The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-11-01
SPEAKERS DISCUSS POLITICAL ISSUES Higdon Supporters Hold Meet
 ing at East Lake A L. OBERDORFER TALKS Sterling A. Wood Also Addresses the Voters, Favorlng the Election of
 Colonel Hiedon to the
 Office of Sheriff.

About 100 people attended meeting at East Lake last night, which was held in the interest of Col. k. l.. Higdon, candidate for sheriff of Jefferson county. Speeches were made by W. T. White. Sterling A. Wood A. Leo Oberdorfer and c. B. Powell.
 T. J. Jones of East Lake presided over the meeting and introduced the speakers.
 W. T. White was first introduced and, after experimenting the high standard of intelligence and morals of the people of East Lake, commended to the voters the candidacy of Colonel Higdon for sher if of Jefferson county. He briefly re- viewed the action of the county democrat ic committee in the trial of the Stiles Higdon contest and asserted that Colonel Higdon had a just claim to the regular nomination of the party and the fran chise of the democratic voters of the county.
 Oberdorfer Speaks.
 A. Leo Oberdorfer spoke in part as fol- lows This is not campaign involving alone the personality of Judge Stiles and Colonel Higdon, but it is campaign of principle. The moral and political welfare of this county In the future is the great issue before the people. The great question that we must decide is, shall the people rule or must we be dic- tated to forever by rngsters and the political aristocracy of this county? VIII you place your approval on the stealing of ballot boxes, or will you now and forever register your honest disapproval against such methods as displayed In the stealing of the Lewisburg box in the recent primary election.
 Around that one incident and the at tendant circumstances, hinges the great issue that the people of this county are now striving to settle. and must decide at the ballot box on November 6. I be- lieve that the honest God-fearing voters of Jefferson will decide the question as they should. and in way that cannot be misunderstood or questioned.
 This wave of moral and political reform is sweeping the entire country. In Mis- souri it drove out lobbyists and grafters and placed Folk at the head of the state government. In New York 1t rooted up insurance and other grafters and brought success to Jerome. That same senti- ment against dishonest methods in pub lie affairs and in favor of honest cleo tions has reached Jefferson county, and will place E. l.. Higdon in the office of sheriff.
 There is reason for the great Higdon enthusiasm that Is sweeping this coun- ty The people are indignant and deter mined. They are engaged in holy cause They are striving to establish a whole some civic conscience and an honest bal lot They are fighting for the welfare of the whole people and the mighty tide of reform cannot be stopped this side of positive success. This accounts for the enthusiasm with which the Higdon speak CTS are being received everywhere. They listen gladly to the discussions and are thinking and working The fruit of this earnest thought and determination will be seen in the result of the election next Tuesday.
 "The Stiles people claim to be regular. not right Regularity is the slogan with which they hope to drive the people into line and to the support of Judge Stiles. But 1is is a question of law. moral hon esty and fair dealing in party action. A Political Hero.
 "Colonel Higdon is political hero. In the beginning of the campaign he was told by leading politicians that he could not succeed, that all the machinery was against him, that he did not belong to the purple aristocracy and that every thing was against him, but he fought on against all these odds, realizing that he should succeed and hoping that for once right would prevail and that the people should receive the recognition due them. To the surprise of almost everybody, he did succeed in carrying the election. When the powers saw that they had lost, they got busy. Something had to be done. What happened? A ballot box was miss ing. It was a small box with a small vote. but it was enough to muddle the issue. It contained enough ballots to change the entire result of the election in the county.
 '~rhe Lewisburg box was missing for purpose. Do you think it was q mere coincidence? No man in Jefferson coun- ty believes that it was. Everybody knows that it was not. The returning officer was a Stiles partisan. Judge Stiles posi- ton in the matter was an unhappy one. His partisans had charge of the missing box. It is claimed with a great show of virtuous honesty that he demanded a count of that box. That, fellow demo- crats. was his duty as a matter of law, and of common honesty, and he had to do it. but he hesitated long before he came to this vrtuous decision. He did not do il until twenty-four hours had rlapsed from the time the box had been . reported as missing, and after he had had time to recognize tlle indignant tenn per of the people. On che day after the box had been reported as missing, he is quoted as having said that it was an unique question, and that he had not decided what he would do about 1t. He knew the result of that box, as did almost everybody in the county. Judge Stiles, or his friends, cannot point with any pride to anything he said or did in connection with the missing Lewisburg box; yet they attempt to boast of it and try to persuade the people that his ac ton was honorable.
 Uncertain Rumors.
 For some time before the petition of contest was filed there were many un- certain rumors that Judge Stiles would do such a thing. Before it was finally