The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29


known business man of that section; that
the referee stated that he could not APP
point Mr.. Smith as he had instructions
from Judge Hundley to give such appoint
ments to a Mr. Ragland. Mr.. Ragland 1
believe is the court erier in the Hunts
vile court. I am informed that there
upon the gentlemen who applied for this
| receivership stated that they would not be
willing to have Mr.. Ragland take charge
of the property, as he was not qualified
to handle the embarrassed estate, and
that rather than have him in charge of it
they would withdraw their application for
the appointment of a receiver; and that
thereupon Mr.. Murphy suggested that he
might telephone to Judge Hundley, sug-
| costing that Ragland and Smith be ap-
pointed as coreceivers. This suggestion
was acquiesced in, and the two were ap-
pointed as coreceivers, but shortly there
after, on some ground .(of which l am
not informed Mr.. Smith was removed,
and Mr. Ragland left as the sole receiver
l am further informed by reputable mem
bers of the Huntsville bar. that Mr.. Rag
land enjoys among the members of that
| bar the reputation of occupying position
similar to that heretofore occupied by Mr..
| Farley at Birmingham, that of official
receiver Captain OBrien states in his
letter that I requested Judge Hundley not
to appoint receivers without notice dur
ing the panic of last year, and then crit
cised him for complying with my request.
II 1 have ever criticised Judge Hundley
on any such ground l do not recall it;
but L respectfully submit that Judge
! Hundley has repeatedly shown his inabil
fty to make appointments in the making
of which he should have exercised the
highest judicial and fiducary qualities ex-
cept from petty and unworthy political
motives While Judge Hundley has shown
a certain mental alertness on the bench
and is a man of more than ordinary
sprightliness, he seems to me to have
passion for political intrigue inconsistent
with judicial temperament. 1 am dis
appointed in his breadth of intellect and
legal attachments
Hundley's Change of Party Alliance.
Captain O'Brlen referred in his letter to
Judge Hundley's change of political affil-
iations. While 1 had not been familiar
with Judge Hundley's political record at
the time of his appointment, 1 knew that
he had gone over to the republican party.
I had been myself bitterly opposed to the
free silver views of Mr.. Bryan. To Mr..
Bryan's credit be it said that he put prin-
ciple above party. Before his nomination
in 1896 he announced that he would not
vote for a gold democrat. Tens of thou
sands of gold democrats felt that Mr..
| rryan's announcement relieved them of
| o1,I{ for
1t may have occurred to the president
and to members of the Senate that Mr..
Hundley's change of party has resulted in
his political persecution and is the cause
of most of the opposition to his confirma-
ton. The people of Alabama well know
that never since the war have party ties
been as lightly regarded in the south as
they are today. In 1896 when Mr.. Humid
ley went over to the republican party
thousands of the best men in the south,
who had been lifelong democrats, re-
joiced over the election of Mckinley and
Roosevelt as triumph of sound princi-
pies of government. In the leading club
of this city where hundreds of business
men received Geographic returns on the
night when Mckinley and Roosevelt were
ton were greeted with enthusiasm as in
tense they received anywhere in the
United States. Thousands of lifelong
democrats in Alabama and other southern
states voted for Mr.. Taft in the recent
election. The day when the democratic
| party win with a yellow dog has
rs.ssed forever; and all over the United
| States the business voter considers now,
| first, the welfare of his country, and
second the advantage of his party. Like
thousands of men in the south, L believed
! that the success of the democratic party
| on a free coinage platform would have
been public calamity, and If Mr.. Humid
| ley had gone over to the republican party
| from high conviction on a fundamental
economic question, no legitimate criticism
could have been made of him Oscar r.
Hundley was elected to the state Senate
from Madison county as a democrat. He
| was elected as a free silver democrat In
| letter dated October 29 (year not given;
but asserted by Mr.. Hundley to nave been
written on October 20, 1900 to the Progress
sive Age, Mr.. Hundley said:
In reply to your request that 1 give
you my views upon the financial ques-
ton now agitating our country, 1 will
state that l am in favor of the free and
unlimited coinage Of silver at the ratio
OF 16 to /. 1 am opposed to the SINGLE
cole Standard
Having procured his nomination and
election to the state senate as free
| silver democrat, Mr. Hundley went over
OF the republican party and refused to
| resign from the state senate although
quested to do by democratic con-
vention of Madison county. Thousands
| of democrats left the democratic party
in 1896 and some have never returned;
but / have never seen any satisfactory
| explanation of why Oscar Hundley, a
free silver democrat. went over to the
republican party when Mr.. Bryan was the
apostle of free silver; nor do / believe as
matter Of common deeency that Mr..
Hundley's conduct in changing his party
utilization and retaining his seat in the
state senate which he secured as DEM
ocrat can be successfully defended.
Shortly thereafter Mr.. Hundley ran
for Congress as a republican. Later on
he applied for the position of United
States district attorney; and later Sc
cured his appointment as a United
States Judge. / know l voice the senti-
ments of thousands of thoughtful peo-