The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-11-18
Cunningham vs. Conner. an prorressiye Era

SdHlutu IfToSEcSStNS Eid
 For long time we have been consid- ering and weighing the claims of the two candidates for Governor, endeavor- ing earnestly to intelligently decide which of two could render, the most valuable service to the State at this
 No one can deny that the paramount issue of this campaign is the govern mental regulation of the freight rates passenger conditions in the State.
 That there is urgent need for some such reform will not me denied. We MT. Comer's claims because he has been so actively identified with the rate re- form movement. We have weighed this Identification of Mir Conner and his record for eleven months in the office of Goveraor of Dr. Cunningham.
 His straight record on the rate ques- acter We feared that cunninghams ambition was behind his anti-rai1road activity. and to realize that he was call goeue to feed this ambition, but Mir. new aspect upon the campaign.
 In hs address Ia on the isat sth at ham had said at his Unien Springs speech, If am elected Governor will not. attempt to become the executive. government. but I will be guided by the statutory and constitutional limi- tations of the office of Governor"
 that very V u statement @ shows that he is unfit for the office of Governor. shows 4thAt he is unfit to lead in this cause. " This statement is the most remarkapie or any other campaign for the high office of Governor. It Is tantamou4t to sd r sSsnT Ss Win os De sded sief by the statutory limitations of the office of Governor. That he will override the Constitution. override the, statutes to ment Is too clear, too distinct. to be avoided or to be mistaken. It overleaps the most radical utterance ever made by candidate for that high office. We cannot subscribe to such views. They are unsafe and dangerous. We will follow no man in trampling upon the will assist in making no man dictator. We will not aid any man in his race for that high office who will not be guided by the statdtes and Constitution, sacred than the rate. question, and 1t is not necessary to violate either. CIn- der the law and under the Constitution, rate reform can be secured in Alabama. Rate reform is inevitable. It will come without the assistance of MT. Conner with his extravagant ideas, it will come without violated Constitution and without violated law.
 The south has no need for an appeal to the higher law" There is no place for it in political and governmental af- fairs. If one thing more than another chaTacterizes the genius of the South ern people It has been their loyalty and fidelity to the Constitution.
 Fifty years ago fanatics in New Eng land appealed to the higher law" They were overriding tho Constitution and from their higher law" agitation came a disastrous, bloody war, from the ef- fleets of which our country suffers to- day. Let us have no such appeals in Alabama.
 In the campaign of Lieutenant Gov ernor Cunningham like his public re- cord has been characterized by states man like ability and an understanding. and an appreciation of the needs of his people. We can only hope that Mir. Conner will be forced to work in the public harness that he now has on. with two good conservative trotting mates to rate and passenger conditions. and to give a measureable part of his time to seeing what, if anything, can be done to force the express companies to be just and reasonable
 We will support Cunningham and lend our humble efforts to his cause.