no good here. Tomorrow he
goes to Dozier, in the southern portion of
this county.