Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-26
HE HELD FORTH TWO HOURS
And the Large and Mixed Audience Followed
 Hin With unhagging Interest.
PEOPLE SAKE THE ISSUES, SAID HE
It Is S6 Honorable for Men to Go Into 1S.aries, Pledging Themselves to Support the Nominees, and
 Afterwards Bolt.

~9talla, July 25.-(Special)- )-Hon. Ause J. McLaurin, governor of Mississippi, ad4 dressed an appreciative audience ofnear- ly 1000 people here today in the open park
 Last night upon his arrival he was re- ceived by the democratic club of Beat F, and salute of seventeen guns was fired in his honor. Hundreds of loyal demo- crats, middle of the road" and Bryan populists and a goodly number of re- publicans followed in the procession to the park, where magniflcently deco- rated stand had been erected. Upon the stand with the speaker sat B. H. Nich- olson, Col. 8. w. Johnston, president of Attalla Democratic club; William H. Ca- ther,, editor of the Attalla Herald, all of Attalla, and Colonel Burnett, c. G. Coming and pr. Rails of Gadsden
 For two hours the governor interested his mixed audience, who were practically unanimous in pronouncing it the ablest, most logical and conclusive exposition of democratic financial doctrine yet heard here.
 He was introduced by Col. s. w. John- ston, who paid a glowing tribute to the late Justice Lamar of Mississippi and our own Morgan. The governor, who is modest man, opened with the state- ment that he was of the masses of the I ed in Mississippi in a backwoods county, on Q farm and studied my profession by the light of pine knots, carried under my arm after hard days work in the field, and while l make no pretenslons to or atory, l have the right in common with
 the best of my fellow citizens of express Ing my views on what I conceive to be
 the best form of government. Govern ment Is badge of protection" He spoke of the necessity of govern @R .tx.tA to determine what system they would adopt He showed how the business transactions of the people of Alabama affected those of other states, and the necessity of the people early reaching a conclusion as to which one of the con tending political parties they would affil- l fate with. He discussed the differences | in platforms at length, and touched up party leaders. Said he:
 Platforms don't make issues, but the people make the issues" He spoke of Mark Hanna as the owner of the repub- lican party and showed how that party favored capital instead of labor. His remarks on the middle of the road'' party were interspersed with taking anecdotes of the fire and birthstone type. The main object of the populist party
 was to get the distribution of federal
 patronage.
 It is not honorable for men to go into
 primaries and pledge their sacred honor
 to support tHe uoiHiHet5 uilu pioelOi Hio and afterwards bolt. The gold men were
 bound to stick to the democratic party, for unlike the Irishman who claimed he
 was going to hell when he died they had no place to go to if they left democ- racy.
 He elaborated on the financial issue and his exhaustive explanations delight- ed members of the democratic and popu- list parties. He dwelt at length on the state campaign, In which he was active-
 ly interested, for it meant much as an
 index of the result of the presidential
 election. He showed up Goodwyns rec
 ord in great style His sketch of Bryan
 was received with great enthusiasm. His speech was very effective and re- suited in much good.
 After the speaking Governor McLau- rin was driven to the mammoth Dwight cotton mills and other points of interest about the city. He left for his home in Mississippi tonight.