The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-06-30
Change of Sentiment in
 Wiregrass.
forces of Enslcy Doctor Are Now On the AgRresslve While Costly Machine of Conner Ia
 Inactive
By Will T. sheehan.

Fl By Will T. sheehan.
 Andalusia, June 2S.-(Special corres- pondence-From a swing around the lower edge of the wiregrass, Lieuten- ant Governor R. M Cunningham came into Andalusia today for the final speech of this particular trip, pleased and gratified over what he had found. The news he had heard was Of the best.
 Dr. Cunningham has not been able to keep so closely in touch with condi- tions in various parts of Alabama as his opponent MT Conner He has not behind him the costly. machine organ iEation which is pushing the wealthy candidate from Birmingham What pr. Cunningham hears of he situation is brought to him in the voluntary let ters front his friends. sent in as the inclination moves him and conveyed to him by word of mouth from those he meets ir his journeys about the State. On the other hand. Mir Conner has been able to put into the field one ot the most expensive organizations that \ ever backed a candidate for Governor in Alabama. In most of the counties there Is some man who Is the acknowl- edged head of the organization in that county and who admits 1t while la boring for MT Conner. It Is said fur ther that in every single county of Alabama there is such man. one who is the recognized head Of the Conner organization.
 Working for Months.
 Nor is this organization any new thing. l. has been doing It's work for several months and goodly part Of that work Is to help make the fuss which is chsfacterissic of Mr. Corners following. It costs a tidy sum, this organization If for nothing else than advertising, postage and circulars. And 1t is today as complete machine as ever appeared in Alabama politics. IT It's existence signifies anything, it in- dieates that NJ. Conner has not much eonfid snce IT. his ;laim that he Is only leading the peoples fight" and that the "peepuF' will rise in their might and throw 'the minions of the rall- road oligarchy out of power
 The Conner men, until late days nave been absolutely confident to give them Z due credit. But the more thoughtful ! of them have become restfve and un- easy They can not understand the remarkable trend of public sentiment towards pr. Cunningham, in the race of conditions which they believe should forbid any such movement. They can , not understand the remarkable growth of Dr. Cunningham's candidacy, when they have the strong and powerful or ganization while Dr. Cunningham IS depending upon his record in puolle  presentation of his candidacy and de- pending upon nothing else.
 The Conner men seem to believe that because MT. Conner defeated John W. Smith for President of the Railroad 4 Commission by a handsome majority and because he Is now backed py a \ wealthy organization of mill men ana shfppers all opposition should hide US head in sheer fright.
 But they are brought daily face 10 face with the fact that no such tnlng is happening. They are brought race to face with the fact that Cunnlns- ham grows stronger with every day'
 Difference in Campaign.
 They are beginning to understand the difference between this campaign and the one of three years ago. Ihe people are beginning to understand tha' notwithstanding the repeated asser- lions of MT. Conner, to the contrar! tha fight this year is not the same as 1t was three years ago. For MT. Conner three years ago was candidate TOT an oflce with a direct policy on a pol = icy to do something in place where he could do something. NOW n' evades the responsibilities of that or fee to become a candidate for hlsn' CT and better paid office. The voter: perritted themselves to be persuadeC that MT Conner was the unselnsn leao
 CT of a cause for the common goou There are many men who oeheNe th@
 now. but there are not as many as pc
 iieved if three years ago. And th'
 number of those who believe 1t groW'
 fewer and fewer each day. Mir Conner '- ambition is overshadowing hls unseI '. hshness That which once looked Hh'
 a crusade for reform now appears 5' ' an ordinary hunt Tor once, renlat ntna,'t ia and abuse of those who refuse 10 o' II deceived by It. et yo if comes about that men who hav' ,,s9 heen ouiet about their position m th' n. raca for Governor suddenly anno TO Themselves as active supporters or Or n Cunningham and the men who nav
 been with MT Conner in all that ne nd lI heretofore undertaken make Suuue'
 announcement that they are no lohsg
 his political friends and supportelS; 5;
 so happens that in communities pc
 iisved to he overwhelmingly for MT
 Conner develop sudden and unexpected
 Cunningham sentiment. to the eNteh
 that his friends firmly believe that h'
 will have the majority when me eh'
 Is at hand ..
 Machine Not so Active
 .frniecant development of tn
 oamnaipn is that the Conner machlh
 ia neither so confident nor Is u - active as it was two or three me !.a .n = ago Nor is 1t to be overlookea tHi "a
 Dr Cunningham's friends wherever n nGRn
 'Notwithstanding the fact that pI W
 Cunningham has been greeted wltn ,e el
 tbusiasnl and followed by applaus
 wherever he has spoken in his speaN
 ing tours he has been handi'appeo
 eucb a machine organization as ~
 Conner has behind him; Hls ,,.bn1 ne'o '
 ouarters is under his hat and when T
 is ont upon the canvass his correspond
 ence must necessarily suffer. As
 result there is some confusion in n.
 dates for speaking and there is no ol
 gaoized effort 10 got him up crow
 AS there would be had he and organ
 zation with its ramIfications in ever
 county of the State Nor IS he aoI
 with no financial backing to nave tr
 meetings extensively advertised and 1T
 terest worked up in them among ui people. --....s. ,,.,,i,
 ha,c greeted Dr. Cunningham are not
 ing short of astonishing. They rehe
 the growing popular faith in pr, Cu'
 ningham and his candidacy and eF
 dence the curiosity Of the people .t-A.-,, to ba4r l,ig ble and dl2nlnt