The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-27
Adds Another Chapter to a
Spicy Campaign
ANALYZES THE RECORDS
Refers to Knox as "Specimen of Bonn
bast, BIonted With Vanity And
Keeling with the Wine of
Arrogance. n

/
with the lively campaign now under way
Judge Coleman's statement is headed,
Hon. John B. Knox and his vitriol." and
reads as follows:
Is 1t a product of wounded vanity
or OF envy and malice or a mixture of
both? I would call attention to my card.
The only personal allusion to Mr. Knox
consisted in thestatement, ''That many
| warm friends read with painful astonish-
ment his unprovoked, cruel and unjusti-
fable assault upon Senator Bankhead."
Is not this true? If not unprovoked, the
friends of both would be pleased to have
the proper information. IL not cruel
or rather venomous-I am no judge of the
meaning of language. If justifable, the
grounds of justification have not been
made apparent. Now, if Senator Bank
head is the dullard Mr.. Knox, in some re-
spects, charges him with being, it seems
to me, one of such commanding ability
as Mr.. Knox Indirectly claims might
| have pointed out this dullnes and inca
pacity in milder terms.
On the other hand. If Mr., Bankhead is
corrupt, unreliable and tricky, Mr.. Knox
state to particuarize the instances which
justify such anathemas. Mr.. Bankhead
has been in public service many years.
He now occupies the highest seat in
Congress in the Senate the state can con-
fer-and is candidate for reelection.
He is now opposed by Mr.. Knox for the
Senate. Mr.. Knox was also an opponent
in the last race for the United States
Senate in which he was left far behind
by Senator Bankhead. Just few months
ago-in a great political contest on
great political issue-Senator Johnston
and Senator Bankhead each wrote an
article advocating one side of the issue,
and the articles, to the ordinary man,
read well. We know the newspapers
throughout the state made much to do
about the articles and the support Of these
United States Senators, and thought they
were of great assistance. The songs of
praises for these men have scarcely
ceased. True, Mr.. Knox wrote q few
articles on the same question short time
previous and they were noticed in COM
phmentary terms, but he ought not to get
mad nor let envy blind him on that ac-
count If the newspapers and public ac
corded at least equal praise TO Mr. Bank
head. In referring complimentary to Mr..
Bankhead do no more than express the
prevailing estimate sf him as far as
know, by the people generally, and as
manifested by them in retaining him in
their service. Ferhapsin enumerating Mr..
Bankhead's qualities and claims, such as
his modesty, his achievements in Con-
gress, as shown by results for the public
good, and his success in political promo
ton, Mr.. Knox may have passed these in
review and perceived the sharp con-
trast with himself.
Not justified
Probably not a newspaper in the state,
and l am sure not a person with whom
have conversed, justifies Mr.. Knox in
his assault on Mr.. Bankhead. l believe
in this he stands as lonely as Senator
Hepburn did in the vote in the Senate
upon the resolution introduced by Senator
Bankhead to secure a loan of the govern
ment tents for the occasion of the Con-
federate reunion at Mobile.
This senatorial incident is further evil
dence of the claim that Senator Bankhead
Is always on the alert for the benefit OF
the people Of Alabama. and does things.
[
ertheless true, that in Senator Bankheads
congressional district, before the suffrage
right was qualified, as was done by our
present constitution, the district, by the
aid of the colored vote, was oyerwhelm-
ingly republican. Though Mr.. Bankhe i
was elected continuously during that pc
riot. his seat in Congress was never con-
tested The Sixth congressional was never
without a democratic representative. and
| ~;
of any other district of the state in which
the negro vote so largely predominated?
think not.
AS to Senator Bankheads ability as a
speaker there are several occasions TO
which reference might be made, but it is
sufficient TO refer to his most admirable
and statesman-like address to the demo-
cratic caucus, which nominated him for
the United States Senate. For strength
and breadth | do not recall any, on SINH
lar occasions, which surpass it. be-
lieve if a test vote was made it would be
so held unanimously, unless, perhaps. If
Mr.. Knox, remembering his own great
moss and some effort of his, and earring
out his honest conviction, as Hepburn
surely did, would cast one negative and
thus present another Hepburn example,
and of equal merit
Mr.. knox's Fitness
/ propose now to inquire as to Mr..
Knox's fitness. impartiality and candor,
as to the matter upon which he relies for
his assault on myself In his leading adj
dress, in reference to his election as pres
ident of the constitutional convention he
SAYS: II was chosen not as a favor to
me by the convention. which was one of
the ablest ever assembled in Alabama but
because they believes / was fit man to
fill the position
Notice now, ''that abest convention of
Alabama" selected him not as favor to
him, but solely "for his fitness" Con-
trast the motive which moved that able
and patriotic convention and the motive
which actuated the Hon. John b. Knox
in making his appointments, according to
his own showing.
In his reference to me as published in
The Age-H Herald of Sunday he says: 1.-TWO
names were prominently urged for the
Craftsmanship of the committee on suf-
frage J decided in favor of Judge Cole
man and gave him the most distinguished
position in the convention: he ought not
to forget that so far as this position is
concerned. gave him the commission. If
he has ever lifted little finger to help
me | am not aware OF it,. And further
on he relates the fable of the frozen asp
that the farmer warmed into life. which
then turned upon 1.-The benefaetor." Ben
efactor. mark you. 1t would seem, there
fore. that the question of fitness for po-
sition was not the inducement which led
him to give me tho appointment, but for
the return Of favors for the gift" and
"benefaction." I never suspected 1t. | am
so glad that ] never asked him for the
appointment and / rejoice that my con-
duot wac silcl that he cOnclusvely