Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-07
HON. R. H. CLARKE.

MT. Clarke has come into Jefferson county to begin his campaign as candi- date for the gubernatorial nomination. This is not the time or occasion to com ment upon his motives in selecting this city for his first public address. We pro pose at present simply to extend him welcome as a distinguished citizen of this state. We hope that the courtesy that ever marks the good people of Jeff
 ferson will be present at his meetings, and that our people will give his argu- ments and his claims respectful consid- eration. We Reg to repeat, however, what we said a short time ago when it was announced that MT. Clarke would
 become a candidate:
 "He has already announced himself as a candidate for the senate, and should he now at this late day thrust the presi- dents financial policy as an issue into our approaching state election it would be very disastrous to the party. It would arouse anew a discussion as to financial theories and methods, which, without furnishing the people any new lights for their guidance would array the party into two camps. A prolonged and often acrimonious discussion would leave it's sting behind, and whichever feature might secure the nomination there would
 be so many sulkers In the tents as to en- danger the success of the party. There is danger that what occurred in Kentucky
 might occur in Alabama. It is recalled
 that Mr. Carlisle made pilgrimage
 through the south to educate the people
 and bring them into line with the presi-
 dents policy in dealing with bonds and
 gold. He went to Kentucky and eX-
 pounded his theory, so far as it had any
 distinctness in the minds of MT. Cleve-
 land and himself. Of course the demo- cratic ranks were at once broken, the
 old guard standing true to the teachings of Senator Beck and to the teachings of
 MT. Carlisle himself before he came with in the bright light that beats upon the
 thone, while a faction followed the new
 doctrines of the administration. The
 party was rent in twain. A double deal
 ing platform was adopted. sound
 money" banner was displayed and bi-
 metallist candidate nominated. There could be but one result. Enough dis gruntled democrats-of one or the other faction, no matter which-stayed away from the polls, and republican governor and legislature were elected. A republi- can senator will probably be the out l come. With a battle royal between the currency factions here in Alabama is it not reasonable to fear that similar re- suit may follow?
 "Why should MT. Clarke imagine for a moment that the interests of the party | demand a war to the knife? If he should | conduct the campaign on the lines he in- | dicates we fear irretrievable disaster. | His duty is not here to stir up the slum- | bering embers. It is at Washington, | where he has been sent from his district | to deal with all national questions. There l Is his battle-ground. Let the people hear | from him at his desk in congress! We | will listen to him patiently there. and we | shall expect him to tell us in what re- | spect the president Is right, and in what respect he Is not right. Colonel Oates | has not hesitated to criticise those acts and opinions of the president which he regarded as immature uncertain or erro-
 neous. But MT. Clarke has not yet taken | a certain stand. He has simply content | ed himself with saying that down to the | summer of 1893 the president was right | and he-{Clarke) was wrong. It is now | his duty to go back to Washington and
 watch the progress of the debates, to
 warn, to defend, to encourage the ad-
 ministration, and to plant the standard | for the presidential campaign.
 "In our opinion it would be the last 1 and fatal mistake to transfer the fight | from congress to the hustings of the | state election, lto force issues in ad- vance of congressional action and
 national platforms, to divide the people
 into hostile camps. to stir up bad blood l to bring about victory for the enemy
 not only at the state election. which in | wolves all the local offices, but at the en- suing federal election as we'll"