The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-23
A WEAK DEFENSE OF HIMSELF

supporting Ex-Governor Johnston for a
third term who have held high position
in the regard of the people of the State.
He has kept pretty well out of the CAM
paign, having made only one speech here
tofore, and that at his home.
Last night, however. he spoke here In
Montgomery. and from his remarks it ap-
peared that he was dragooned by John
ston and his leaders into quitting his
summer retreat in Tennessee and coming
TO the rescue of a waning cause at the
tail of the canvass.
General Harrison appears to have real
lied the incongruity of his attitude, for
he devoted large part of his speech to
a defense of his own position, to explana-
tons of why he is now supporting the
man whom he admitted he had been fight
ing in every campaign for ten years past.
The substance of these explanations
was, first, that he preferred Jones, Oates,
Clarke and Morgan to Johnston because
he thought them better fitted for the posi-
tons they sought than Johnston was;
second, that now he regarded Johnston
as better man for the office of Cover
nor than Jelks. 1t was on this second line
of argument that he dwelt at length. He
stated several times that he had nothing
against Jelks but the general tone of his
remarks and the frequent sneers at Gov
ernor Jelks showed very plainly that ne
had a personal spleen against him. He
did not arraign single act of Governor
Jelkss administration.
General Harrison dismissed the argu-
ment against Johnston as an enemy of
the new Constitution as of small force
He alluded to Johnstons letter to him on
the subject, claiming that it was satisfac-
tory, while it was full of big ''ifs" from
start to finish. He also ignored the va
rious criticisms Of the instrument john
ston has been making in his public
speeches and his declarations of intention
to change it.
The blots on the administration of Gov
eInot Johnston, so frequently demon
strated by incontrovertible facts and fig
uIes, General Harrison dismissed by al
luding only to the University land deal
The speaker declared that was a serious
charge but that it had been exploded by
the result of the case in the courts. He
also said that the University would have
been better off, If the deal had stood
The facts are that the University got its
lands back, got them bodied into better
shape by an exchange. and is today re-
| ceivng a minimum royalty of $4,000 per
| year for a small portion of them. This
| is infinitely better than $4,000 for all of
| the lands forever Johnston is left high
and dry on the one serious matter Cen
| eral Harrison chose to vindicate him
| upon.
In his speech, General Harrison made
frequent aIlusion to articles in The Ad-
vertiser He admitted as correct this
| papers reproduction of his speech on
| Johnston at the time he throttled the
Constitutional Convention movement. At
that time General Harrison. by implica-
! ton charged Johnston with being Ia
traitor to the white people of Alabama :"
| General Harrison has frequently ar
| raigned Johnston on the stump on that
line No more serious charge was ever
| brought against him. General Harrison
does not explain away that fearful fact.
But he says he Is exercising the right to
choose between the two men. How can
he prefer 1.-The traitor to the white men
Of Alabama" to the Governor whom he
admits to be clean, against whose admin
istration he brings no charge?
| In the course of his speech, General
Harrison declared that he believed in the
old Democratic doctrine of passing the
bottle around" Nevertheless, he wants
to pass 1t to Johnston for the third time,
| when no other Governor in the history of
the state has asked such favor. And
vet General Harrison claims to be con-
| sstert!
| The speech, as a whole. was a very
weak one, not at all up to General Har-
risons ability and reputation. 1t was n
| labored defense of his own inconsistent
position, rather an effective campaign
| speech for Johnston.