The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-23
YOUNG LEADERS HAVE
 SWEPT OLDER ASIDE
Republican Influence Has Reached Many of the Veterans Who Are Sore Over Supplantne of Old
 Leaders in Late Years.

Louisville, Ky, september zI.-NoPeClaiJ The men who fought Oh the losing side m the great struggle of 1S61-65 will probably decide who will win in the battle WaGlns today between the democratic and repuoh- can forces in this state. The support or the Confederate veterans Is claimed by both sides and it is practically conceded that the side which is right in this mat ter vii be the one which will carry orr the honors of the contest.
 The vote of the Confederate veterans would go to the democratic party under ordinary circumstances, but extraordinary conditions have arisen in the state which give the republicans an excellent oppor- tunity to make g. powerful appeal Tor their support. The veterans belong 10 the old school of democracy-the school of which such men as Blackburn and NC Creary are typical, and 1t is admitted that an entirely new school has sprung up Tn the state-the school cf Beckham. Prac- ticallv all of the old umers-the men who contributed to the glory Of the democratic party in the old days-haVe hosn relegated to the scrap heap, so to sneak. and new and younger men have shouldered their way 10 the front anu taken charge of the political machinery. This process of eliminating the old timers has left much bitterness and 1t is a sore spot with the Confederates, many Of whom nave been made to feel the new order of things in direct and fosltiVe way. Thus it comes about that these men, who for years have been the main stay of the democratic organization, have q real grievance, and the republicans have bean flaming the flame of their passions ever since the campaign opened. They have pointed out the long list of fallen heroes-giants in the party who have been ruthlessly swept aside by the present element in the party-and have appealed to them to place the stamp of dlsapproNal upon this process of elimination by cover- ing the present leaders with defeat
 Appeal to Veterans.
 That the appeal to the old veterans has had some infhuence is acknowledged py the democrats and they are doing all m their power to counteract it. quartet of leading Confederate veterans nave been secured to go on the stump and tbev in common with other orators, will endeavor to answer the charges or the opposition and will also seek to show that A E. Wilson the republican candidate for governor, was at no time In sym pathy with the southern people in the con fc+ between the states.
 The fact that Senator Blackburn, one of the men whose elimination is a sore spot with many of the old-tlme demo- crats has been provided with so1t berth paying s140G0 a year. through ap- pointment of President Roosevelt is one of the things that is having influence Tn the present campaign, and 1t leads many to believe that some shreWd and far- seeing politics has been played in Ken ttickv hv the gentleman who presides over the destinies of the White House, the nation and most of the things there in The fact that the president took care of an old veteran-and did 1t handsome ly-after he had been cast aside by the democrats with years of valuable party service to his credit, has made a power f,1 appeal to the old comrades of the former senator and there is no telling how many may show their appreciation of the act-and their indignation over the retirement If the old party workers-by voting the republican ticket
 Veterans Will Decide.
 The way the veterans gc is the way the election will go. about sums up the situatcn and the democrats are prepaf- ing to make the fight Of their lives fer this vote. In addition to the many able orators in the state. who have been placed on the stump the campaign man. agers are reaching out for campaigners from other states and have sent urgent appeals to such men as Senator Edward Carmaclx of Tennessee, Congressman John w. Gaines from the same state, Congressman Thomas Hefiin of Alabama and Judge Harmon of Cincinnati, to come to the aid of the party.
 The democrats are placing considerable reliance upon the eloquence of William Jennings Bryan, who will make several speeches in the state next month. and also expect good results from the efforts of Senator McCreary, one of the "elim- mated ones, who is soon to take the stump.
 The republicans have just been mate rially aided by Vice-President Fairbanks, whose speech before the Kentucky state fair. while purely non-poltical, was well calculated to make friends for the party of which he is the near head. Hon. Jo- seph Benson Foraker, some times known ns "Fireworlls, and always a hot cam paigner will appear in the state this week-September 24-and it goes without saving that he will hand out some hot ones for the democrats to digest. How ever the democrats fear him less than they do the suave Fairbanks, who will come later a purely political mission.
 J. R. II.