The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-05
Lieutenant Governor is Gwen Warm
 Welcome. HE SPOKE ON HIGH PLANE Answers the Criticisms Made by
 Opponent. Introduced by Ray Rushton, His Eio- quent Address Was Frequently Applauded-Deprecate Att faeks Made Upon Demo-
 cratic Leaders-His
 Public Record
 Reviewed.
HE SPOKE ON HIGH PLANE


 pr. R. NJ. Cunningham of Ensley. Lieutenant-Governor and candidate for the offlce of Chief Executive of Ala bama, made his first appearance last night before a Montgomery audience as a candidate for the States highest ofice.
 Lieutenant-G Governor Cunningham spoke in the Circuit Court room in the county courthouse. and the large place was filled to it's capacity. The audi ence was representative of Montgomery, and the candidate was given most respectful and at times an enthusias- tic hearing.
 His address was entirely parliament tary and dignifed. There were fre- quent interpolations of the dry humor of the genial Doctor-leader. which de- lighted the audience. but as general thing the speech was quiet. statesman like and convincing. The audience crowded the court house from the bench to the staircase in the hall, while a number of persons. who came late, were compelled to leave on account of lack of standing room.
 The crowd was prompt in assembling In fact, there were a number present half an hour before the speaking. In
  Montgomery politicians present, Alex D. Pitts of Selma and Bird G. Farmer of Dothan and other well-known out of-town visitors, were seen in the hall.
 Ray Rushton's Introduction.
 Governor Cunningham entered about ten minutes before 8 o'clock. and he was gc.seted with cheers by the audi ence., At o'clock. Ray Rushton. a welI-known Montgomery lawyer. pre- scented pr. Cunningham in the follow sour organic law provides that the supreme executive power of thts State shall be vested in | Chief Magistrate. svho shall be styled the Governor of the State of Alabama. and the people of Alabama have always demanded that the man who fills that exalted position should be a man of pre-erninent ability and our grand old Democratic party, from the days of Houston on down. hay always presented to the people as a candidate for this, the greatest office within their gift. man of so large a mould sas whose nomination meant his election, and his election meant the peace, progress and prosperity of the people and a continuance of wise and just administration of their laws It gives me a great deal of pleasure to present to you tonight a candidate for this office, whose position in the party as well as whose position in our State government entities him to be promoted to that great ofice."
 When Governor Cunningham arose he was greeted with enthusiastic ap- plause. He said that this was the third time he had appeared before Montgomery audiences. He had ad- dressed Montgomery audience in the campaign of 1902. and had delivered the commencement address at the Girls
 
 of his long service to the Democratic party and said that he appeared in the campaign with an inner consciousness of the honesty of his motives and the integrity of his policies.
 The Doctors Beliefs.
 He said there are two schools of thought, the pessimist and the optimist He said he was Pharisee enough to be thankful that he is not as bad as some men, publican enough to know that he is a sinner and hopeful enough to be- 1ieve that some day he would be as good as others. Originally he said. that he had no political ambition but in 1880, he ran for the legislature in Franklin county and was elected by three votes. For sixteen years after that" he said. T behaved mysalf." In 1896, however, the believers in bimet- taiism in Jefferson county offered him for the Senate. He was elected by an overwhelming majority. The campaign cost his friends S130 Of this amount he paid s100 and B. B. Conner paid $10. 'sMr Conner can have that money hack at any time" said the speaker. "and he'll need that $10 before he gets through with this campaign.
 He was elected to the Constitutional Convention without asking for the hon. or, and as a friend of the new consti- tuition. he thought 1t his solemn duty upon the urgency of friends to run for Lieutenant Governor. To this office he was elected practically without ex- pense. In the present canvass, he de- clared that he was not a conscript for any faction or set of persons. He was before the people on his own volition, spurred on by legitimate ambition and sense of loyalty and devotion to the State and his friends.
 "My ideals of law, government and politics are high, and on the 27th of Au- gust next. whether come In on horse back or in a hearse. those ideals will he the banner that will be unfurled over my head" This statement was greeted with enthusiastic applause.
 "If had tonight the choice of main taining those ideals and fail or sacri- ffeinR them and succeeding, then would preserve the Ideals and fall"
 He said that he was not making his camnaign on promises, but was making his campaign on facts of what he had done in the past He declared that he had never pleaded for vote because he was too proud to beg and that he had never bought vote because he was too honest to buy.
 Paying His Own Expenses.
 He said that he is paying his own expenses in the campaign
 "If there Is any campaign fund" said Dr. Cunningham. "I haven't seen 1t, and I haven't been tempted by offers Of a fund from any one"
 He felt some embarrassment in talk ing about himself He said that he did not lack nerve and did not possess too much modesty.
 But give me Moses with my record and let me be his Aaron and I will elect him Governor of the State of Ala bama." he said.
 He then spoke of the need of immi-