The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-07
CUNNINGHAM AND COMER IN DEBATE First Contest is Held at Rus
 seIIviIle AT SHEFFIELD LAST NIGHT Skirmlshing is Over and the War Is On In Earnest-Both Give and
 Take Some Severe
 Thrusts.
(contlnued from First Pase.)

roads have a legal right to earn 8 req sonable return on the valuation of their property. These two injunctions will pro- long the settlement of the question in- terminably in the courts. As a railroad commissioner, and l say it in all candor can be of no use to you. If I'm of any use It's because of my Knowledge of this subject and my sincerity. Lets take the railways at their word, elect legislature that will fix a rate and state officers who will cooperate Tn enforcing 1t.
 This Is a progressive fight. I haven't gone but one single inch. And when any. body tells you that I ought to stay on the railroad commission they use the rail roads argument
 Any man who makes that statement is not a friend of this movement. Governor Cunningham and I are good friends. We've fished together He's a genial gentleman l have said he was sincere; his platform was a good platform as sound as a dol. lar but in his Union Springs speech pr Cunningham said that he was one of those who believed that the governor should be governor and not attempt tc be legislature. judiciary and governor too That statement interpreted in connection with Dr. Cunningham's environments makes him unfit for the office when this issue is at the front. It betrays the weak. ness of his position.
 ls After Big Game.
 If you don't get the legislature my friends you lose this fight. If you, turn. ing to Dr. Cunningham" don't believe we need the legislature you don't know my dear man what you are talking about It would be d farce, a folly, a fraud. "1f you don't mean to elect legisla- ture and a state government along this line leave me out. It would be a great thing to be your governor, but its big ger thing to knock out the railway cabal am after big game, not empty honors.
 "Governor Cunningham stated in his Union Springs speech that he broke loose from his political friends and cast a de- ciding vote for an elective railroad com. mission when 1t was a tie In the senate He said that when he referred the pro posed statute establishing the elective com mission with power he also broke loose from his political friends and referred Il to a friendly committee. He also stated that he opposed a continuance of Colone Saunders and Colonel Tunstall for two years when the question was up with the house and senate breaking loose in al | these matters from his environments anc his political friends. Is he not lined LII with those same political friends today the ones who opposed this measure 1T every step of it's progress?
 Is 1t passiuIe for him to take this plat | form from the hands of it's friends ant carry 1t over to the house of the enem, and put it through? If he was ever SC sincere and ever so big and ever so II | love with 1t would 1t be possible for hin to get Il through depending upon it's sue | cess as he wouiu have to depend in the | largest measure upon those who have for ever opposed 1t? Has he at any tim, shown the disposition to fight this meas ure through for the good of the people Did he not ignor 1t when the committe, of citizens who had charge of the meas ure looking towards an elective railroad commission with power and while he wa running for lieutenant governor propound ed to him through the press and inquiry a. to how he stood, whether or not he wal in favor of .a.s elective commission witt l power? Did he not Ignore this reques | and fail to answer. fah to give any hell | whatever and did he not align himself | with those who were opposed to and wer, | fighting the measure? After the meeting of the legislature in which he was grea help to 1t and when the fight was be l fore the people to commlssione elected on q line with that law and t, | carry out it's purposes and when the rail roads were fighting if to the bitter enC | did he take any part or parcel in tha | fight either by letter, look or word? Wa! he not in a distant land and did he no | escape the issue which he now professel | to love?
 | Governor Cunningham says that hi | environment has been with the people that he has felt their pulse at their bed
 side while I have been in the counting house The reverse of this is true. pr | Cunningham's environment has been tha
 of doctor of convicts in the employ oi | the state and in the employ of the Ten
 nessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company
 and last as possessor of a hospital 1 having the entire patronage of the Ten
 nessee Coal Iron and Railroad company
 which is worth to him. l understand
 some S10000 or s15. GOO year.
 Does Not Know Anything.
 When you take him away from tha | environment he is as a babe In the woods | He does not know anything about thu | farming interest. He has not been on ! farm since he was boy. He does no 1 know anything about the manufa cturini 1 business He does not know anything about the general merchandise business i He has never come in contact with any 1 of the avocations of the state excep | that of materia medica. and his assump | tion that his life work will give him bet
 ter or higher insight into the great polit
 cal economies of the state than min,
 will give me is contrary to every prac