The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-26
HON. (. (. WHITSON REPLIES
 TO CHARGES OF THE NEWS

half, that never to my knowledge has the State committee undertaken to De {
 masters" of the party, or do more than honestly. conscientiously and {, fairly carry out its wishes, nor has It ever had occasion to conceal how IL l originates, considers and reaches its decisions" l Difference From Former Plans. But the continued publication of an absolutely false rumor as to the origin and preparation of the primary plans adopted by the committee, which in no material respect diners from former ! primary plans save In allowing the i reople of Alabama to instruct their representatives in the Legislature. and their Governor, as to the election and appointment of United States Senators, which only adds to the privileges of democratic voters. and takes nothing from them; shas necessitated the ] foregoing explanation as to how such primary plan was adopted.
 l It seems to me that had The News desired so to do. 1t could readily have ascertained as to how the plan origfnat- i ed. The Committee doubtless knew that | allowing the people to instruct the Governor as to appointment to any ] Senatorial vacancy would not meet | 1 with the approval of heirs expectant by appointment to the Senatorial suc- l cession l For some time there has been ru- ] nor prevalent" throughout the State of Alabama. that the distinguished ed- itor of The Birmingham News had l great expectations" of an appointment | to the vacancy in the United States 1 Senate. in the event a distinguished candidate for Governor. whom The 1 News is so strenuously supporting, should be nominated. should the vacan- cy occur during his administrations l have heard it "rumored." MT. Editor, that it was possible he felt some per sonal disappointment over the action l of the State Committee Far be 1t from me, Mir. Editor. to intimate that your
 criticisms of the Committee and it's ac-
 ton could be the result of any such
 blasted hopes" But I gravely fear that all people are not so charitably inclined.
 i In it's last national platform, the De-
 mocracy of the nation declared: We
 favor the election of United States Sem
 ators by direct vote of the people," As the Democratic Party controls In. Ala bama, the plan of the State Commit tee only carried out in principle and
 effect the, spirit of this declaration.
 We elect Vice President of the Unit
 ed States to fill any vacancy in the Presidency occasioned by death, and
 Lieutenant Governor of Alabama to fill
 any vacancy that may similarly occur
 in the Governors office No one has ever intimated that the election of these
 officers was 'goulish" and it is upon the same principle that the State Com mittee has allowed the Democratic
 voters, by instructions to the Cover nor, to provide for any Senatorial va- l cancy.
 Since you have also arraigned the i Committee for failing to compel Con- gressional. State, Senatorial and County
 Committees, to adopt the State pri-
 mary. in making nominations. I beg to
 call your attention to the fact that par ty primaries are governed by law in
 this State. Section of this law (Gen-
 eral Acts of Alabama, 1905 page 25S)
 reads:
 Extracts From the Law.
 Sec. 9. Whenever 1t shall be de- | sired by the Committee or governing
 authority of any political party to hold
 primary election under the provisions | of this act, said Committee or govern
 ing authority for the State or political
 subdivision of the State where such | officers are to be nominated shall, at l least thirty days prior to such primary 1 election. givo public notice by posting said notice at the court house door and 1 by advertising in some newspaper pub l lished in such subdivision, if there be such newspaper It Is clear from this language. that such primaries can be called only by | the committee or governing authori- | ty for the State or political subdivision | of the State where such officers are to be nominated" and that. therefore, the 1 State Committee was without author 1 ity to call primaries for county Sen atorial or Congressional nominations. 1 Such was my view of the law, and it 1 was concurred in by other members of | the Committee.-who are excellent law | NP n to The News. are guilty of the crima l of being railroad lawyers. But there Is nothing that prohibits the State l Committee from authorizing such com mittees to adopt the State primary, in calling primaries for the same time, and this was accordingly done for the very purpose of preventing as far as 1 possible, a multiplicity of primaries
 I beg to further inform you. that I am not the local attorney for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Com pany for this county, but my firm rep 1 resents this Company as local attorneys | in Shelby county. MT. Parker and Mir. Eyster, to whom you allude, are local | attorneys for this railroad in their re- spective counties. as I am informed. I | know nothing of Mir. Stevens represent ing any railroad I cannot assume to speak for these gentlemen, but for | myself while I have been oftcner en1-
 
 for them, I am proud of my connec- ton. slight though it be, with this great railroad company. It has done more, ] spent more and risked more in the up- building of Alabama than any other enterprise in the State. The great coun- l ty of Jefferson furnishes happy illus tration of this truth. And it would seem that Birmingham at least should pos sess some gratitude; and that as against assaults from this quarter from those whose fortunes 1t has foun- ded,-this company might exclaim with | Lear:
 "Filial gratitude!
 Is it not as this mouth should tear this
 hand
 For lifting food tot?'
 have not conferred with other mem- bers of the committee, and address to you this communication in my indi- vidual capacity alone.
 The plan of the committee was nei- ther conceived nor adopted in the in terest of, or against any candidate. It stands for itself andd needs no de- fense before an unpreiudiced unbiased and disinterested public.