The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-11-01


 advice has been received as to how those officials will be disposed of. It may be
 
 different. The members of the committed had a work to do. and they did not feel like doing it with the public looking on To better and more effectually perform this work weddings and honest men, as far as possible, were weeded out anu proxies substituted.
 "Then the committee disregarding all statutory laws on the subject adopted rules of procedure that would give them power to do the work for which they had been called. Who ever heard of jurors being sent out to prepare rules Tor the trial of any case in court? Who ever heard of judge preparing special rules for the trial of case coming before him for adjudication?
 .'rhe scheme behind those rules was wonderful. It was a play for time. The committee was determined to place the name of Judge Stiles on the regular ticket The members knew that the trial of the case in full would have consumed months The rules adopted provided that each charge of illegal voting should be tried and passed upon separately. They would have proceeded just far enough to throw out sufficient votes to give Stiles ma jority and then the time limit for placing the name on the ticket being exhausted, would have declared Stiles the nominee before Higdon could have even got his case into court before the committee No man can honestly claim that the rules were fixed for Stiles and Higdon alike. They dictated to Higdon his line of de- fense and only allowed him to introduce just such evidence as suited the other side.
 'The people of this country know the absolute injustice of the proceedings and understand the folly of Higdon submitting his case to trial before a jury entirely partisan.
 Had Two Remedies. When we retired from the committee we advised Colonel Higdon that he had two remedies: One an appeal to the supreme court of the party the state executive committee, and the other to the people the great tribunal of every party Colonel Higdon said he was not afraid of the verdict of the people and would submit his case to the voters. feel that this is the wisest plan and that the people will be prompt and decisive in making a verdict I know that at least 5000 voters of Jefferson will round up the greatest majority in the history of this county a protest against unfair methods in elections. When it is known that Stiles had unlimited funds. the cleo ton machinery and the managers of the election it Is absurd to claim that he was defrauded by illegal votes.
 Tn conclusion I wish to say that vote for Colonel Higdon means demand for honest elections. that you believe in fair trials, the honest, free Judgment or the people and that you believe in the principle that allows a man to rise from the ranks of the people to any office in the gift of an honest franchise"
 Sterling Wood Speaks.
 Sterling A. Wood was introduced and made a stirring address, which was en- livened with many pointed anecdotes and witty references to Judge Stiles and his supporters.
 .I understand that there are three church services in progress in East Lake tonight. Let's make it four. I will take as my text the commandment: Thou shalt not steal In discussing this text l shall not break any of the other com mandments, and especially the one that says: Thou shalt not lie
 When the negro was eliminated from politics in Alabama we pledged each other that we would stop stealing. We pledged it honestly and believed at the time that we would keep faith. The republicans laughed at us and said that We would not stop. They said that we could not stop. Have we stopped?
  show that we cannot forget the old tricks. We have not been satisfied with stealing ballots, but the disgrace of stealing an entire ballot box Is upon us, and it is a disgrace to every man in Jefferson coun- ty A ballot box has been stolen-a ballot box full of white democratic votes-stolen by democrats. The great question before the honest people of this county is one of stealing and breaking a solemn pledge that we as democrats made among our selves.
 q met an old friend on the street to- day, and he asked me who l was sup porting for sheriff and l replied that I was against stealing. After a few mo- ments of thoughtful hesitation he said: oh, you are for Colonel Higdon.' He was right We are all for Higdon because we are against stealing.
 After Colonel Higdon is elected and duly installed as sheriff of Jefferson coun- ty I propose that every honest man in the county call at the court house and contribute @ mite to be expended in the placing of a monument at Lewisburg l would suggest that the following inscrip-