The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-04


 WHO ARE STRIVING TO MAKE A POLITICAL ISSUE OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, | IND ESPECIALLY OF HOSE WHOSE EFFORTS ARE DI- EECTD TO MAKING THE ISSUE PRE- SENTED BY THE AMENDMENT AMI THE PROHIBITION QUESTION A MEANS OF ADVANCING THEIR CNN POLITICAL AMBIrIONS.'
 If MT. O'Neal believes in the principles enunciated in the fourth section of that platform, 1t is his duty to get out of the race for governor and thereby make MT Mallory's nomination unanimous. or al least to run for governor on his own mer' it's and not try to lead the people who opposed the amendment for unselfish and patriotic reasons to believe that it is any part of their duty to elevate him To office simply because he voted against and worked against the amendment
 Anti-Amendists for Mallory
 Now, as I said a while ago, MT ONeafs friends had what they call ar "O'Neal rally at Birmingham last week It was widely advertised that there would be thousands of nntl-amendists from al over the state who would gather in Br- minzham to keep up the fight against tho amendment Isn't it strange how some people like to play with corpse? If tha amendment isn't dead it can't be killed Why should anybody want to revive 1t except for the purpose of enhancing his political ambitions in violation of sectior of the platform. which is practically z contract to which we all agreed anc which is just as binding on every mar in that conference as if he had signed hi name thereto. AS to how many were there from outside of Birmingham, the news papers give very different accounts 1t Ii probable that there Is exaggeration on ons side and probably some minimizing on tn, othev. We are told in the public press however. as to some of them who were there. and l have taken the time to reat what each of them said. It is gratifying to know that all of them who made speeches spoke In the very highest term: of MT. Mallory, his attainments. his char acter and qualities and the only thins they could trump Up to say against hn was that he voted for the amendment. IT looking over the list. however. of those whose names are given as having beer there, by actual count there were only five out of the Il eminent men who com posed the executive committee of the anti amendment forces. and yet they tall about the anti-amendists being In favo] of O'Neal for governor, With all due re- spect to these five excellent gentlemen who have seen fit to run off after MT O'Neal, I hope 1t will not be construed as an invidious comparison to say tha 1t looks to me like itsis the tail trying tt wag the dog. I am reliably informed tha a great majority of that Il distine uishet citizens will support Mir. Mallory for gov ernor. The temporary chairman of thu Montgomery conference. MT. Henderson the permanent chairman of the conven ton, MT. Moody, and the chairman of tn, committee on platforms, Governor Jelks are all ardent supporters of MT. Mallory I am sure, my friends, that you will no be misled into believing that MT. O'Neall candidacy is backed up by any consider able number of that great body of con servative people who opposed the amend ment in the November election.
 There were great many things sai, in that conference in Birmingham las week. some of them rather amusing.
 For instance, my distinguished friend Col. Ed Russell from Mobile, said amongst other felicitous things, that h. hoped to see the day, and he did no believe that 1t would be many month before Birmingham and Mobile would b connected by water. My recollection i that 1t was one of the coldest nights O the winter, and as to why Colonel Rus sell at any O Neal conference in Birming ham should have had the happy though of connecting Birmingham and Mobil with water on that occasion, am unabl to understand.
 Henderson's Declaration
 But amongst all that was said by quit a number of speakers, including thei candidate, MT. O'Neal himself, the mos eloquent thing produced by the whol conference was the absolute silence o every speaker In reference to littl written statement recently given fort L. tlxo VI. rIz Henderson, withdrawing from the rac for governor. l will now read MT. Hen dersons card:
 "I am not candidate for governor When I made the announcement of m candidacy l was assured of the neutre attitude of certain powerful influence and was led to believe that the conserva tive principles for which I stood woul be accepted by a majority of the people of Alabama.
 .In the recent amendment contest stood against the adoption of the pro posed constitutional amendment becaus I believed its adoption would have in fringed upon certain principles of ire government. We contended in that cam paign that the question of saloons or n saloons did not enter into that contest Subsequent developments, however, hay clearly shown me that the allied interest that financed the amendment campaign are demanding compensation for the par they took and the contributions made and are now making a fight for contro both of the executive and legislativ branches of the state government.
 This is contrary to the position I tool and the promises we made to the people
 with the changed conditions am o the opinion that in the short time be tween now and the primary I could no be successful in making my position clea to the people of the state: and havini corae to this conclusion. it is due m. friends that I advise them of my de cision.
 (sisnedD. "CHARLEs HENDERSON,
 have known MT. Henderson for quit a number of years and have alway honored him and respected him an' claimed the privilege of calling him [ friend. He has many talents and goo' qualities that I have always admired. had never heretofore thought, however that he was specially gifted in the us of vigorous English. but no man in Ala barna politics for quite a number of year has been able to say so much in 20 lines
 What does MT. Hendersons cart meanR Everybody knows what i means. If they don't, 1t is strange tha nobody has asked. Did he say any thing in 1t that was untrue? If SC find me the man that has ever chal lsnged it. That card was given out ol February 8. MT. O'Nears rally il Birmingham was held on Februar, IT, nine days afterward. It is posst ble that neither MT. O'Neal nor any O his supporters had read MT. Tender sons card? Don't you know that ev cry one of them had read it?
 Now, understand me: I don't mak the statement that 'the allied inter ests are demanding compensation fo the part they took and the contribu tions made and are now making fight for control both of the executiv