The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-18
MR. LOWE WILL
NOT HEAR DEBATE.
Candidate for R. R. Commits
sioner Won't Go TO Decatur.
FEELS QUITE CONFIDENT
Says It Is Usually the Candidates Whd
Think Themselves Losing Who
Want to Enter Joint De-
bate-Been on Tour.

Robert J. Lowe, candidate for the pres
.deney Of the railroad commission. who
has Just completed a tourSextending from
the Tennessee line to the Gulf, is again in
Birmingham. lie seems to be entirely
satisfied and confident. AS to his future
movements, he said that he expected to
return to South Alabama tomorrow or
next day. and remain there a week or ten
days. When asked If he was going to
attend a joint debate to be held at De-
catur Mr.. Lowe replied:
II have not been invited to participate;
at any rate, have no controversy at
this time with either of these gentle
men, 1t seems to be largely personal
issue between them. Mr.. Conner Is
charging Mr.. Smith with failure in the
discharge of the duties of his office, and
Mr. Smith is denying the charge.
Does Not Decide.
"should Mr.. Conner succeed In SUSTAIN
ng his accusation, IL will not prove con-
clusvely that Mr.. Conner IL himself en-
titled to the place. On the other hand,
if Mr. Smith should prevail. it will not
definitely establish the proposition that
he was entitled to be perpetuated in Of
flee. No, am not going to Decatur.
Everybody knows that I am not a candi-
| date of the railroad nor Of the anti rail-
road interest. The office, to my mind.
is of a dual nature. largely judicial and
also largely executive. The man who Is
called to fill 1t should be entirely fair and
unbiased No man who supports the rail-
roads interests should be elected, nor
should any man who supports the anti
railroad interest be elected.
Simple Platform.
1T am candidate for the office on
the simple platform that IL elected [
will earnestly and faithfully discharge
the duties, without fear or favor II
! elected, l will exercise every power of
the office to see that no unjust rates or
! unfair determinations are allowed. will
under my oath. see to 1t that the laws are
administered fairly and In spirit of ex-
! act justice to every interest"
| In reply to further question Mr.
Lowe said that he did not intend to say
that he would not engage In Joint debate
or go upon the stump during the can
vass; that questions or issues might arise
which would make 1t incumbent upon him
TO do so. He said that It was a pleasure
to him ordinarily to appear before the
people in the discussion OF public dues-
tons, but that his experience had been
that joint debates were not productive of
harmony or any other good results; that
debates usually intensity partisans but
rarely make converts.
Have Lost Confidence.
Mr.. Lowe said that he had rarely II
ever, known of n candidate for nomina-
ton, who was confident Of success who
was anxious to engage his opponents in
joint debate; that usually 1t was the
candidates who thought themselves los
ing who sought to do so.
Mr.. Lowe further said that he was very
much pleased with the status of affairs
| as he found 1t; that his friends were or
| ganizing and actively at work In all the
counties which he had visited He added
that his correspondence which was COM
Ing from every part of the state, was sat.
| isfactory and encouraging.