The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-04
TRYING TO DICTATE THE CHIEF
 Irfsrurr

In the contest for the Chief Justice ship of this State now going on be- tween Judge John R. Tyson and Judge s. D. Weakley. The Advertiser has taken no part, and it does not Intend do so now. Both of them are lawyers of frst-ciass ability, of high charac- ter. and of thorough fitness for the elevated position they seek. The Ad- yertiser Is convinced that the States interest will not suffer in the hands of either.
 This much is said as preliminary to the criticism we are about to make upon one of the ili-advised friends of Judge weakiey. The Birmingham News. This paper in its greater zeal for the cause of Mir. Conner has in the last week made two very out rageous attacks upon Judge Tyson as subservient to the railroads and cor porations. Here is sample of its wild talk:
 After the laws are enacted by the legislature and approved by the gov ernor and their enforcement attempted Dy GAecullNe OtnCtTSt they uldy pd negatived and declared invalid and of no account by the courts. It Is all im- portant, therefore, that the supreme court of the State be kept at least with a friendly disposition towards the peo- pie. It will be perilous in the extreme if the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama shall owe his elec- tion to the railroad oligarchy-foreign corporations and their aiders and abettors, whom they can influence and daaatVa In n afdin0 thnnn
 The opponent of Chief Justice Weak ley for the chief Justiceship. Judge John R. Tyson, is supported by as sol- i'd phalanx of railroad lawyers and railroad officials and other corporation people as 1t Is possible to imagine Judge Tyson, should he be elected. will be bound to feel under obligations to the railroad oligarchy. He would not gratitude to the power that gave him place and honor. Tn this fact and con- dition Is found an unanswerabfe req son why unfettered Democrats should work for Weakley
 It has been frequently pointed out fin this campaign that Mr.. Conner has attacked Democratic administrations, Legislatures and the last Constitutional Convention as subservient to the rail- roads. It has also been pointed out that he has been trying to dictate State and county nomi- nations. Now his chief newspaper mouthpiece turns loose on the present Supreme Court, ard attempts to preju- dice the people against one of the can didates for Chief Justice. Can it be doubted that this plan of campaign Is conceived much more in the interest of Mir. Conner than of Judge Weakley? In all likelihood MT. Conner has inspired this course on the part of his mouth piece, and 1t will not be surprising If he. himself, is found to be talking the same way on the stump.
 The Advertiser has no sympathy with this attack on the integrity of Judge Tyson and impliedly of the entire bench as his present or prospective dummies. It Is a great injustice, and 1t will un- doubtedly react as a boomerang on those who are behind 1t. It shows that Mir. Conner and his friends are trying to establish a machine in this State powerful enough to control ev- erything from the Chief Justiceshir down to constable. Are the people going to approve this sort of czardom No. they are fast turning against it. | and will continue to do so.
 It looks as if MT. Conner. The Newi | and his friends generally are getting alarmed at the ground swell for Gun. ningham that is rapidly pushing along In their desperation they are going tc unheard of extremes In Alabama poll tics. Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad. MT. Conner ha: frequently shown himself a fury or l the Commissioners bench and on tht rostrum. Are his friends, too. getting under the dominion of his ungovern' able temper? It looks that way Thi'
 last move Is the maddest of all acts | It is bound to help Judge Tyson, tC
 injure Judge Weakley and to disgus
 the public with the Conner campaign.