The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-07

make a rate. It is not even confined to a freight rate. It is much broader, wider, more comprehensive. It is liberty; the control of the state ny the people of the state the striking loose of the foreign master from the very heart of the state. | it is the freedom of our state house from railroad rule and railroad domination. "I urge upon you the election of the other state officers and legislature first, so that the whole state government as one united resistess power can drive these mighty corporations from the con- trolfof the state, cutting them loose from the vitals of the state and installing in- stead of their government the peoples government, and making the state a gov ernment of equal rights to all and special | favors to none and a square deal to ev- | cry man.
 Is Danger and Menace. will Governor Cunningham lead you in urging the vital necessity of this propo- siton? If he will not then gentlemen his name in your ballot Is a danger and a ! menace. State government-half railroad and half people-wlth the railroads vislng every law that effects them is a failure. l MT. Lincoln said that the nation could not be half slave and half free, and he was right. Neither can people-lt IS dan | gerous for everybody of the state and surely must be thrown off at every hazard Either we have got to go under the straight domination of the railroads or the people must be masters of their own state. This is not dangerous. This Is safety to every interest including that | of railroads. At the last election l was running for president of the railroad com mission on the general platform of the lower freight rate, the prompt settle ment of claims and equitable car service | r1tla Tat m which d fair and right, on the very face and in | the heart of 1t the railroads fought it to ] the bitter end and used, it Is said, some | thing like s50000, tax from the people to carry debauchery into every part of otff electorate trying to buy the people, coercing the people to vote against themselves and their own interests. You Alabamians rose as practically one man and resented and hurled back this | inglorious proposition. Your conduct, my fellow citizens, stands to your eternal glory"
 Two years ago when I was going through the state making speeches on this | great question to give the people the freight rate comparison, showing the great discrimination against the state and the people, Governor Cunningham was in Europe studying, not freight rates, not remedial legislation, not how to drive this great foreign boss from out of our state house, but was studying medicine. study ing how to give conyicts pills and now l he comes back at this late day never | having participated in a single fight for | it, never making a speech for 1t and poses as a champion for this the greatest fight | the people have had since 1874, when they drove the negro out of our politics and made 1t a white mans government. And gentlemen those of you who made that | fight and the sons of those who made it we appeal to you today to rise as one man and make this a free mans move | ment.
 Is Issue, Mot the Man. 'It is not Governor Cunningham nor Conner that you are voting for. 1t is the
 issue behind Cunningham and Conner that | involves your liberties. l am pleading to l you today as jury; not as a jury sitting l on my case but on your own case as your | decision in this great crisis which is now on us will effect your future veal or woe. It is of small moment whether a man named Conner shall be governor or not It is less to him personally than you can think but it Is of the utmost import ance to you all that this great principal for which we stand should win the con | trol of the state by the state by the people of the state. That every man should have square deal it is of the | supremest importance and of lasting bene- f fit.
 Your last victory has brought you up to the banks of the river Jordan. There have been spies sent through the land ahead of you. Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Texas. Virginia, North Carolina and Geor- | gia all report that the country is great | and the way Is open. Will you go over and possess 1t or will you be scared by the story of snakes hobgoblins and thoughts originated by men paid to so figure and be turned back into the districts of serfdom until a new generation arises to take possession of the land that their fathers abandoned to foreign tax mas ter?"
 pr. Cunningham Introduced.
 In introducing Dr. Cunningham, MT. Carmichael consumed eight minutes. a greater part of which time was taken up in an effort to reply to MT Comer's speech.
 Dr. Cunningham was given distinct ovation when he rose to speak the hand clapping and stamping lasting for min ute. It was noticed, however, that some of the audience left when MT. Conner con- | cluded.
 Dr. Cunningham said he wished to give some reasons why he should be elected governor He took up at once MT Comer's s charge that by reason of the statement made in the Union Springs speech. he was unfit to be governor. He then read the constitutional provisions regarding the duties of governors pointing out that the executive had no right to encroach upon the legislative or judicial departments of | the state.
 UphoIds the Constitution.
 '',rhe governor" he said, "swears that he will unhod those provisions of the constituton--he takes an oath that he will do it-and when l said l would not att tempt to be the legislature and the judi ciary in case I was governor, l meant | that I would not violate my oath of flee. The governor unuer the constitution can recommend, approve and veto legis- l lation. If it Is expected of me that l | will use the patronage of the state to in fiuence legislation I'll not do 1t. I'd as soon brlbe a man with sl0o as 10 offer him an office to vote for Legislation which l might favor
 ''You have two men before you. Each 1 of them aspres to be the man behind the gun. The gun is the biggest cannon | in the state. If you concur that my dls- | tinguished competitor Is the man peh'nd the gun you will have done right. If | you agree that am the man VIII seiNe 1 you faithfully.
 Good Friends.
 'Mr Conner and are good friends, and we're going to continue friends. This ! race reminds me of the story of the two old darlsies Ephriam and Dinah Ephriam | held her In his arms and said. Who $ sweetY and Dinah looked up and said
 .Rof of us.' Now substitute honest for sweet and you've got the thing about
 right, MT. Conner and l agree that the
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