The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-24
Rough and Tumble Joint
 Debate.
BOTH SPEAKERS ARE CHEERED
Large Crowd of Lee County Citi-
 zens on Hand.
Hon. T. D. sanford Presides and At Close of the Meetings Says That The Ensley Doctor Made
 Votes By His Address.
,By F. D. Beckbam and L. F. woodruff.'

q n a tBy F. D. Beckhsm and L. F. Woodruff,
 Opelika. April 23.---tSpeciaL )---ln their joint debate Lieutenant Cover nor Russell M Cunningham and Hon. B. B. Conner met today in Opelika and in q titanic struggle of oratory last ing over three hours, the two candf- dates presented their relative claims for the highest gift of tho people of Alabama.
 This meeting of the two gubsrnato. rial candidates was no Alphonse and Caston affair." Lieutenant Governor openly charged that MT. Corners de- ciarations that he was making the race to relieve the people from excessive railroad rate oppression was simply q shield behind which to hide his high official political ambitions and that IL was more largely caused by desire to get a cheaper rate to the cotton fac- tories, stores and various other enter prises of the opposing candidate On the other hand. MT. Conner free ly charged that Governor Cunningham was insincere in his advocacy of rate reform and that he bad simply taken this as his platform to 'get on the band wagon as expressed in street pariance.
 The candidates, however, were never unparliamentary, although the audience was on more than ono occasion. Alp parentiy evenly divided, MT. Corners faction possessed the strongest lungs and appeared more willing to use their lung power than did the numerous and more taciturn supporters of the phy- eician candidate. When MT. Comes had closed, the applause was so ter rife and prolonged that pr. Cunning ham was unable to speak for few seconds, and whea quiet reigned and the genial doctor began his retoinder. the Conner contingent cat-called until Chairman T.. D. amford was com pelled to use his gayei with more than usual strennosity, and even MT; Conner demanded q respectful nearing for his opponent.
 CunninEham is Awgressfve.
 A number of tho Conner supporters left the court room of tho Lee county court house when they were called tt order although many remained. The sentiment of the audience was quickly changed when pr. Cunningham began his reioiner and launched forth in all most as aggressive a style as his op- ponent. There were wild and enthusf- astie cries for Cunningham. This ap- plause continued throughout the re- joiner, and when the Ensley candidate closed, his greeting was equally as en- thusiastic as that. of Mir. Conner.
 The difference in the two speakers was apparent. pr. Cunningham was tho cool, educated. reserved, careful speaker of long political training. His sentences were carefully framed. There was beauty in his thought and there was force in his argument
 His opponent was entirely the re- verse. Mir Conner was the bowling Dervish Strenuosity was pictured in his every feature. From the time he opened his lips until he closed, he was pushing the fight. He arraigned pr. Cunningham as insincere He yelled practically throughout his speech. His gesticulations were wild and frenzled. He paced from one end of the hall to the otiier. Much of the time he shook his finger in the face of his opponent and bounded on nearby desk, after the fashion of an ald-fashioned exhor- ter He referred to the audience as .'brothers" and his Biblical references were frquent One might well have imagined himself back in the times of Cromwell and Hampden. when political speeches were couched In the pie tiIresque phrasology of the Old Tes- tarnent His speech was disjointed and he harped solely on the subject of railroad rate regulation. But 1t was one of those speeches that appeal to the masses and MT. Conner was liberal ly applauded.
 When pr. Cunningham rejoined he, too, WAS d GHdkfeCo h~ 6AoNA ling attack made on him by MT. Conner had its effect, and the Lieutenant Cow ernor was full of fight and snap. He bored into his opponent and sent hard blows into his personality. So severe was this attack that MT. Conner writh- ed under it. Repeatedly he rose to his feet and opened his mouth to speak, but regaining self composure. smiled his famous tcicle smile ana returned to his chair.
 pr. Cunningham in the meantime was working overtime. He had all the strenuosity of his opponent and he had in addition his own masterful pow CTS of oratory, and in his short twenty minute reioinder, he made up all lost ground.
 Sanford We'll Pleased.
 The crowd in the meantime was rapidly coming over. and Dr. Gun ningham was heartily received. At the close of the speaking. Hon. T. D. Sanford. chairman of Governor Cum ningham's campaign committee, said he was highly pleased with the meet ing and expressed the belief that his candidate would carry the county by a good majority. MT. Comer's support CTS likewise thought 1t was Comer's day and that the railroad buster would have the victory in Lee.
 Today was the greatest Opelika has known, politically speaklhg, TOT many wears. The eyes of all Alabama were turned toward the fair little county scat of the good county of Lee.
 Lieutenant Governor R. NJ Cunning ham and Hon B. B.l Conner met in joint discussion to present to the people of Lee county their relative merits for the States highest office.
 OpeIika is seething in politics. Only Saturday did strenuous campaign for inc nomination for Congressional hon. ors from the Third District close.
 This being followed by the joint de- hate between the candidates for Gov ernor. has set every tongue in Opelika wagging on railroad rate reform, i'm migration and every other question that is now puzzling the public
 Each candidate has friends in num- hers in OpeHka and both Cunningham and Conner arc confident of carrying inc county. Practically every individ- usl in the eouniv Likewise has ideas on this point.