The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-25
GREAT MEETING IN
CHEROKEE COUNTY
Congressman Howard Heard
By 1000 People At Centre
Conner HAS POOR CROWD
Less Than 800 Persons Heard Cover
nor After Howard Spoke-Coun-
ty VIII Give 800 Majority
Against Amendment.

Centre, November 2-(Special.)-It was
significant day In the political history
of Cherokee county on the occasion of
the magnificent address of former Con-
gresham NJ w. Howard to the voters
of this section. Today's demonstration
of the anti-amendment forces leaves no
doubt as to the result of the election In
Cherokee county.
While fully 1000 citizens thronged the
courthouse at this point, packing the
court room and overfowing into the
square, by actual court there were but
six lone farmers rallying to Governor Co.
Der and the amendment at Union, seven
miles from Centre.
1t is doubtful if such a political con-
dltion has a parallel in this or any other
county of the state 1t is taken to foretell
the lop-sided victory that is in store for
the defenders of the constitution of Ala
bama- These two rival meetings were
held in the morning at II o'clock. All
the morning, since early daybreak, Gov
ernor Conner, working with desperation,
had driven with his team over many miles
of Cherokee territory talking at each stop
to persuade them to vote for the amend
ment because, as he told them. 1t was the
only moral way to vote and besides 1t was
the governor who was asking the favor.
Dick Smith, one Of the farmers who
came to hear the speech of Mr.. Howard,
said he had been approached by the gov
ernor, who drove up to his house and
stopped by for long talk, introducing
himself as your governor, whom they
are ridiculing so much these days"
Then the governor drove into Centre this
afternoon to fill an engagement at the
courthouse here. All but half dozen of
the 1000 men from all beats of Chero-
kee, who came in to hear Mr.. Howard
against the amendment, drove back home.
Conner Has Poor Crowd.
The result was that an audience of 10
men and 80 women and children faced the
governor when he arose for his customary
defense of his administration and the
amendment.
The oldest citizens of the county agree
that their former congressman was never
In better form than today. With strik-
ing clearness the speaker laid bare the
many dangers wrapt up in the second
section of the amendment and the useless
ness of the first section. At his more elo-
qaent periods gray-haired farmers, who
stood and stopped in the big audience,
broke out In repeated cheers.
There were probably 700 voters in the
crowd and there were hardly a dozen
who were not decorated with the Ameri-
can flag, emblematic of the constitutional
liberty. Great Indignation was expressed
by numbers of the audience at the whole
sale disfranchisement of voters by the
leaders on the side of the amendment.
Mr.. Howard was preceded by Ross
Blackmon, who made an especially logi-
cal appeal to the voters present.
How Beat Stands.
The most conservative estimate of
Cherokee's majority against the amend
ment is $50. Dan Thornton of Beat 8 says
the poll of his beat gives Is for the
amendment and 80 against with the de-
tenders gaining. Louis Acker of Beat 5
says his will give 10 for and 80 against.
w. T. Duke of Centre beat makes the
poll here s. for and 10 against. Ed DAN
iels says the Leesburg beat will give
10 for and 30 against. L. B. Stevens says
that Beat S1k will give three for the
amendment and 81 against, while Beat
proper will go two to one against. T.
Y. Daniel figures Beat IA as 40 for and