The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-24
THE JELKS RALLY
ELOQUENT SPEECH BY HON.
JOSEPH N. MILLER.
A Brass Band, Fireworks and Much
Enthusiastically John Win
ter Brought Good News
For Crowd.


Hon. ]. N. Miller of Wilcox County,
delivered a forcefu and convincing
speech in favor OF the candidacy OF Gov
ernor jerks and his hearers were ready
with instant applause for every strlklps
point in his argument, to TESTIFY their
allegiance to the present Governor
1t was conservatively estimated that
the crowd which heard Mr., Miller num-
bered more than 400 persons. The gath
ering seemed TO be practically unanimous
for the Governor
The Montgomery brass band ployed a
number of stirring selections previous to
the speaking and the Square was nearly
filled when Judge John g. Winter intro
duced the orator Of the evening to the
audience.
Spoke from q Tally-ho.
Mr.. Miller spoke from a large four
horse tally-ho which was stationed on
the east side of the Square near the en-
trance of the Commercial and Industrial
Association. Between the two front seats
of the tally-ho a platform was fitted to
give a firm footing to the speaker.
A number of Roman candles were set
off and their red glare. gave the crowd a
picturesque appearance.
In spite of the rafting of passing gag
ons over the pavement and the noise of
street cars the crowd patiently bore the
discomfort of standing for more than an
hour on the pavement and gave Mr.. Mil
Ter its undivided attention. The manifest
interest with which the gathering heard
the Wilcox orator In spite of the discom-
fort was a high compliment to his abil-
ity TO entertain.
During the meeting enthusiastic john
ston men slipped in and out of the gath
ering endeavoring to win away hearers
and induce them to go to the rival speak
ing at McDonald's Theatre.
A megaphone man, with more energy
than discretion, passed around with his
raucous instrument. yelling now and then
Go to McDonald's and hear both sides "
Police Captain w. H. Taylor tapped
him on the shoulder and whispered to
him. He subsidized instantly and sneaked
away with his horn under his arm
In few words Mr.. Miller was intro
duced by Judge Winter whose appear
ance on the tally-ho was the signal for a
round OF applause. He explained that the
Committee had been disappointed in Sc
curing for the evening Messrs. Sanford
and Hibbard Mr.. Sanford. he said, was
imperatively called to Tallassee for the
night and Mr.. Hiboard had been unable
to catch a train. In his Introductory re-
marks Judge Winter spoke highly of the
character and ability of Hon. ]. N. Mil
Ter, the orator OF the evening.
Mr.. Miller Begins Speech.
Mr.. Miller spoke coolly and without
any imprisoned effort for effect but his
speech was none the less effective. He
declared that the issue in the campaign
was the organic law Of the State against
| the ambition Of one man. His presenta-
| ton of the benefits that had come to the
| 80 he ta hIy adnnfinn of
the Constitution was nothing short OF
| brilliant He spoke eXultantly of the out
look over the State for the nomination
| of Governor Jelks and he told his audi
| tors that he appeared before them as a
messenger of glad tidings of good news
| He spoke in the highest terms of the
| administration of Governor Jelks and his
confidence in the Governors nomination
| was manifested in all parts of his ad-
| dress.
| In beginning his address Mr. Miller said
| he had been in various parts of Alabama
| in the large cities and in the small cit
| les. in the big counties and In the little
| counties and he confidently predicted that
Jelks would be nominated by an over
| whelming majority.
| The people of Alabama had been en-
gagged in one of the most memorable con
| tests in the history OF the State The
| great rally which he was addressing wa!
not for campaign purposes but it was {
| rally of jolificatlon that preceded the
| triumphant nomination of Jelks and Gun
| ningham. 1t had been deemed necessary
to put a doctor on the ticket to care fol
the MANNED Johnston men who had got
ten in the way of Jelks
Wilcox is for Jelks.
His own County, Wilcox. Mr.. Mile
~
past It had supported the Ex-Governor
in his many races. with the single excep
ton of his abortive attempt to defea
John T. Morgan for the United State
Senate. In spite of that. he said. that h
had every reason to believe that tn
| County would return a handsome major
ity for Jelks and the Constitution.
THE issue of this campaign" Mr.. Mil
| Ter said, lis the ambition of one maj
against the organic law of the state.
He recounted briefly the continued hu
persistent efforts that had been mad
to get a new Constitution; efforts tina
began with the administration Of Cover
nor Seay and failed on account of I'M
friendly Legislatures, He told of tn
work of Governor Johnston for new
Constitution in the early days of his in
cumbency in the Office of Governor.
NO Governor" he said. ever urged
now Constitution with more power ant
eloquence than did Governor Johnston.
He then described how Johnston undi,
the great work that he had begun. II
told how he called the special session o
the Legislature and forced it to do hi
bidding in killing the call for Consti
tutional Convention.
The sneaker declared that If CioVerno
Johnston had gone forward with tn,
| I, nd DIV m
people the relief which they sought in
new Constitution he would have been ont
of the greatest mon that the State eve
| produced. lie would have been the Nose!
to lead the people of Alabama out of po
litical bondage.
Johnston is Dangerous.
He is a dangerous man." declared Mr.
Miller impressively IF he controlled one
LEGISLATURE he can control another"
In this crisis the speaker said the State
needed a Governor and Legislature ir
| favor of the new Constitution Governor
Johnston and his friends had gone about
in North Alabama telling the people that
| the Registrars wers coming along and
DISTINGUISHING white men. lie told the
people of North Alabama that the Regis
| trars were going to register the negroes
| in the black belt counties so that their
votes could be used. The speakers de-
clared that the people had found tn At
| these statements wee untrue.
The mountain counties in North Ala
| bama were coming down with a great
majority for jerks, declared Mr. Miller;
the wire grass counties were coming up
with a great majority for jerks and the
black belt counties were coming up with
a great majority.
The prediction of the speaker was CRATE
full news to his hearers and they cheered