The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-22

Imagine my surprise to learn that the Hon. Emmet O'Neal in his opening speech at Eufaula had made the statement that he (O'NeaD would vote for a negro be- fore he would vote for MT. Thompson. l do MT. O'Neal the justice to say that I do not believe this statement represents his real sentiment, and was only an out burst of temper when he learned that hundreds of law-abiding democrats were going to vote against him because of his stand in favor of the saloon. The white democrats of Alabama would not cast single ballot for MT O'Neal if they be- lieved that he was honest in his state ment ap Eufaula. They are for a white government and will neither vote for the black negro against a respectable white man, nor would they vote for any white man who would himself do that sort of thing. I congratulate the progressive, patriotic, democratic press of Birming- ham on their refusal to print that part of MT. O'Nears speech.
 "I find another charge made in certain quarters that Mir Thompson has a negro secretary in his employ This statement Is untrue. There is no such officer all lowed the collector of internal revene. He has a few colored employees under the civil service law, and each of them holds his position by virtue of this law-that law approved and made eeffctive by the greatest democrat in the last 50 years, President Cleevland. What respect would the people of this state have for Mir Thompson If he was cowardy enough and mean enough to dismiss these poor and friendless men in order to get votes or pander to the whisky interests? The ne gro question in this state Is this-peace to its ashes. 1 will tell you who Is the confidential man, the man who takes MT. Thompson's place when he is absent. His name is Hooper, a white democrat, and also one of the civil service men. He Is an ex-Confederate soldier and a brother-in-law of United States Senator Johnston of this city, man of the high est standing, and one who Is rendering faithful service to the government. It Is needless to say that MT Hooper would not remain in the office a day if the con- duct of the negro employees was in any wise offensive. And with Mir Thompson s views no democrat in this state who is making good and faithful to his oath of office need be afraid of being discour- aged.
 Ut was the irony of fate for MT. O'Neal to make such a rabid speech at Eufaula, for in that very county it so happens that MT. Thompson is the largest individual taxpayer in the county In which Eufaula Is situated. and it Is safe to say that he pays ten times more taxes l for the maintenance of the schools and | the building-up of good roads than MT. l O'Neal pays anywhere in the state of | Alabama If the democratic nominee should permit MT. Lewis to put his collar | on and it ever became necessary to
 the interests of the saloon you will find
 that interest would marshal him. locked
 shields, with every negro in this state
 qualified to vote We know Cousin l Charles in Tennessee. He has done busi- ness in our elections in days gone by | He doubtless proposes to do business ir your elections here in Alabama. In the | election in Tennessee on August t4 last | hundreds of negroes wore badges or which were described, Straight Demo
 crat, and they voted for Charles ticket You machine, republicans were blind
 as moles when you failed to recognize
 the value of the long fight that democ-
 racy made in this state to eliminate the | illiterate and venal vote. In the future when you are in a death grapple witt | the whisky power this fact will save your state. Here and now I pay my hom-
 age to that old-time democracy that sci it's face toward the rising sun and wen1
 down through the shadow of the valley | and despite toll and tribulation, kept in | violate their faith and patriotism, anC
 made it possible today for you to appea
 to the manhood of their sons to save
 their party and state from the evil whicf
 now threatens them.