The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-04
COMER WRITHES UNDER THE
 QUESTIONS OF CUNNINGHAM

Tdln SLOIm DI0kE over ElChCnS WE 2 / as the special train rolled In, anly ne time for the speaking was set D, an hour. Between showers. at V fag end of the storm, the candidafsS and party of their friends picked vsir way over the puddles and ditto to the school house. There a sn>4u crowd had collected. The school room is not a large one, but 1t afforded room for all who gathered StilI, the night was threatening and rolling thunder pune stuated the speeches.
 Chairman c. P. Robinson briefly in- troduced the speakers.
 The Chairman's Introduction.
 We have tonight" he said, the privilege and the pleasure of hearing the two distinguished citizens of Ala bama, who are candidates for the high office of Governor. Dr. Cunningham will open the discussion with an ad- dress of one hour and five minutes. Mir. Conner will follow with an hour and twenty-five minutes. Dr. Cunningham will close with twenty minutes. I. present to you Dr. R. M Cunningham"
 A sound of applause greeted Dr. Cunningham as he rose from his chair and stepped to the front of the stage.
 He would tonight. he said. review the political situation as it appeared to
 There has been an effort, my friends. mental issue in this campaign is the people on one side and the corporate Interests on the other. An effort has been been ma made to have It appear that my my side of the people, while I am influ- cnced or environed by corporate infiu- ences. If that be true. there Is only one solution to the question of this campaign. The man who stands for the people should be elected and the man who Is influenced by the corporations or stands for them. should be defeated: But, my friends. is it true. Is 1t true?" pFn and ts sysw Dsrt that shs Ssse hsd It. shall take up first the action of the State Eexecutive Committed A committee. my friends. Is the govern ion 1t takes is in the interest of the party and not In the interest of any special claims Your State Committee, st its meeting in January provided 91,1si that States Senate should be printed on the cfffcial ballot. The committe went fur ther and ordered the present plan of selecting alternate candidates for the unitd states Senate.
 Not Cunningham's Plan
 t'T want to say to you, my friends, that had absolutely nothing to do with the adoption of that plan.
 spoke to a single member Of the com mittee. It was presumed at that time that Alabamass two distinguished Sem ators. Morgan and Pettus. would De returned to their place without opposi- ton. Inasmuch as friends of both those distinguished AlahaKnians were supporters of mine and of Mir Conner, it would not have been the proper thing for them to take an active part | for either of the two candidates Tor | Governor. The plan ordered by the committee also removed from the can- dfdates for alternate Senator the op- portunity for taking an active part n
 Now, my friends. If there Is any thing that works in that plan Cor my | special advantage. l fail to see it, and | I may say that not a single member | of the executive committee has made I public announcement of his support of l my candidacy for Governor. Only one ] or two members of the present legis- lature have become active supporters | of mine. Only three or four candi- | dates for the next legislature have given public utterance to their sup | port of me.
 If this is true. and I assure you l it is, the statement that am ma l chine candidate is not founded on any fact or logical conclusion.
 'fWhen a man becomes a candidate | he is moved by either ambition or by | the desire to accomplish certain | things or the desire to see the wish es of his friends realized. No matter | what impulse moves him, what can didate wants is votes. The methods | he uses to get the votes from the | measure and standard of his campaign. l Tn my opinion, am trying to conduct | my canvass according to the highest | ideals of honor, of truth and of jus tice. Truth, and truth only. should be the criterion in the formation of | campaign methods
 | Importance of Legislature. l pr. Cunningham went into a detail- | ed discussion of the campaign that | he was making. He pointed out that ! in all his campaign addresses he | had tried to advocate the people on | the powers, privileges and duties of | the different branches of the state government. He had always stressed l the prime importance of the legisla- ture in settling the rate question. | T have not gone into this county or | that county trying to dictate what man should or should not be elected
 to the legislature. But the charge that have not shown an interest in the selection of the legislature falls
 to the ground
 pr. Cunningham reminded his hear
 CTS that he had no campaign organi-
 zation and that the campaign he was
 making was one that was being made
 on the smallest possible amount He
 detailed the few hundred dollars | which he had spent and the money was his, he said. He had received no mon.
 ey from any source, either corporate
 or private.
 some of you may have guessed that the corporation or other interests are s,Inportfng my candidacy, but you have guessed wrong. Some of you may be- Iieve that the corporations are sup
 porting me, but If you do, you have
 been deceived. If you are inclined to
 believe that, I urge that you ask for
 the evidence, for no evidence whatever
 has been presented to you"
 He denounced the use of money in
 political campaigns as one of the
 greatest menaces of free government
 He quoted figures to show that with
 the writing of letters and the sending
 out of campaign literature in a cam
 paign like this, would cost at least
 $2O, 900. What opportunity, he asked
 had a poor man in Alabama to make
 the race for Governor in Alabama?
 For Civic Righteousness.
 A candidate for Governor" said
 Dr. Cunningham, earnestly and elo-
 ouently could probably secure con
 tributions from interests, corporate or
 otherwise who might get fayors from
 the Executive Department, but what
 becomes of his principles. his Ideas oi
 justice, and his self-respect? As fol me, whether 1 win or lose in this cam
 paign. shall make my campaign on
 the fundamental principles of civic
 righteousness"
 Pressed for time. Dr. Cunningham
 briefly reviewed his long record on tho l rate question during his public career
 his well-known views on child labor
 on immigration. on education and or
 pension legislation.