The age-herald., 1900-02-25
DR. CUNNINGHAM
 ON THE GOVERNOR
Handles Him Without Gloves in
 Speech at Pratt City.
DRAWS A STRIKING SMILE
Pictures Johnston as a Red-Headed Rooster Standing on a Self-Erect- ed Monument Painted White
 on the Outside.

In his speech at Pratt City Friday night State Senator R. M. Cunningham handled Governor Johnston without gloves. Dr. Cunningham is one of the most attractive speakers in the state, and always holds the undivided attention of his audience. The following was his peroration:
 ''The governor has erected for himself mighty monument. He has built it with his own hands and out of material of his own selection. He has painted it white and has decorated it's outside with what he has did, or so much of it as appears to be patriotic in conception and bold and fearless In exe- cution. The dazzling whiteness of the ex- tertor he hopes to conceal and hide the rot tenness within, which is filled with the dead | hopes of a devoted following who saw In him, or att least thought they saw in him, a leader unshackled by political manacles, and uncontrolled by polltical ambition. They thought they saw in him a courageous l leader who would lead to the glorious achievement of white supremacy by honest methods. Instead, within the monument are the dead hopes and crushed aspirations of a proud and honorable race They thought they saw in him a mighty hand that would crush to earth all designing political machines. Instead of that they see one he has created for himself, In compari- son with which all former machines are but figures and shadows.
 Thought Him a Leader
 ''Tney thought they saw in him leader that would give to the people the largest possible exercise of their right to select their own officers. But never before in the history of the state has there been so many
 t,,4 ,ix, md a1d county of Jefferson, whose fearless masses stood by him in all his campaigns, they see tleir proud escutcheon stained by the accusations of her own son, who has abol- ished their commissioners court and brought into disrepute and disgrace the commissioners of their own selection with out trial and without a hearing. They see the people of this county denied the right of self-government, denied the right to elect their own tax appraisers and the leg islators of their own affairs and the appro- priations of their money. They see a board of revenue of five members, a superintend- ent and eight assistants or overseers of public roads, forty-tive justices of the peace, a tax commissioner, all holding of- flee by appointment of the governor. or by his appointees, not one elected by the peo- ple, and all of whom make a mighty com pact machine working under the leadership of pastmasters in the art of politics to send the governor to the United States senate.
 Executive Committee
 "They see an executive committee in this county, a large number of whom are his appontees who deny to the people the right to express their choice for United States senator, state senator and six rep resentatives in the general assembly. They see, also, a peculiar and astonishing anom- ally in the fact that the mighty powers who fought him in 1896 are either for him or silent now. They thought they saw in him a leader who would bring about retrench- ment in the public service. Instead of that they see increase in salaries, new offices created. The last mothers son of the ben- eficiaries of this extravaganza is now whooping 1t up for the governor. And upon this self-erected monument stands in all of his self-estlmated greatness self-decora- ted plumage, self-pleasing voice. Is the proud red-headed rooster of Jefferson-the governor of the state
 !. He Did It
 'When the monotony of self-adulation and glory suggest a silence, there is a sound in the distance; it is the voice Of some poor, honest misguided populist. He cries out Who saved A1abama? There is silence. Thousands of admiring eyes, the windows of benghted minds, turn and look to the rooster on the monument for am answer. The rooster s,traigEtes up, ar ranges his plumage to the best advantage, Hops his wings and crows, T-I-I-did! I --I-I-did!! I-I-I-did!lv And when the crow of the great rooster has died away in the hills and hollows, down about the base of the mountain whole lot of little three-feathered roosters-little bartams- unite with fine, tired voice, all in chorus, He, He, dIe didl He. He, He didli He. He, He didl!r They then turn their collars on their necks, droop their feathers and turn their fearful eyes to the pig rooster on the monument for his blessing and open their mouths for Q worm. Fellow citizens, take off the collar and give the worm of patron age to the people, and John T. Morgan will