The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-18
BITTER ASSAULT UPON
 HEFLIN MADE BY WALKER

l Adlker were groundleSs. HIS sPeoeh
 was we'll delivered, his boise was per
 feet, his method was good, and ne
 proved that he is no mean farmer
 orator.
 Early in the morning 1t was an-
 nounced that the speaking would begin
 between 10 and II o'clock. Ten O'CLOCK
 passed. and 1t seemed that the yellow
 boy wielded the bell with more vigor.
 The tfngling actually began to sound
 plaintfve. Joe Thompson walked about
 the streets. anxiety on his face. It
 was nearing II o'clock when Captain
 Walker and his friends appeared on
 the streets and strolled over to the courthouse. Two negroes occupied
 front seats in the court room, and
 few stragglers were on the outside.
 And the tingling of the bell continued.
 At 1O:50 o'clock Professor Blakemore | went out on the stoop and announced
 to the loungers in front of the court
 house that the speaking was about to
 begin. He invited the outsiders to be-
 come insiders.
 l The yellow boy accepted this as a | signal to renew his energies with the
 bell.
 Stfll the Democratic Tuskeegians pur- sued what reporters call the even tenor of their way"
 Small Audience Present. ] Captain Walker and the visiting Re. l publicans took seats on the judges stand, and Joe Thompson rapped for or | der. At this time there were exactly | hfty-three persons in the house. This audience consisted of three ladies' twelve small boys seven visiting Re | publicans, two reporters, seven negroes | and the remainder men. As Mir | Thompson began his remarks of intro- | auction, the crowd began to increase, and by the time Captain Walker arose | to speak, thirty minutes later, there | were perhaps 150 persons present, | about thirty-five of whom were ne :. | groes, who sat to themselves. It was noticeable that not a single student or | member of the faculty of Booker Wash | ington's school was present. | Right at the beginning. MT. Thomp- l son scored the absent MT. Hefiin | Tt Is regrettable" he said, that the l candidate of one party has seen fit to decline to come here and discuss with us the issues in this campaign. The people have a right to hear them. Po- | litical ethics and common decency, 1t seems to me, required MT. J. Tom Hefiin | to be here today or to give some good reason why he could not be here. The | time has passed in Alabama when one | may ride into Congress on the wings | of prejudice or by singing a song or | telling a story
 He paid high tribute to Captain Walker as a gentleman and a success full man of affairs. and concluded by introducing MT. Parsons as the first speaker of the day.
 MT Parsons said he was present as one who felt a personal interest In Captain Walker, and one who had spent many years In the district. He and the life and character of their candidate was linked with the people of this sec tion of Alabama. If it was question of personal character, he said, he was quite sure every elector In the district would vote for Captain Walker.
 Tt Is true" said MT. Parsons, "he cannot sing songs or tell jokes, but he has the genius of common sense. You trust him In daily business affairs and you know you may trust him to repre- sent you"
 MT. Parsons said 1t was peculiar that some ten or twelve States of the South acted in politics against their interest. and argued that voters would look to their personal interest by casting their ballots for the Republican candidates.
 The Policy of Protection.
 The speaker elucidated the protec- tive policy of tSe Republican party, contending that oHe of the greatest ob- ject lessons of the effect. of a protec- tive tariff was the growth and prog ress of Birmingham. Contentment and happiness were pictured by Mir. Parsons as logical results of continued protection. Poverty, he claimed, was also to be cured by Republican policies, and the poverty of the South was due to the fact that the Southern States continued Democratic.
 MT. Parsons appealed to his hearers tn tn and to pay no heed to the cry of party regularity which, he declared. was the wall of politicians who sought to main tain their control for selfish interest, He begged his hearers not to keep their families in want just because President Roosevelt had taken lunch with Booker Washington. declaring that no man could honestly object to any act, official or otherwise, of the President.
 He said he suspected that MT. Heffin had told his stories and sung his songs in Tuskegee and, therefore, had no am munition with which to meet Captain Walker.
 In conclusion Mir. Parsons dwelt on the beauties of Republcanism He said that if the District did not send a capable man to Washington. 1t could not expect to get the benefits which the Republican Party was able to be- stow.
 MT. Parsons closed at 11:4O o'clock and Captain Walker was introduced immediately by MT. Thompson. He was received in silence.
 Captain Walker Speaks.
 captain Walker. speaking deliher- ately. referred to his citizenship in Ma con County where he had spent the best years of his life. He said he was willing that those who lived nearest to him should pass upon that citizen ship.
 am willing" he said. that those who have contended with me in the most partisan manner should pass un- on the question as to whether I have been an honest man. am willing for the people of Macon C\lnty to sav whether my political conduct has moi been for the best public interest of MaIon County"
 Then Captain Walker talked of Mir Hefin.
 Tt was my desire to have here today my honorable opponent. the nominee of the Democratic Party" he said. "J wrote to him what I thought to be A resectful letter, asking him to be here. It was not so much an infringement upon my right in his refusal to be here; It was infringement upon the rights of the people of this district that they should not hear the matters discussed ] about this government under which we 1 must all live and work as one peon1e
 I hope you will pardon what might 1 seem personal attack upon my oppo- hent he went on. MT. Heflin said