The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-28
EX-GOVERNOR JOHNSTON AND
 AgSOCIATE9

The much advertised Birmingham con- ference ito reorganize the Democratic Party is over. and the public can take its breath again. It was not remarkable in any respect.
 There was no big crowd present. about a hundred only it Is stated. That is less than an average of two persons from each of the sixty-six counties. The list of those present Is not given out. and so the details of who and whence are not obtainable.
 Neither was anything startling done. General Shelley's plan of nominating ticket from Governor down to constable, of running an independent movement, ap- pears to have been abandoned. Proba- biy 1t was found that the anti-ratification vote was not as ready to bolt the Party as some of their leaders.
 Ex-Governor Johnston seems to have dominated the meeting. He appears to have pushed General Shelley aside and taken charge. With a great show of loyalty and virtue he declared that the fight for purity and honesty must be made inside the Party. that "the money changers must be driven out" The con ference adopted resolutions along his line of utterance.
 The truth is that the conference seems to have resolved itself into an undertake ing to galvanize into life the dead John- ston Senatorial machine. The ex-Gov- ernors remarks were full of unselfish patriotism-he denies any preesnt ambi- tion for himself. Nevertheless, the in dications are that he has not abandoned his long formed determination to land in the United States Senate, and he prooapis calculates that after he has puriried the | ballot box and driven the. rascals out a grateful people will rise up. elect an ! Assembly in his interest and force him into the Senate as a reward for his great work. The ex-Governor nourisneu hI1 ! ambition to be Chief Executive 1ol twenty-five years. biding his time unu political conditions favored him. He l. doubtless just as tenacious ot his purpos, to become Senator. and hopes to hv, long enough to attain it.
 So the scheme has resolved itself, fo
 the present, into a plan to create
 faction in the Party and to keep up strit
 for some time to come. In order t
 revivify the senatorial machine ther
 must be combination of forces to secur
 the Governorship, Congressmen and othe
 nice offices for Governor down to con
 stable. So the plan is laid. It is
 fight of disappointed "outs" against sue
 cessful 'ins." present and prospective
 What it may resolve itself into the future
 there is no telling. Circumstances am
 conditions will decide. Principle vii
 have nothing to do with 1t, though
 great hullabaloo about fraud and honest
 and reform will be made.
 We doubt whether the movement vii
 amount to much. There is no large par
 of the white voters worried about ratifi
 cation or indignant about fauds. Whe
 practically every white man in the Stat
 finds himself registered all the win
 will be atken out of the sails of ex
 Governor Johnston and associates hay spread. The mass of people are not in terested in the ambition of the ex-Gov
 ernor, and they are not any more liabl
 to care for his candidate or candidate for Governor next year than they did las year. Governor Jelks is making a goo executive and they will be content to le well enough alone.