The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-18
GENERAL OATES
AT PRATTVILLE
Addresses Large Crowdc Upon
Leading Politica! Issues.
THE GOVERNORS CONDUCT
Alabama's Former Chief Executive Says
He Would Consider it Disgrace
to Be Defeated for Con-
gress by Johnston.


eral w. C. Oates spoke to a large audience
at the court house last night on the politi-
cal issues of the day. With very few pre-
liminary remarks the general branched out
into the body of his speech. He declared
in favor of state banks. He said the
farmer would pay lower rate of interest,
and the north and east would not reap all
the profits of the .laboring people. state
banks of issue would be like home pro-
ducts" said the general what you make
at home is cheaper than what you buy"
One of the greatest dangers that the people
of Alabama suffer is the vast sum of
money paid annually for insurance, both
fire and life This money goes to the north
when it should stay at home. If we had
state banks this money could be kept here.
He declared in favor of Mr.. Bryan for
president next year, and in reference to
him said: II am satisfied Mr.. Bryan is 60
ing to be the nominee next year. L want
him to be, because the majority of the
demo ant him. If you were to noml-
nate some other man and he was to lose,
then they would say that if Mr.. Bryan had
been nominated he would have easily won.
expect to support him if he is nominated
l am going with my party, as l have al
ways done, even when l thought my party
was wrong.
There are some questions that will be
live questions in the race for senator. Gov
| johnston is candidate for the senate, but
| himself as a candidate until yesterday.
though he has been secretly working for 1t
for several months. He has been compared
| to the ground mole, constantly working
| under cover. On next Saturday he ana
Senator Morgan have agreed to meet at
Athens in JOINT debate and discuss the is
| sues of the day. l would like to be there
and hear them, but my being there would
| not be becoming in me. They might ask
| me to speak also, so l shall have to content
| myself by staying away.
| Senator Morgan is a remarkable man. lie
| can speak a week, or at least he could be-
| fore he became as old as he is now. He Is
| o patriot. He is a very able man. out
| think he ought to be satisfied. TWenty-four
years in the United States senate is enough
| for any man. When | get as old as Senator
| Morgan l will not want an Office The peo-
pie have given me everything that l have
| ever asked them for except this one thing
| l want to be senator because l beive am
capable of holding the office. Fourteen
| years in congress is a big thing towards
| qualifying man for the senate. l would
not ask for second term as governor be-
cause l said 1 would not ask for it again.
| | want to be true to myself and to my
| friends. l have been imbued with the idea
! contained in these words of the poet:
| ITO thine own self be true,
| And it must follow as the night the day,
| You cannot then be false to any man."
II am So years old, and L think there Is
| good work in me for at least six or eight
years. l can lend good service to the peo-
| pie of Alabama, and can add to my own
reputation, and feel that L could leave
| nothing better to my country and my fam
| ly tbon ranntation | would be
foundly grateful to the people of Alabama
if they elect me, and / believe they will l
want it now. When get old will not try
to get it, l do not say anything to you
| that I would not say If General Morgan
was here; in fact, I might go further If he
were here"
The general said he opposed Senator Nor
gan ON some questions when ne was in con-
gress. He said he worked and voted for
the refunding of $685. 1000 of cotton tax to
the southern people. He said Senators
Morgan and Pugh voted against it in the
senate. He opposed the senator on the
question of annexation of the Hawaiian
islands and his policy toward the Philip
pines.
~ am with Governor Johnston on these
ques lions, but I do not take the same view
of them as he does. He said in his Dig
letter that Aguinaldo was fighting for
just such a cause as George Washington
was He wants the United States to give
up and let Agunaldo and his men take
charge. I want the Fiipinos conquered and
the country turned over ito them. We have
got no use for such people. We do not
want them, and ought not to have them.
IF / am elected / shall work against them
coming in.
"Ciovernor Johnston in his big letter I'M
dersook to ridcue Morgan about the Mica
ragua canal, and he ought to be ashamed
of it, Morgan is not subject to ridicule by
any man In Alabama, no matter how big.
Governor Johnston said enough speeches
had been made to build the canal, and not
a shovel of dirt had been moved 1t had all
been wind work. 1t is discreditable to the
governor to display such vast amount of
| ignorance A great deal of work has been
done on It. More than half a million of dol
| lars have been expended upon it. Governor
Johnston could not build that canal If he
tried-at least he could not have it built
the first morning he got there before break
fast. The governor has not studied this
question If he had called on me before he
wrote that letter. l could have given him
some information. I could have given him
the survey and the extent of this work. I
am with Senator Morgan on this, and honor
the old gentleman for his work. l do not
want to do any man an injury, and If do
am willing to apologize.
Governor Johnston has done another
thing that is not very creditable to him.
He saw fit to write up his administration
just as If he had sent 1t to congress. He
did not mention my name. In fact, he men,
toned no name but Growers, yet he is not
quite as big a man as Grover. But he cast
a slur at me as we'll as the other men who
have been governors in the past To read
| his letter 1t Jocks like he was the only real
big governor the state has ever had"
The general then defended the admins
| tration while governor himself. He showed
| UP the fallacy of Governor Johnston's
| claims as to the financial management of
the states affairs. He said If he was beaten
| for senator by such a man as Morgan he
would not feel bad over it. but he would
| consider 1t disgrace to be defeated by
such man as the present governor of this
state.
The general finished his speech by asking
| the people of Autauga county to select a
strong man for the representative of this