The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-09
CLARKE TALKS OF
 CAMPAIGN ISSUES He FavorS the River and HarE
 Dor Improvements AGREES WITH BANKHEAD Claims Honor of Originating Move ment for EstabIIshment of Free Rural Mail DeIivery-Bankhead
 and Clarke to Speak Tonight.
AGREES WITH BANKHEAD

lerhdle senator, arrived In the city last night and is stopping at the Morris hotel. He will speak at the county court house tonight with Congressman John H. Bank head, candidate for the same nomina- ton.
 In discussing his candidacy last night Mir Clarke said: "I agree with Congressman Bankhead on his river and harbor inn provement policies but do not believe that the matter of good roads should be taken up by the federal government. It comes entirely within the province of the states or counties. Of course every man in tho country wants better roads, but do not see how the matter of their improvement could be practically taken up by the United States.
 "As a member of the rivers and harbors committee of Congress in 1889 I gave the matter of permanent improvement to the rivers of Alabama its first real impetus l was succeeded on the committee by Congressman Bankhead, who has been very energetic and successful in continu- ing the work. I hope to see the work continued until every stream in the state is made navigable, and if elected to the Senate will do all in my power in this direction.
 Sixty per cent of the annual appropria- tion by Congress is for war purposes and less than four per cent is expended on the rivers and harbors of the country
 T have always been an earnest advo- cate of the pensioning of the needy Con- federate veterans of the state and also the improvement of the public schools. I think the state should provide good schools for every child in the state for at least nine months in the year. As mem- Der of the state legislature I worked for these things most earnestly. Rural Free Delivery. By the way" continued MT. Clarke, 'perhaps it would be of interest for the people of Alabama to know that an Ala baman started the movement in Congress providing for the establishment of the system for the rural free delivery of mails"
 Here MT. Clarke read from the Con- gressional Record of March IS. 1904, in which is recorded speech by Congress- man Henry D. Flood of Virginia defending
 
 l cessful establishment of the rural free de- livery system. The speech was made in reply to claims made by Congressman | Hepburn and others, republicans. 1 The records produced by Congressman Flood show that the first bill calling for | the rural free delivery of mails was in- | troduced January 5, 1892 by Congressman Richard H. Clarke of Alabama. As a re- suit of MT. Clarke's bill an order was issued calling upon the postmaster gen eral to make experiments in the distribu- ton and collection of mails in the rural districts
 Watson's Appropriation.
 "The following year. remarked MT. Clarke, still reading from the Record. "Congressman Thomas E. Watson of Georgia introduced a bill providing for the appropriation of s1O,0OO for the ex- perlments provided for in the order I had secured one year before. This is the beginning of the free delivery of mails in the rural districts, and while I remem- Der very distinctly having introduced and worked for the order and having secured it's passage, had thought but little of it until calims were made by republicans and the speech of Congressman Flood was made in Congress two years ago.
 "At the request of Senator John T. Morgan I made the address in the state legislature nominating him for the United States senate in 19OO."
 VIII Speak Tonight. Congressman John H. Bankhead Of Fayette and Richard H. Clarke of Mobile, candidates for alternate senators will ad- dress the people of Birmingham and Jeff ferson county at the county court house In this city tonight, and it is expected that the attendance will be very large, as this will be the first opportunity the people of Birmingham have had to hear candidates for this office discuss the is- sues of the campaign.
 Congressman Bankhead has announced that he will advocate good roads and river and harbor improvements, and states that he will discuss these issues at the meet ing tonight.
 Congressman Bankhead has received an open challenge from William c. Fitts of Mobile, also candidate for alternate senator, for several joint debates, and takes issue with the congressman on the importance of principles stated. If Congressman Bankhead accepts the challenge it is very likely that one of the debates will be held in Birmingham and the people will have an opportunity to hear very interesting discussion. In Fourth District. A former member of the Dallas bar, in A reminiscent mood, speaking of the can didacy of William B. Craig for the posi- ton occupied by Congressman J. Bowie said:
 ..The Craigs have always had a promi- nent part in the politics of the Fourth district. His uncle, Benjamin H. Craig, was for many years register In chancery ,nder Charles Turner. carpet-bagger, and was a. member of the late constitu- tional convention as a democrat.
 "Judge George H. Craig, the father and partner of William B. Craig, who as republican has held many positions. Dur ing the reconstruction period. think It was. in 1S69 William H. Smith was elected governor under the then carpetbag rule. One democrat, a carpet-bagger was elected sheriff of Dallas and resigned, and Governor Smith appointed George H. Craig, lawyer and republican, sheriff.
 About 1874 the negroes and republicans elected a yellow negro lawyer, Rhoddy