The age-herald., 1898-02-03
MATT MINOR
 TALKS POLITICS

I am impressed with the belief that Ala bama will not suffer in the least if Mil- ford ". Howard, the populist representa- tive in congress from the Seventh district is defeated in the next election Howard Alabama as their representative in con- gress. Howard seems to be a populist for revenue more than from principle. He first achieved fame at the capital of the na- tion as being the author of one of the most infamous books ever printed. It had for it's title. 'If Christ Came to Congress" There were paragraphs in the book which assaulted the character of one of the best known women of this country. No man or woman with the exception of Howard, I doubt ever thought of such a thing as Howard imputed to her. The book teens with indirect assaults upon the character of hundreds of women in Washington. The reputation of no woman was safe. It was a book as dsgraceful as it was unwarrant- ed. . Mir. Towards book was not a success The printery from which it was published was practically ostracised from the busi- ness Of reputable people. doubt if ten persons who read the book believed word having written the book except that the l.f t,,fa The morals of the people in the city of Washington are as good as they are in any other place in the United States. They are not worse than elsewhere nor do I believe the people there pretend to be any better. People are very much the same the world over. MT Howard, I do not believe, had any right to assault upon the regulations of people whom he did not know My first recollection of Howard was a short time after MT. Cleve- land was inaugurated on the 4th of March, 1893 I remember having seen him a num- Der of times about the Hobbies of the ho- tels, and he was known then as a seeker for some office under the appointment of President Cleveland. If I remember him correctly, and I believe I do, he was given to criticising Senator Hill a great deal, be- cause Senator Hill had seen fit to criticise MT. Cleveland. MT. Howard, as I remem- Der him, in a weak kind of a way, was championing the cause of "sound money" after the Cleveland fashion.
 He was at that time what would be known today as a "gold bug" He did not get the office. The government service was much better off that he did not get 1t. In almost night, as it were, he changed from a gold bug to an extreme populist. He returned to Alabama and was nominat- ed by that party for congress. What he has done since he became a member of congress for the good of the state or his constituents has never been made public. In his book he villifed and slandered 99 men out of every 100 men who occupied public positions at the capital. Men and women alike were assailed by his untralth- full pen. I do not know MT. Howard per sonally, nor do I have any particular de- sire in that direction have watched his career, and I believe I voice the sentiment of very large percentage of the people of this state when the statement is made that Alabama will suffer nothing if he is returned to the shades of private life, and the more private the better. Alabama has sent to the halls of congress many high class men. I do not believe the people of Alabama look upon Howard as one of them. Because a man is populist does not de- tract from him as a man or good citizen. He has a right to be a populst if he so desires. 4
 The country is well-illed with thousands of honorable and high-class men who have joined the popuist party. A mans poli- tics has nothing to do with his manhood. There are good populists, good democrats, good republicans, just as there are bad populists, bad democrats, and bad republi- cans Those who know MT. Howard best, am sure, have never believed him much of populist. One of the best evidences of his being a republican instead of popu- list is the fact that he voted for the pass age of the infamous Dingley tariff bill at the last session of the present congress. He voted for it on its original passage in the house. When 1t came back from the senate he did not vote for it, because he said 1t was not the same sbill. It is true it was not the same precise bill because there were Q number of amendments made to 1t in the senate. The majority Of amendments, made in the senate were of a more conservative nature than the original features of the bill as they first passed the house. No self-respecting populist, who is true to the principles of that party, can conscientiously vote for a tariff measure such as the Dingey bill. It was the most pronounced republican document that was ever placed upon the statute books of this country. Howard should be defeated.
 venture the assertion that Colonel Den- son will warm Towards hide in good shape. From what I have seen of Denson in congress, he Is a dangerous opponent in a political contest. lie is fair. fast and courageous. heard Co,oned Denson make a number of speeches in the house of rep resontatives and very few men can make better ones. I expect Howard has had his po,itical day. With Howard defeated. he should be. Alabama will have made one gigantic step howard reedeemng Itself from having had as it's representative man