The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-23
STALKING HORSE AND 1 SCARE CROW.


 The stqllinss-Hefin comedy combina' ton Is about to dissolve. because the junior member is going into business for himself. He is going to be busy' in the Fifth District. trying to get the Va cancy in Congress created by the la nented death of MT. Thompson. Ths prospect is that he will be very busy.
 Before, the dissolution of the firm of Hearst promoters. they saw ht to give out an interview which is in this issue. This Is substantially an answer to The Advertisers editorial of yesterday. point ing out the real issue in Alabama's pres ent part of national politics This pa- per insists that stallinss and Hefin have made the issue clear and shsrp-a Hearst delegation or no Hearst delegation. Trey declare that it is regular Democracy" -or ',anti-Cleveland Democracy" They persist in trying to cloak the purpose of treir movement. They boom Hearst. TLey intimate that Mir. Bryan Is for Hearst. They argue that Mir. Bryan ought to have a good deal to say as to his successor as leader. They deny any plan to back special candidates. to in- dividualize yet clearly indicate their oo- jections to one man and their preferences for others. One can imagine their winks carry on this farce.
 So far The Advertiser has avoided references to it's Editor on this page, but inasmuch as this interview singles out Major W. w. Screws as the only candidate for delegate as not entitled to Party consideration in their autocratlc Judgment, The Advertiser is constrained to say something on the subject.
 It is no secret that he supported Palmer and Buckner in 1896. and he is not ashamed of the fact. No better Democ- racy was ever proclaimed than that in the platform on which they stood. and several thousands of as true Democrats as live in Alabama supported that plat form and the nominees on it.
 In 1900 Major Screws supported the Kansas City platform and MT. Bryan upon it. The bulk of the Democrats. who boited in 1896. did the same thing. liar mony was restored in Alabama Demoe- racy. Constitutional Convention and new Constitution were the happy result. Many so-called bolters were in that con- vention. Others have been in the State Legislature and have been elected to inn portant ofices in the State. Some of them are today on the State Democratic Committee. The State organization has in every way ignored and wiped out the division of 1ssS
 Now, who has set up these two DroEnios as the Caesars of the Party? What power have they to set aside the determination and the custom of the Alabama Democ- racy for four and six years past? Why should they try to prescribe any set or men? Why should they pick out any one man as a scapegoat? Aren't they a pretty pair to arrogate so much wisdom and power to themselves? It is ridiculous.
 Their attitude towards the editor of this paper is simply r1lasdue: It is very thin and haxy. They are trying to CtOAk Ikefr 0uFOCdCy OA 1AootCNs SO hH4AO the public believe they are fighting on principle and policy, and not for men. And so they arraign Mir. Cleveland and that brand of conservative Democracy known as Clevelandism, and single out one man as its exponent. They are ap- pealing to past prejudices and burnt-out passions. They are trying to fan old brands into flames. Back of all their beating of tom-toms is the careful setting up of Hearst delegates. Clevelandism is their stalking horse. and Major Screws Is merely their scarecrow.
 The issue cannot be obscured. It is whether this State shall send a secretly set up Hearst delegation to St. Louis. The Advertiser does not believe the capa- city of staIiings. Heflin, ct al.. whoever they may be, Is equal to the task. The Democrats of Alabama are not going to be bamboosled by such leaders.