The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-06
DEBATE PLANS DECLARED OFF Weakley and 0'Neal Abandon Schedule. MET ON R0sTRUM THRICE Residents of Cities Want No
 Speaking. Headsuarter. of Defenders sf Consti. tuition in North Alabama opened in Birningham-Farme Op-
 posed to Amendment.

Birmingham, Oct. 5.-(Special.) )--The Weakley-O'Nea debates scheduled for Birmingham. Montgomery and Mobile have been called off by mutual consent The debaters may appear at the ap- pointments at Demopolis. Dothan, Ope- lika and Gadsden, although 1t Is possi- ble that some agreement may be reach cd by which these dates also will be cancelled.
 The debates in Montgomery and Mo- bile were called of because leaders on both sides in those cities did not think them advisable.
 T hear from my friends in Montgom- cry and Mobile that they do not wish any speaking on this question" said Mir. ONeal. T am .ot going to speak where no speaking Is wanted. Judge Weakley. I believe. agrees with me in that. Certainly will not speak where the leaders on both sides deem a de- bate inadvisable."
 Mr. O'Neal and Judge Weakley have met three times. at Sheffield, at Jasper and at Guntersville. Each man has proved a worthy opponent and able to hold his own with his antagonist. In the towns in which they have spoken. the defenders of the constitution have proudly claimed that Mir. o'Neal had altogether the better of the eloquence ands. he argument The pro-amend- ment people have declared that Judge Weakley had the better of the argu- ment. Certainly both sides have been satisfied.
 Debates Were Independent.
 As a matter of fact the debates were arranged without conference with the committees of the two sides. Neither the pro-amendment committee nor the anti-amendment people arranged the debate. Mir. ONeal, who has been an earnest opponent of the amendment. II. speaker on the other side. Judge Weakley said that he was ready for Joint discussions with Mir. O'Neal and they themselves arranged the schedule.
 Now that the committees are earn eBtly at work. 1t seems agreed by both sides that the debates are In degree interfering with the natural course of the campaign and that 1t might be the part of wisdom to have the two men make individual appointments and not | center the chief interest in the hght in joint discussions. It Is also prohahl$ l that for the future both sides will es- chew all joint discussions. in that they l draw attention away from the issues. North Alabama headQuarters hava been opened In the Brown-M build
 ing here and the work has gone for- wnrd with a rush. The defenders Of the constitution are elated with the state of public sentiment In North Ala u. have, they claim that they can carry North Alabama by a majority Of two t9 one. They hope not only to keep what they have, but to increase that ma5or- ity The church organizations. In the North Alabama counties, realizing that the tide of public opinion is strongly against them, have gone actively to work to change the situation. The defenders of the constitution propose to meet them at every turn. At head quarters they point out that the pre- amendment people made hot nght n Madison County in which they concen- trated their forces The defenders say that they met them in Madison and whipped them to a standstill, as 1t is admitted that Madison is against the amendment. In Elmore County it was pointed out, they concentrated thelr forces to such an extent that the GOV ernor himself delivered the speeches su the county. They claim that Fillmore now is stronger than It ever was against the amendment.
 Occupies Ten Ofnees. A
 The North Alabama headquarters oc- cupies ten offices and no less than twenty stenographers will be kept at work They propose to flood North Alabama with literature bearing on the campaIgn and to have the closest orr garization that that part of the State has ever seen.
 Tom Long and Dr. John Miller. of Jasper. and two of the strongest lead CTS of Walker. were in the city today and report that Walker is stiil heavily against the amendment.
 "Tn the town the amendment has a number of supporters" said pr. Miller. "Rut I have never seen the country people so solidly united as they are In opposition to the amendment. The pro- amendment people will never be able to touch them. In some communities the sentiment is so worked up that the situation is tense. You know we have a lot of Republicans in Walker. some of them were old men who were op- posed to secession and the civil war These old Republicans are going around and telling their neighbors that the situation is Just like Ii was before the war broke out, and that fanaticai leaders are doing their best and nearly succeeding in bringing on civil war There is no doubt whatever that Walk