The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-25

| The Republican campaign was oPehe"
in Montgomery County last night at NC
Donald's Theatre when j.. A. w. Smith,
nominee for Governor and Julius Stern
| field, Assistant United States District At
torney and candidate for Congress, spoke
to an audience of about 125 men. s-.
The audience was composed mainly or
Democrats and but four negroes were
present. I Among the well known Demo-
Gratis in - audience were: nGeorge F.
Moore. General J. W. A. Sanford, w. c..
Bibb, j. T. May, J. T. Andrew, Paul San
guinetti, Benjamin II. Screws. Nat Wal
Ter, Thomas M Arlington. Bibb Graves,
John A. Elmore, Jesse +. Stallings ana
Judge b. c. Tarver.
The Republicans professed to believe
that Colonel A. A. Wiley, Democratic
candidate for Congress In this district
would be present to debate with Mr..
Sternfeld, but Colonel Wiley was absent
from Montgomery on campaigning tour.
His appointment for yesterday was az
Camden in Wilcox County and ne ala not
know of the invitation extended MIN at
a late hour to speak with Mr.. Sternleiu'
Mr.. Sternfeld took advantage of the
occasion to assail the public record OF
Colonel Wiley. His speech was delivered
with fine dramatic effect being devoted
largely to Colonel Wiley. He interspers-
ed his remarks with droll stories, told
cleverly, and kept the audience In sooo
humor.
The speech of Mr.. Smith was more tenn
nerate His style Is argumentative ana
he confined himself to discussing the new
constitution, and national issues.
The speaking began shortly after
O. clock Thomas c. Bingham presloed
and in addition to the speakers non
Warren S. Reese, United states DistFict
Attorney and E. L. Arnold. deputy
United States Internal Revenue Coliec'oi
occupied seats on the stage.
Mr.. Smith was applauded when ne was
introduced by Mr.. Bingham.
After thanking tho audience for It's re-
cention of him, Mr.. Smith said he had
time and again declared the new Con-
stitution was not a good one. he thousnt
the suffrage clause was in CONNECT Win
the Federal Constitution. He said he was
sustained in this opinion by numerous
prominent Democrats of Alabama lnciuo-
ing. he believed, Senator Morgan. But
majority of the citizens of Alabama naa
said it was the organic law Of the state
and it should be accepted as such until
the courts had passed upon 1t.
Referring to policies of the Republican
PARTY. Mr.. Smith declared that his party
had done the country more good than
any other party. Its one and only great
wrong he said was the saddling upon the
people of the South, of the fifteenth
amendment. The people Of the whoie
country, he said had come to agree that
the fifteenth amendment Is wrong
This statement was cheered.
Mr.. Smith said he accepted the new
Constitution. but he thought 1t was cor
rect to discuss that measure without 90
dng so in an antagonistic spirit He olo
not believe any serious action had yet
been taken to have any court pass upon
the new organic law He thought the
new instrument should be given fair
and impartial trial before any amend
ments were suggested.
The only criticism, Mr.. Smith said, That
had been made OF any of his speeches.
in this campaign. was made OF mis- open
ing speech at Fort Payne by Hon. s. j.
Bowie, Democratic Congressman from the
Fourth District He reviewed the crit-
cisms of Mr.. Bowie and said that II Ala
bama had been burdened by dishonest
elections, high taxes and other bad things
before the new Constitution, 1t was the
fault of the Democratic Party which had
been in control of the State thirty years.
Mr.. Bowie, he said, had declared that
honorable exception" in the Republican
Party to raise his voice in favor of the
new Constitution. In this he said Mr..
Bowie was mistaken, for Mr.. Ad Winds
of Greensboro" favored the new Consti-
tuition in his section OF the State. And.
he declared, Dallas County polled 5000
votes in favor of the new instrument
when the county now has but 200 vot-
ers.
Mr.. Smith said the criticism of his
speech by Mr.. Bowie had been revised
by Mr.. Campbell, Chairman of the DEM
ocratic Campaign Committee, and had
been issued as an address since the DEM
ocratic Party had no platform.
The Republican nominee for Governor
appealed to the young men of Alabama
not to be carried away by the sentiment
of voting as their fathers had voted.
He read the recent letter of Senator Nor
gan to Chairman Campbell in which the
Senator felicitated himself that the white
men of Alabama were once again to-
gether. This condition, Mr.. Smith ar
gued, was due to the Republican Party.
The Republican Party in Alabama. he de-
clared, had excluded the negro and 1t
was idle talk to say that two years from
now the negroes would be taken back In
the Republican Party, because there are
but $500 negro voters in Alabama. II,
according to Senator Morgan. the Dem
ocrats should not want TO control the Ma