Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-13
A VERY STRONG LETTER
Mr.. E. K. Campbell of the Con-
greSsionaI Committee Writes.
A COMMON SENSE VIEW
Thinks Participants N the Primary Should
Stand by the Nominees of the
Party
To the State Herald:

l have read Mr.. Russell's interview,
published in your paper, in which he ar
CUES that the men who participated in
the primary are bound to support the
nominees. He modestly declares that he
speaks only for himself, but there can be
no doubt that his argument is true as to
others. There is an idea in addition to
what he says that 1 desire to call to the
attention of those who are seeking to
form a new organization. When the
democratic executive committee met in
Montgomery in January last it called a
state convention. AS was usual on such
occasions, the committee prescribed the
qualifications of voters in the primaries.
Here is the invitation extended by the
committee: 1--WE hereby cordially invite
all conservative voters irrespective of
past party affiliations or differences, who
can unite with us in the effort for pure
economical and constitutional govern
ment and who will support the nominees
and principles of the democratic party
to join us in sending delegates to the ap-
preaching state convention"
democratic primary was called in
this county and the qualifications of
voters who could participate therein
were fixed in conformity to the state
committees action. 1t was declared that
those white voters could participate who
believed in the principles of democracy
and who would support the nominees of
the state convention and county primary.
There was no written pledge, but the
pledge was no less implied in the invita-
ton and prescribed qualification of vot-
ers. Only those were invited to partici-
pate and only those could in good fa1tn
participate who believed in the principles
of democracy and would support the
nominees
The issue was Joined, and no intelligent
man in this county misunderstood tnat
issue. Men were appealed to by the
sound money leaders to stand by their
convictions and vote against their neigh
Dor and county man, Captain Johnston,
and this not because of any personal OBJ
lection to him, but because under the
primary plan in vogue here we had te
vote for delegates to a county conVen-
ton, which would in turn send delegates
to the state convention, and this latter
would send delegates to the national con-
vention at Chicago Hence 1t was ar
gued that sound money men ought not
to vote for Johnston delegates, because
they would use their influence to send
silver delegation to Chicago. The sound
money men rallied their forces and the
free silver men rallied their forces and
we had a great battle. A man who didn't
intend to be bound was not invited to
participate, and he ought to have kept
away. Every intelligent man who went
into that primary knew that there was
a possibility of a free silver delegation
from this state and the possibility of
free silver candidates nomination for the
presidency OF course there were some
who were told that 1.-The silver craze is
dying out" when it wasn't, and accord
ingly went into the primary. They
might be excused upon the theory that
there is an unfortunate class who,
either in law or morals, is not held re-
ell Ia fnf hnf G.
mess men are not of this class. Indeed,
it may be questioned whether there is
any sound money man who will admit
that he knows less than silver man.
The silver men prevailed, and then
what? The state convention met and
nominated candidates for state offices
and nominated electors to be voted for
in November. The electors are as much
the nominees of that state convention as
Captain Johnston and his associates
were. Their names will be placed on the
official ballot which will be voted in No
vember by virtue of being the nominees
of the democratic party convention, and
to this end their names will be certified
to the proper officials just as the names
of the candidates for state offices were
certified. We all know that there will
not be single vote cast for Bryan or for
Mckinley or for Bragg for president We
must vote for electors, and the candi-
dates names will not appear on the tick
ct. NOW, suppose MI. w HllHey Ildu De6Il
nominated at Chicago, we would have to
vote for the same electors that are now
candidates; and suppose that when the
electors met they should change their
minds and vote, as they would have the
legal right to do, for a silver man for
president, would not such men be justly
denounced in unqualified terms? Still,
there is only their pledge to bind them,
and If, after turning traitors to their par
ty, they should attempt to vindicate their
course by the statement that they placed
country above party and believed that
silver Is the only honest thing, the gold
men would think the excuse a very film
sy one. 1t is no answer to say, as the
gold men are now saying, that silver will
ruin the country, because in the first
place they must at least concede that it
is an experiment. the result of which can
not be accurately known, and because
they knew as much about 1T when they
voted and pledged themselves in the pri-
maries as they know now. If silver is as
evil as they pretend they ought not to
have pledged themselves to vote the cleo
toral ticket that should be nominated by
the state convention. They ought to have
kept out of the primary. as some others
did, simply because they did not intend
to bind themselves.
They complain that the platform looks
to reputation. Is it right to repudiate
written pledge to pay money? No. Is 1t
right to repudiate an unwritten pledge
to abide the result OF convention hon.
estly organized? The boilers can answer
upon their consciences, but I answer no.
Let every man study the platform for
himself, and whether he agrees to 1t in
full or not, let us hope that those who
pledged themselves in April to vote for
the nominees of the democratic state
convention will do the manly thing and
keep their pledge. 1t will not tend to
restore confidence" to lead men to think
that pledges, written or unwritten, are
made to be broken and are not to be kept.
I voted for Clarke in the primaries
against my neighbor and county man. I
voted against my law partner, who was q
silver delegate, but in so voting pledged
myself to support the nominees. and
will do it. e. K. CAMPBELL.
People who give Hoods Sarsaparilla a
fair trial raaliza IT'S great merit and