The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-28
.DR, CUNNINGHAM
 IN UNION SPRINGS Replies to Recent Speech of
 Mir. Conner STATES HIS PLATFORM Believes Railroads Are Necessary, But Thinks They Should Give Fair,
 Just and Equitable Treat
 ment to the Public.
BY SEYMOUR RANSOM.

Union Springs, Octoper Zn-(Specidi.)- Dr. R. M. Cunningham of Ensley, in a speech made in the court house here to- day, opened his canvas of the state for the office of governor, and replied to the address at Talladega last Saturday by B. B. Conner, president of sthe state railroad commission.
 Dr. Cunningham's reception here was cordial; his speech was listened to with interest not untouched with enthusiasm
 and he left tonight for Birmingham as- sured by his supporters that Bullock county would give him handsome ma
 jority.
 What some persons regarded an un-
 happy feature of the occasion was the
 introductory speech of Major Culver, who
 twice referred to pr. Cunningham's prom
 thence as a Mason, to prove he was well
 qualified to be governor. Dr. Cunning
 hams face blanched with embarrassment,
 when the reference was made. A great
 many men in the audience. evidently Ma
 sons, stared at one another in silent amazement
 Dr. Cunningham in the two hours'
 speech that followed, made no allusion to
 Major Culvers introduction of Masonry
 at political gathering. The incident was
 the subject of animated talk throughout the afternoon. Dr. Cunningham's friends
 saying that their candidate was in no
 sense responsible for Major Culver's in-
 discretion. One prominent Mason in com
 menting on the incident said:
 No good Mason can contemplate with
 complacency, incidents of this kind. They
 are unfortunate. Masons as well as the 'profane' will resent it."
 Robert E. Lee Cope, who is serving his
 second term as mayor of Union Springs,
 had this to say of Dr. Cunningham's
 speech and his chances In Bulloch coun- ty:
 q voted for MT. Conner for president of the railroad commission. l shall prob
 ably support his candidacy for gover-
 nor. Bullock county gave John ". Smith a small majority over Conner two years ago. The county is as close now as it was then. Here in Union Springs Cum
 nlngham easily leads. In the county Conner may cut down Cunningham's vote l think the chances are at this time that Cunningham will carry the county" Cum ingham men say they will win by an "amazing majority" Conner supporters are quite as confident regarding their can- didate.
 interrupted '6y Applause. Dr. Cunningham's speech was listened to by an audience of 125 persons. one fifth of whom were women. In the course of his address. which was frequently in- terruptcd with applause. Dr. Cunning ham said: From my boyhood up to the present time I have always tried to do what believed to be right. This is the most critical hour of my political career. The speech l am now making Is the most im- portant of all to be made in this cam paign. l am an aspirant for the greatest office under the constitution of the state, greatest because of its honors. its re- -~~~-~~~-~--~~~~-
 though his grip was open there is noth- ing that shows that anything has been molested. His clothes were arranged as he evidently left them when going to bed, and some loose change was in his pocket. It is said that MT. Allis had represented the Blue Lick company for q number of years. He was about 60 years of age. and is said to have carried several large policies on his life. His averdupois is thought to have had something to do with his untimey death. being a man that weighed something over POO pounds. He Is
 survived by a widow, and the family connection in Kentucky are said to ba