The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-25
Series of Joint Debates Closed Here.
Crowd Which Gathered at Court House Appeared to Be Impartial Speakers Were Tired and
 Seemed Glad Other En-
 . arguments Were Cancelled.


 the point of exhaustion, John V. Smith and B. B. Conner met in the Montgomery County court house last night in the last forensic contest in their campaign fol President of the Railroad Commission. A large crowd, a crowd which filled the City Court room from the judges bench to the swinging doors heard the speakers It was in the main an impartial crowd one which had assembled to hear the speakers attentively and to weigh theiI arguments in forming a voting opinion. There were ardent Conner men and many Smith men were especially enthusi- astic but in the main the crowd furnished an excellent missionary field for the speakers. f- The assemblage would have furnished inspiration to the two campaign orators a few days ago, but they were hardly equal to the occasion.
 All day canvassing. continued speaking far into the night. daylight rising to catch early morning trains had subdued the spirit and the enthusiasm of the debaters
 In the three debates at Decatur, Bir- mingham and Gadsden and the travel con- sequent upon meeting the appointments, the energy of the speakers had been taxed to its limit. MT. Conner, perhaps, more than MT. Smith, showed the effects of their trying experience in North Alabama. Only in hts rejoinder did he throw his fire and enthusiasm into the subject to which he has been so attached. MT. Smith was hoarse and tired at the beginning but he warmed up perceptibly as he advanced in to his argument.
 There is no doubt that mutual agree ment to cancel the Mobile and the Green vile engagements as a source of gratifi- fcation to each of the speakers.
 No New Argument.
 The speakers found no new ideas, or fresh arguments to throw into their dis cussion last night. The arguments of the preceding discussions were threshed over. The points that each speaker made against his oponent were the points which had been made at Decatur, Birm- ingham and Gadsden. There were per haps fewer personalities in the Mont gomery encounter than in engagements in the North Alabama towns.
 An interesting feature of last nights debate was the appearance in the court room of Colonel c. L. Conner of Flu faula a brother of MT. Conner and whose name has been used In the previous discussions Colonel Conner was quietly occupying a rear seat in the court when | MT. Smith alluded to his presence in an | argument he was making. The allusion resulted in a sentence or two of good l natured raillery in which all three took | part.
 Mir. Conner in his speech denied that his first circular had gone unmodified or unexplained until Mir. Smith had issued his challenge. MT. Conner stated that his communication explaining the circu- | lar had been sent to The Advertiser over l a week before the challenge was pub | lished. After sending the letter Mir. Conner telegraphed The Advertiser to hold up his communication until he was heard from again. few days later Mir. Conner wrote asking that his communi- cation be published The letter was in- advertently overlooked for two or three days. when his communication which had been in The Advertiser ofice was pub lished.
 Future plans of the candidates have not been announced.
 In introducing the speakers Alderman c. P. Mcintyre said the crowd would have the pleasure of hearing two distin- guished citizens of Alabama. The fact that these speakers were men of ability and the thoroughness with which they had both mastered the details of an im- Il portant subject made the occasion nota- ble.
 II In beginning Mir. Conner recounted the circumstances attendant upon the begin | ming of the joint discussion. He had been challenged by Mir. Smith. he said, and in his own language. he had decided Ito face the music" His opponent had lately come to him saying There's no use in our hammering each other to death.' and the speaker had cordially agreed with him. Hereafter, he said, they would pursue their different ways and speak wrenever they had an opportunity.
 This will suit me-" said MT. Conner, "I always feel better in speaking when I | know Mir Smith is not going to follow me, and I believe he has the same feel ing"
 | Mir Conner said that Mir. Smith had denied the correctness of two circulars which had been issued by his Associa- ! tion He said he stood for the correct ness of both circulars the one stating | that on certain classes of freight the Alabama rate was 40 per cent higher than the Georgia rate and on all classes of | freight the Georgia rates were 70 per l cnet lower than the Alabama rates As to the statement made by Mir. Smith that Mir. Corners brother was a railroad attorney the speaker said:
 He is a railroad lawyer, a fine one, and a good fellow. I do not think tMlt | he would be a fit man to fix railroad rates because of his environments. Mr. Conner quoted an array of figures | to show that his statement that the Georgia rates were lower than the Ala bama rates was correct.
 He denounced the railroad trust. say ing:
 'rhat monopoly doesn't exist which will willingly turn loose victim" The speech of Mfr Smith, said Mir. | Conner was the same speech delivered by Major Sahlman in the parlors of the Exchange Hotel. He was not surprised, | ba aogd that railroad attorney should