The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-07-25
Five Hundred People Gather
to Hear Them.
Many Prominent Jelks Men in the
Audience-Johnston Laid
Claim to Credit for
the Primary.


Ter of Greensboro, candidates respective
ly for Governor and Lieutenant Governor,
invaded Montgomery County last night,
and entertained an audience of about 500
voters, at McDonald's Theatre, where
they made political addresses.
Charles F. Moritz of Montgomery pre-
sided over the meeting and introduced
the speakers.
Mr.. Waller, who was the first speaker,
spoke nearly an hour. He said that Cap
| tain Johnston and associates and not
Governor Jelks and associates had made
a primary possible, and that honest cleo
lions was the issue.
He declared his adherence to the new
Constitution, and claimed he was one of
the original advocates of eliminating the
negro from Alabama politics.
Ex-Governor Johnston covered the
same ground as Mr.. Waller In respect to
the ordering of primary. He dwelt at
length upon his administration of public
affairs as Governor ard said the Consti-
tuition had been proclaimed as law, but
If he was elected he would do all in his
power to lightel its burdens upon the
people.
1t was the first political meeting of this
| campaign held in Montgomery County,
and the second meeting of the campaign
| held in the State.
|
dience was attracted, and a large num-
Der of the supporters of Governor Jelks
were present. Nearly all of the State
| officials were there and department clerks
at the State Capitol occupied almost an
| entire row of seats in the orchestra cir
Gle of the theatre.
The audience began to assemble early
| in the evening. Hon. John B. Knox of
Admission, President of the Constitutional
| M tad If
Governor Jelks, was an early arrival. He
| was alone, and took a seat near the mid
die of the orchestra circle Charles b.
| Teasley, Chairman of the Montgomery
County Jelks Committee. was also
conspicuous figure in the audience. He
was accompanied by several of the Gov
ernor's most prominent supporters.
| Johnstonites in Front.
The enthusiastic Johnston men of
Montgomery County had seats away
down in front near the orchestra stall.
Along with them were Hugh M Wilson
of Opelka and Noah p. Renfro of Ope-
lika the latter Chairman of the Johnston
| State Campaign Committee. Captain
Paul Sanguinetti of Montgomery sat on
| one side of the house near the stage
and in relative position on the other
side of the house sat Judge John Purifoy.
Each of these supporters of the former
Governor carried large walking sticks,
and they repeatedly manifested their en-
thusiasm in the proceedings by beating
the sticks upon the floor of the theatre
| auditorium.
AS the audience assembled the stage
| was bare There were good hundred
sallies and some disappointment was ex-
pressed when 1t became known that Colo
mel w. H. Denson of Birmingham would
not speak. 1t had been announced in the
fF.
speak. This mistake was due to the
fact that Colonel benson accompanied
Captain Johnston and Mr.. Waller to
| Montgomery from Birmingham yesterday
| morning. The party reached here at IL
| o'clock, and was met at the passenger
| station by Hon. Bib Graves, the john
| ston campaign manager for Montgom-
| cry County. Colonel benson went to Eu-
faula on an afternoon train, and spoke
| there last light
The hour of $50 O'Clock was fixed as
the time for the beginning of the speak
ing and the candidates were on hand
promptly Without flare of trumpets.
drum beats or strains of music, the ex-
| Governor and Mr.. Waller STROBE upon the
stage of the theatre at the appointed
hour They were accompanied by Charles
f. Moritz, Hon. Bibb Graves and A L..
Davis, formerly a Montgomery alderman,
Like a Prize right.
Their appearance was the signal for an
| outburst of applause 1t reminded one or
| the preliminaries of a prize fight.
| Tho candidates took seats and Mr..
Moritz who seemed to be the referee ad-
vanced to a small table we'll up to the
front of the stage and began to explain
| the regulation and rules.
| His address was explanatory of his
| position in the campaign. He said ne
| was a novice in politics, but because
| man took an interest in politics he was
| not necessarily politician. Fie did not
claim anything. nor would he claim any
thing at the hands of Ex-Governor john
| ston; therefore he said 1t was not selhsh
motive that prompted him to line up with
| the Ex-Governor in this campaign. The
| campaign was fight between white
! man. between Democrats, and. Mr..
| Moritz Said he was glad to see 1t. II
| the State was entirely unanimous on poll
| teal question he thought 1t would be q
poor State
Mr. Moritz said some of his friends
had expressed wonder that "a nice clean
man like / am" would become interested
| in politics.
II would to God" he exclaimed navely
| that more nice clean men like myself
would interest themselves in political ar
fairs. 1t would be a healthy condition
for the State"
The audience applauded the candor Of
| MIR. Moritz, who went on with his speech.
| He deplored the proneness of business
men to commit the public welfare %
| country lawyers, and said as a merchant
| he would not entrust his affairs to such
| men. Business men, he said, had no right
| to complain of the mismanagement OF
| state affairs IL they failed to take an IN
| tercst in public matters He assured the
| audience that he was not ASHAMED or his
position. and said as he viewed it one
| who had been n faithful public servant
was asking for an Office and he believed
| he deserved 1t.
Then Mr. Moritzs repudated the as
| sault of Colonel w. H. benson upon Ala
bama newspapers made in his Birming-
| ham speech.
Il know and You know" said Mr.,
Moritz, that the press is a mighty agen-
CIV for good or for evil. l do not agree
with my friend Colonel benson. am
one of those who believe that the good
| outweighs the evil"
Mr.. Moritz spoke twenty minutes and
concluded by introducing Hon Charles
f. Waller, who was roundly applauded.
Why He Failed.
Mr.. Waller said every man present
| knew that he was q candidate for Cover
nor in the last election. He failed ~ Sc
cure that nomination, he said, because
| he did not secure the votes. in the con
yention and he had no grievance for his
| failure in that aspiration Adverting to
| bn carried Mont M o.. u