Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-21

| any one here or elsewhere in the state
! of Alabama. l am aware of the opposi-
| ton to me here. | am aware that, on the
| part of some, 1t was based on an honest
| belief that / represented an erroneous
! theory upon this great financial ques-
ton. ] respect the honesty of the men
who entertain opinions that controvert
| mine and who acted upon those opinions
| in the primaries. IShake no complaint al
| all of them. If there are any who have
been Influenced in their opposition to
me by personal motives, by the sense of
disappointment in the past by any sense
of grievance, or by any motive of person
al antagonism whatever, l have no COM
plant to make as to them. 1t is unaVoid-
able that man holding public position
shall excite antagonisms. He cannot
meet all the claims that are made upon
him. He cannot avoid errors mistakes,
indiscretions, and it is therefore inevita-
BILE in the course of human events that
he shall make enemies | do not, as l
say complain of any citizen of Mobile
who has been actuated even by those
motives [ entertain no spirit of Vindic-
tiveneSS or of bitterness on that account.
| put it behind me. l will inquire as to
no individual, what he did or by what
motive he was actuated. | only say to
the men who opposed me, now that the
primaries are over, and soon the result
will be decided by the state convention
| say to all such men, after that is over
come and stand alongside of me, Shout
der to shoulder, elbow to elbow, touch
to touch, and let us all unite in endeavor-
ing to secure the triumphant success of
the democratic party Cloud applause)
That is the right spirit for a patriot. 1t
is the language of a statesman who turns
his back upon the past and stands ready
to lock shields with all good democrats
in our approaching battle for the protec-
ton of Alabama from the common enemy.
This address of Mr.. Clarke commands
serious consideration on the part of those
who won the victory for Captain John
ston. 1t should be met in a like spirit
The great democratic party of Alabama
cannot afford to permit disaffection and
distrust to sever its ranks. We must have
a clear and honest understanding be-
| tween the men who have differed on the
currency question which is now agitating
the country. They are all democrats,
anxious for the welfare of their state and
| for the success of the ticket which our
convention will presently nominate.
| While the great bulk of the advocates of
| Captain Johnston are for free silver COIN
| age, we must not be unmindful OF the
fact that Mr. Clarke polled a very large
vote-much larger than his success in
| carrying counties and delegates would
|
est and conscientious in their views. They
| embrace many men of distinction and in
| fiuence, men whose active support for
the party is imperatively demanded by
the necessities of the situation. At the
same time we must not lose sight of the
fact that Captain Johnston was support
| ed by many prominent men, and by very
many not so prominent, who do not agree
1 J,o
proper to say that of this class are such
distinguished citizens as Mr.. Knox, chair
! man Of our state committee; Mr.. Rogue
| more of Montgomery. Mr.. Black of Mo-
bile and many others who supported Cap
| tain Johnston because they recognized
! his personal merits and his availability.
These gentlemen were invited to the sup
| port of Captain Johnston by the proffer
| of harmony and Cancellation held out by
| Captain Johnston himself and so repeat
| edly advanced and urged by this journal.
| We cannot shut our eyes to the very re-
| markabIe fact that the Montgomery coun-
| ty convention, which Captain Johnston
carried so completely and brilliantly,
| recommended for United States senator
| their fellow county man, Hon. II. G.
| Tompkins, who is opposed to the curren-
| cy views which dominated that conven-
| ton. In the face of such facts the state
| convention should seriously consider
what is best to be said and what is best
| to be left unsaid in laying down a plat
| form of principles.
| That the convention is for free silver
will be conspicuously evident from the
| delegates who will be sent to Chicago.
| That is the only national part of the du-
ties of the state convention which will
| engage it's attention. Everything else
concerns the state. and the language of
| the platform should be such that every
democrat can stand upon it, Without
| authority to speak for anyone, and with
| out consultation with anyone in author
| ity, the State Herald suggests that we
| can escape both Ccylla and Charybdis
| by adopting a simple resolution that we
| favor both gold and silver as standard
| money, and intend to keep all kinds of
money upon a parity. This is what both
wings of the party favor. To go into de-
| tails and to draw lines of demarca ton as
| to the mode and manner of keeping the
! several kinds of money at par is to drive
a wedge into our ranks. which may lead
| to defeat and disaster to every material
! interest of the state.
There are questions far more vital to
| the people of Alabama than the question
| of a suitable currency. Important as
! that question is, it is insignificant COM
pared to the retention of Alabama by the
| white race through the democratic party.
| The state convention must address itself
| to the great question of winning the vic
| tory. 1t cannot afford to drive any dem
| ocrat beyond the pale of the party. 1t
| cannot afford to say to the great body
| of men who supported Mr.. Clarke that
! they must measure their tongues, their
consciences and their acts during this
| campaign by test which they do not
approve. The friends of Captain John
| ston advocated the plan of letting down
| the bars and inviting everybody into the
| democratic camps who was willing to
| come. Should we not exercise the same
| generosity, the same magnanimity to
! those who opposed us in the recent pr-
mary elections? There should be no bars
erected against conscientious democrats,
especially when the national convention
| has not spoken. 1t will be time enough