The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-04
Mr.. JEMISON ON
POLITICAL OUTLOOK
Street Railway President Talks
of the GovernorShip
HAS FAITH IN THE PEOPLE
They Demand as Their Next Governor,
Says Mr.. Jemison, a Firm, Tenn
psrate, Just and Progressive
Man-Who Is He?


Birmingham Railway, Light and Power
company. in speaking of the governor
ship, said that the next governor of
Alabama should be a man who would rep
resent faithfully the progressive spirit
of the state; recognize that Alabama 2
prosperity is not to be strengthened by
Incorporate agitation of any subject, and
understand that all administrative acts
should be determined, not by infiamed
prejudice against any particular inter-
ests, but rather by a sober sense of
responsibility and nice sense of justice
and right.
Isn't Used to Talking Politics.
81 am not In the habit" began Mr.
Jemison, as he sat yesterday afternoon
at his desk in the presidents office OF
the Birmingham Railway, Light and
Power company's building, "of discussing
political subjects in the newspapers. In
deed, l am not given to discussing them
there or anywhere else. Conditions forbid
that persons who have to do with the
operation of quasi public utilities should,
ur der. normal conditions, rush into print
without sufficient provocation. For that
reason 1 think l should state at the out
set that in what L have to say at this
time, l am speaking merely in my capac-
ity as an individual citizen, unaffected,
even in the slightest degree, by my bus
iress connections.
LAS an Alabamian-reared in the state.
proud of it's history and interested in
the permanent welfare of all its people
L believe that the time is come when its
citizens should unite In the effort to de-
velop Its industries, to safeguard them
from injury and to strengthen them
wherever possible.
Cooperation Needed.
ITO do this we need the sympathetic
in the state. We need to get rid of the
spirit of personal politics. and of the
virulent elimination and recrimination In
cident to campaigns of political person
alities. Existing conditions require that
all our people should approach the con-
sideration of political questions in the
spirit of Come, let us reason together
Passion should be eliminated-the sober
judgment of the people should. take its
place.
Faith In the People.
II have abiding faith in the wisdom
the sound sense-of the people of Ala
bama. l have never known them, when
properly instructed, to make a grave
mistake. They love their state; are
proud of it's record and its achievements,
and are willing to make enormous per-
sonal sacrifices when convinced that the
public welfare requires them to do so.
Their sense of justice is keen. Wrong
in any form, they hate. Hypocrisy and
shams they despise. In a word they are
admirably qualified by their traditions,
character and temper to carry forward
the great work of developing what Sem
ator Morgan likes to call the sovereign
commonwealth of Alabama and of en-
abling our state to take and to keep the
position it is justly entitled to hold.
Period of Transition.
indications are plentiful nowadays that
Alabama is passing through what might
be called a period of transition. We have
made great progress in the last twenty
years, but great as that progress is and
rapid as it has been, we have scarcely
touched the edge of our possibilities.
Our people must get together and work
together, and go forward and upward to-
gether.
Intelligent leadership Needed.
ITO do this, we need intelligent leader
ship in all fields of activity. We need
men in high places who will understand
the enormous interests that are at stake,
and highly resolve that all legitimate in
terests-agricultural, manufacturing, com
mercial and indrstrial--snall be protected.
We need men who will realize that how
ever important one particular problem
may be, it's solution should not be per-
mitted to wreck or to rack other inter-
ests equally great Throughout the COM
monwealth. In other words, our public
men should, l think, see the whole polit-
ical field in clear perspective. If they
fail so to see IL, they cannot, no matter
how benevolent may be their intentions,
adopt policies that will bring peace and
prosperity to all the people.
The Governorship.
II have read or and watched with
interest developments in the recent
politics of the state, and especially
the developments regarding the governor
ship. I share the feeling common, l
think, to great majority of our people,
namely, that justice should be done all
our citizens; that wrongs. when found to
exist, should be promptly rghted, no mat
ter where or by whom committed and