The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-22

 are unalteraby conclusive. In spite of the assertion of Mir Bryan to the con trary, his victory in this state was no personal victory. It was the natural result of a long. personal campaign, of an entire absence of opposition, coupled with a general feeling on the part of county candidates that it was safer to be for Bryan, added to the irrevocable commit tai on the part of the newspapers and officeholders in the state, many of whom frankly expressed to us their sincere re- gret at that fact. Most of the precincts in the state where we were able to present the issue fairly went for John son. Under any view of the case, the result was not sufficient to Justify an attack by Bryan on the moral integrity of the men who opposed him. It may be a mark of ineptitude. or a species of les majeste, but those of us who were re- luctant to support MT. Bryan for the third time do not feel that in espousing the cause of the magnetic and power full governor of Minnesota we were pros tituting our conscience. Mr Bryan in the interview quoted in the Birmingham News of May 19, says, in substance, that the fight against him in Alabama was due to the Steel trust. If that assertion is anything more than pure demogoguery it can be interpreted as a charge that we were actuated by corrupt influence in opposing him. If that is what was meant the charge is false and ungen- erous. John A. Johnson in his admins tration as governor of Minnesota, has, without the fanfare of trumpets, made more actual progress in the taxation and regulation of the Steel trust than w. J. Bryan ever has or ever will even though he remain on the lecture platform and run his Commoner and the democratic party for life. In supporting Johnson the average intellect would therefore, seem to be justified in believing that if the Steel trust was to be curbed, the job would be better performed by man who had practice in that line rather than one whose sole asset was eloquent language. done up in packages to suit We are slowly learning that MT. Bryan is the sole candidate allowed the democratic party, but we still struggle against the idea that to express admiration for the deeds of another is heresy of the most repulsive variety. It was not surprising to us to find that a certain daily news paper of Birmingham made charges which may well be construed into charges of venalty on the part of the Johnson campaign committee, of which I am chairman, because other news papers in the state contained inter views and other impartial news items concerning the contest between Bryan and Johnson, and the fair inference be- ing that no newspaper would publish a legitimate news item of high value free when it's publication was, in sense, necessary and therefore a pos sible source of revenue. We hardly tn ink it necessary to deny such charge, but it is easy to comprehend that a newspaper which is a disciple of the doctrine of expediency should suspect a similar taint in others. We believe that the nose of a newspaper which pretends to smell nothing but bad faith in persons who oppose its political views is no credit to it's pos sessor It is well known. that this par ticular paper has for long time been the Wandering Jew" of Alabama fit ting from faction to faction, extreme to extreme, zenith to nadir, whereso- ever it's own ends could be served meanwhile losing the confidence of many of the best people of this vicin- ity. The point we wish to stress is that while we thoroughly understand the attitude of this newspaper, we are at a loss to know why -Ir. Bryan should so readily emb race and publish the false and puerile statement that the opposition to him in this state was inspired by the street trust. We have no apologies to make for our efforts in behalf of that simple and kindly man and magnificent fighter, John A. Johnson. We have sedulously re- trained from any attack on Bryan. Some of the most ardent supporters of Bryan have taken occasion to express their qualification at the clean, straight forward. purely rational and altogether high planed campaign that we have waged in Johnson's interest. We might have adduced facts that would have aroused the most bitter hostility to MT. Bryan, but being desirous above all things of party success, we carefully refrained, confining our fight to the simple and easily proven issue of Johnsen's greater availability. No man can say that we have injured Bry- ans chances of election if nominated by so much as one vote. If MT. Bryan continues to brand as corruptionists $ all those who in a decent and sincere manner urge other candidates for the good of the democratic party, we fail to observe from whence he will re- cruit the forces which have twice fol- lowed him to humiliaung and inglorious disaster.
 We have received from Governor John son a hearty appreciation of our brief ef- forts in his behalf. As Governor Conner says it is a fine thing to have come in contact with such a man. Governor O. mer is right. It is easy to understand how he has twice swept republican state. We wish MT. Bryan well, and will support him heartily if nominated, but we regret that the lack of few days more time for information and reflection prevented the democracy of Alabama from nstructng the delegation for a man wno is magnanimous in victory and capable of achieving it. However. we believe that the symptom of health evidenced by .he prompt response to the brief appeal We have been able to make will materially assist our party in Alabama in recover ing from the distress and disorder that may result from a defeat in November
 In conclusion we remind the public that Governor Johnson will be in Alabama next week to speak at the university Commencement Let us all give him welcome such as our state can give to great man and a good democrat
 A G. SMITH, Chairman.