The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-07
Rival Candidates for Governor Take Part in Joint De-
 bate at RusstNiIIe
SEIRMISHING IS OVER AND
 BATTLE IS ON IN EARNEST
Last Night the Candidates Again Met In Sheffield and Continued the Strenuous Work Begun
 at RusselIville.
BY SEYMOUR RANSOM.

BY SEYMOUR RANSOM.
 Russellville, November 6.-(Special)--B. B. Conner, the president of the state railroad commission, and Dr. R. M Gun ningham, lieutenant governor. met here in joint debate today before an audience of 500 persons and kept the political fur flying for two and a half hours in a rough and tumble discussion of the issues in- volved in the campaign.
 Roth men gave and took hard blows, each of them realizing that the time or skirmshing is past and that the battle is now on in earnest.
 The audience that greeted the speakers was made up of persons from all sec tions of the county, four-ffths of them being farmers. There was liberal sprink- ing of women In the court room, and the attention paid both speakers indicated that interest in the candidacy of each was keen and popular.
 Friends of Both Confident.
 Inasmuch as this is the county in which Dr. Cunningham began his political career a great deal of interest was awakened in his behalf and his supporters tonight confidently predict that he will carry i Franklin by handsome majority. J On the other hand the Conner people turned out in force and gave their can didate a hattering reception. When the speaking was over they said that senti- ment in the county was now almost equally divided, and that they are satis- fled they will put Franklin into the Conner column. James A. Wilson, prominent business man here and an ardent Cum ningham supporter, said
 Confidence In Cunningham.
 "Franklin county is proud of pr. Gun ningham Our people have confidence Tn his ability and integrity. They believe that he will do what he says he will do. The men who voted for Conner for pres ident of the railroad commission think he ought to remain where he is. pr. Cunningham can be trusted to put through railroad rate reform. Franklin will go for him overwhelmingly"
 Thinks County Is for Conner.
 w. J. James, for eight years chairman of the democratic executive committee and member of the legislature, said Tn the judgment of non-partisan observers there can be no doubt that Franklin coun- ty will go for Conner. Dr. Cunningham was reared near us. He spent portion of his life among us. While here he was well liked and he retains many Of hls former friends.
 This campaign, however, is one of is- sues rather than men. Political principle rather than personal friendship will con trol the situation. The railway rate is- sue has stirred up the people of Frank lin as they have not been aroused for years. They know that MT. Conner Is the embodiment of this issue. They be- lieve with him as governor and with a legislature elected friendly to him they will be sure of getting relief from rail- way domination. We have no doubt th. he will win in this county.
 According to the arrangements the de- bate was to last two hours, MT. Conner opening with a speech of one hour, Dr. Cunningham following with an answer of one hour and fifteen minutes, and MT. Conner closing in a fifteen minutes re- joinder.
 Conner Is First Introduced.
 Promptly at 1:45 p. m. A. H. Car michael an attorney of Tuscumbia. who is known to be Cunningham supporter, called the meeting to order and intro- duced MT. Conner. His introductory speech was exceedingly brief and severely for nal.
 gro me is delegated the honor of intro
  said he. "As to who he shall be depends upon the votes of the white people of the state"
 He then presented MT. Conner to the audience as a successful and distinguish ed citizen of Jefferson county. Mir. Conner when he rose to speak, was greeted buoy antly by the audience, the hand-clapping lasting almost a minute. Every possible foot of space on the floor was filled when he began and he held the attention of the audience throughout
 In opening MT. Conner said that he was matched with one of the most dis tinguished speakers of the state, the best stump speaker in the commonwealth, the eagle orator of Alabama. and, he added that 1t was rash for him to take so great risk but that he met 1t gladly for the reason that he realized how important this campaign was to the people of Ala bama.
 He alluded to an earlier address that he had made here when canvassing for the office of president of the state rail road commission. The crowd that greet ed him when he was here before, said he, was small but the seed then sown had borne noble fruit. The campaign made two years before had appealed to the farmers.
 Farmer Pays the Freiaht.
 It Is the farmer who pays the freight" said he. "and if I can plant here today deep down in your hearts the seed of railway rate reform my trip will not have been made in vain.'
 Continuing, Mir. Conner said that he was elected president of the state railroad commission on the direct issue that he would do his best to get for the people of Alabama the Georgia rate. He said that he had attempted to do so but that he had failed by reason of the fact that
 The subject of appointments he said tha by his two associates whom he character ized as railway sympathizers. He cited the familiar statistics that the rate on fer ealizers in Alabama is 50 per cent higher than in Georgia and 100 per cent higher