The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-27

munerative features of the office, Kern came out of it at the end of four years with nothing save his knowledge of the decisions and his copyright interest in the volumes he had pu-Ashed He had been liberal to his friends and to his party, and his earnings had disappeared as fast as they came into his hands.
 Soon after his retirement from office he was elected a member of the state senate, and at the expiration of his term was appointed city attorney by Mayor Taggart and held the office four years. The salary was $50O0 a year, and, proht- ing by his earlier experiences, he phf- chased a home on North Pennsylvania street and managed to save enough to pay for it. His two races for governor, in 1900 and 1904, were, of course, unpro- ductive, but they served to increase his acquaintance throughout the state, and, though a political loss, were financial gain in the legal business that followed. But he is today a poor man, having no property save the home in which he lives.
 Freedom From Sham.
 One of the characteristics that have at- tracted friends and cemented friendships for Kern is his absolute freedom from sham Everything with him is on the surface, and he never takes circuitous route to arrive at an end. This was pe- cullarly Illustrated when he was mem Der of the state senate. The Nicholson temperance law was under discussion, one of the most drastic measures that were eyer introduced in the legislature. Kern opposed it. because he believed 1t to be too radical, But at the same time he believed that the republicans, who were in a majority, were not in sympathy with the measure but were forced to support the bill because of the tremendous pres sure brought to bear by their constitu- ents.
 Early in the session Kern believed he saw disposition to make some of the sections of the bill imperative through contradictory provisions, and he served notice on the majority that if they passed the bill it must be one that would be op- erative must mean what it said. He fol lowed this with amendment after amend ment, and, though many republicans voted against them, he brought enough demo- crats to his support to carry the amend ments through with the aid of the repub- licans who really wanted a measure that would stand the test of the courts
 Was a Parker Man.
 When the final vote came on the bill Kern voted against it, knowing that the republicans would support it. He was accused of inconsistency, but replied thai the republican leaders were opposed to the bill, the republican senators were op- posed to it at heart, but voted for fl through fear of their constituents, and that he had determined that they should not deceive the people by putting on the statute books a measure that would bt imperative. Every section of that law bac oJi tad hoe haan tained by the highest court of the state While Kern was opposed to it and voted against 1t, he forced the republicans tC enact a law that would be effective. And by the way, the liquor interests have had no use for Kern since.
 MT. Kern probably stands alone in In. diana in respect to being the leader of 6 faction and coming out of the fight ir triumph and at the same time with in creased popularity. The struggle in In diana to send a Parker delegation to the St. Louis convention furnishes an illus tration. Kern was a Parker man ano led in the fight against the Hearst contin- gent to instruct the delegation and adopt the unit rule. Hearst had carried but one district and the state convention wal overwhelmingly for Parker. The majori ty faction was carrying everything it' own way when a Hearst delegate asked that one hour be set apart for discussion of the right to instruct the delegation and adopt the unit rule, the latter having always been obnoxious to the democrats The request was howled down by the ma jority and the viva voce vote against f was conclusive.
 Spokesman for Bryan.
 At this point Kern mounted chair and secured the attention of the chairman He declared that the request made by the Hearst delegate was a reasonable one and ought to be granted, and that, so far as he was concerned, 1t should never be said of him that he had refused to listen to the voice of democrat simply be- cause he had the power to throttle him The Hearst men were permitted to state their case to the full convention, and the Parker men to reply, and then the vote followed to instruct the delegates and put them under the unit rule. Though every Hearst man went out of the convention breathing anathema against Tom Tag gart and other party leaders they all declared that Kern had treated them fairly, and in his race for governor that year they were among his most ardent supporters.
 In the recent campaign for delegates to the state convention it was known that Kern would be the spokesman for the Bryan element, but few weeks ago the anti-Taggart faction, with which Kern has always been allied, was defeated ir Kern's ward and members of the county committee opposed to Taggart selected This faction, emboldened by its success put out slate for delegates to the state convention, and through the new county committee appointed primary election of ficers hostile to Taggart and Kern. Ii 1,a% ,al hat x.,I,A ( 4l.- delegate slate were either openly hostile to Bryan in 1896 or under suspicion of the regulars as gold men.
 On the evening before the primary Kern came out in newspaper statement ridiculing the men who mad taken con. trol of the primaries, denouncing them af bolters in 1896 and charging that theil purpose was to betray Bryan in the state convention as they had betrayed the party 12 years ago at the polls. The dem ocrats were thoroughly aroused by Kern's statement, and the delegation that he headed was elected by a majority ot ten to one in a ward where but a few weeks before his opponents had been suc cessful
 Reply to Hanly.
 A reply which Kern made to Governor Hanly in a speech some months agt caused a great deal of continent in tn. state and shows that the democratic can didate for vice president understands how to use material when once he has it ir hand. The Governor had referred to Kerr in connection with the proceeding, against Tom Taggart's French Lick re sort as the defeated candidate" refer ring of course to Kern's race for gov ernor In a political speech some tim, afterwards Kern referred to the remark. of the Governor, and said: