The age-herald., 1898-03-27


 and important contests involved in lns campaign is that between Judge William w Wilkerson and MT G. R. Harsh for Birmingham. Shall support Judge Will kerson or shall I support Mir. Harsh? IS the question to be decided by every voter. The friends of MT. Harsh claim that silver men. reformers and worlxingmen should support Mir. Harsh because he is good lawyer, which he is, and particularly be- cause he has been a champion of the peo- ples rights" MT. Wilkersons friends claim that the voters of Jefferson county should support Judge Wilkerson because in the office of associate judge of the city court during the last six years he has proved himself to be an honest, capable, impartial judge, eminently possessed of the judicial temperament, and under all circumstances a diligent public servant, courteous om- cial and a simple, plain citizen, doing his duty towards all classes of fellow-citizens, recognizing the rights of all and making invdtous distinctions against none In the administration of the duties of his high office. Can these claims, respective ly, be verified, and to what eXtent9 What is champion of the peoples rights?' Is it not one who steps into the arena when those rights are submitted to the arbitra- ment of public argument and the war of the ballot, and, regardless of consequences, personal to himself, contends for the adop- tion and passage into law of the convic- lions he shares with the people? Has MT. Harsh made an active record of this kind on the many questions? Has he advocated and canvassed before the people and against the powers of anti-reform for any con- spicuous measure of popular rights and reform? Has MT. Harsh been an active, aggressive, inslstent champion of any of the great measures of reform occupying ths attention of the people of Jefferson county, Alabama or the country at large? No such record has been presented to the consideration of the people. The reasonable conclusion is that no such record exists or it would have been given to the public.
 The capacity, fmpartiality, diligence, com- potency, righteousness and judicial fitness of Judge Wikerson are questioned by nc one, so far as we are informed, but freely admitted by all parties. In the primary of 1896 Judge Wilkerson vlted for Joseph F. Johnston against Richard H. Clark; in Au- gust, 1896, he voted for Joseph F. John ston; in November, 1896, he voted for w. J. Bryan against Mckinley, Palmer and Buckner, all combined. Has MT Harsh done more than this? There is no evidence that he has. After a rigid scrutiny of the claims of these two gentlemen to election to the high office to which they aspire we are thoroughly persuaded that the best interests of the public will be subserved by the election of Judge Wilkerson to the office of the city court of Birmingham. We do not believe from our observation of the man that there is any candidate now be- fore the people more deserving of consid- eration and election than Judge Wikerson, whether he be viewed as a faithful con- scientious public servant or an approved and efficient judge of the law As silver men, we believe we shall do our cause more good by selecting for each local office that man who under all the circumstances and in our judgment will render the most ,f1cient service to the public interests com- 1 itted to his charge. Let each man per f rm his patriotic duty to his county, his S, ate and his country he conceives it to be, and he will have no cause to regret it.. The ballot is a tru'S to be discharged in view of all the inteS,sts concerned.
 HENRY PAGE BURRUSS.