The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-03
FIRST GUN FIRED
 BY CUNNINGHAM Gubernatorial Candidate Opens Campaign at Brewton MAKES GOOD IMPRESSION Says He Is Bearing Ills Own Expenses and Will Have to Depend on His
 Friends In Various
 Counties.
MAKES GOOD IMPRESSION

Brewton, April 2-(special)- R. M. Cunningham made the opening speech of his campaign for governor tonight at h. stitute hall.
 Introduced by former Representative Lovelaee, the speaker arose amid applause and was frequently applauded throughout his speech.
 He referred to previous campaigns and said not one cent of his campaign money had eyer been contributed by.corporations He was bearing his own expenses in the present campaign and depending on his friends in various counties to look after his interests. He said he was going to appeal to higher ideals in this campaign. and was going to present what he be- lieved to be for the best interests of the people in gentlemanly manner He said:
 Tn my Judgment the steady policy of tho southern states should be to make it's population white, and as rapidly as pos sibe eliminate the negro. The kind of population we want is our kind of white folks and not Mongolans. If elected gov ernor l will recommend to the legislature 10 enact good immigration laws and ad-
 
 the right kind of Immigration"
 The speaker discussed the transporta- ton problem, commencing with county roads, waterways and railroads, and said
 Twelve billion dollars or one-seventh of the wealth of the United States con- sists of railroad property. Let us get rid of our histrionics and approach it as it is not as an enemy of the roads, but as something needing a remedy. Railroads are an absolute necessity for the develop ment of our state. Railroads are public utilities. common carriers, owners en- titled to just profits and shippers are entitled to equitable rates. Some are making the regulation of freight rates by law an issue but this has been relegated to the railroad commission. If there Is an unjust rate in Alabama the railroad commission. or a majority of them, have failed to discover that rate and remedy the evil"
 He proved his position by the acts of the last legislature of Alabama. He re- ferred to his past record, showing he had always adVocted regulating freight rates by law, and said that instead of his get ting on Comers platform, Conner had got ten onto his Cunningham He took up the various criticisms of MT. Conner and answered them one by one in a clear, prac- tical, straightforward way to the sats- faction. of all unprejudlced minds.
 Dr. Cunningham said that it was re- ported that he was a railroad candidate He refuted the charge in strong language saying If he was railroad candidate he had not heard of it. and if he did hear of it he would be surprised. He did not think 1t right for the state to spend money for the education of the negro except in proportion to the taxes the negro paid. He believed in establishing schools for farmers, and cited the work done at Au- burn as an example. He stood for the enforcement of the child labor law, which is now practically dead letter.
 After the speech he was cordially greet ed by a large number of his auditors, and it is believed he made many converts by his appearance here tonight.
 The doctor spoke for little over two hours and was attentively listened to throughout by between three and four hun dred people, among whom were a number of ladies. He will spend Tuesday in Iis- cambia county. speaking at Atmore in the morning and Flomaton at night.