The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-30
WOOD STEAKS IN
 O'NEAL'S INTEREST
Is Heard By Good Audience at
 UniontoWn
POOLE MAKES ADDRESS
Wood Discusses Alleged Corruption Fund-Amendment Fight md Pres ent Campaign Similar to Two
 BIack-Eycd Peus

Uniontown, April 29.-(Speeial )-Former Commissioner R. R. Poole and Steriihs A. Wood spoke here today to sooa audience in Emmet ONeafs interest. MT. Woods speech follows:
 About 50 years ago some of the men who are now before me were called upon to exercise their right of franchise Tor the first time; they voted then for Cover nor O'Neal, who at that time represented the highest type of manhood in the south.
 Just six years before this time Governor Houston led his memorable and success ful campaign for the redemption of the state from the carpetbaggers, scallawags and negroes Directly in this line foi- lowed General ONeal as candidate Tor governor, whose head was even then white with the snows of many winters, and the reiuvenated conservative and democratic party of this state elected him trium- phantly to office.
 Again. and today, after the lapse of 50 years, we have an opportunity to vote for Governor O'Neal and on next Mon day we shall certainly do so This time it IS the son. nOl lIe ldlutl OhC NiAS HN NA&0 time his father was governor had just turned into manhood and who was able then to imbibe from the older many les sons of wisdom and statecraft. There are many of us who voted for General 0 Neal, conscious of having done our full duty' and who will vote for Emmet O'Neal next Monday with just as much conscientious conviction of duty done as for the former.
 Logical and Illogical Candidates
 The legislature of this state met during last summer for the ''severalth tlme within it's history, although, be 1t said to it's credit, it was not always in session. This legislature has left many legacies to the people of Alabama, but possibly among a great many bad ones-the worst was the question of whether or not the constitution should be amended in ac- cordance with the law then passed. With out now referring to the details of this law, the natural result of such ques- ton being submitted to free men, was division of sentiment and conflict as the result. This division came, and no conflict in this state, save the one Of 1874, equalled it in the warmth with which 1t was fought, and in the wounds which 1t left upon the body of the citizenship of the state For several months the fight ragged from Mobile to Huntsville, from Opelila to Fayette, and n every town, village and crossroad. All discussed it, all paid attention to it, and every white voter in the state got in his vote upon it.
 I. is but natural that the grind of the mill the result of such contest should leave presented to you one or more can didates for governor In accordance with what the people then decided. It is very unnatural that any candidate should pre- sent himself against that decisi on, but the natural and unnatural, the logical and illogical. have resulted; and thus we have today a logical and illogical candidate A candidate fighting for and in line with the majority decision of the people, and a candidate who was than in the minor ity, again asking the people to have him represent them. You see at once that such a position Is Illogical and that such a candidate ought to have been beat be- fore he started: and that if he wants this matter made clear the people will do it next Monday.
 The Birth of Candidates
 During the contest over the amend ment, the time was ripe for future aspi- rants for the office of governor to give birth to their hope. And thus as some of our citizens went over the state in structng the people upon this or that phase of the question. 1t was but natu- ral that the people should suggest that such men as they favored should run the race for governor in case the amend : nent was defeated; such suggestions fell on fruitful soil.
 It was freely predicted that these gen. tlemen, Judge Weakley, Mir Mallory and MT Seed. would be candidates before the people in case the amendment was sue cessful just as the others. but no one of these gentlemen would run for gov ernor, If the amendment was defeated; from this you can observe that we are not very wise here below.
 However, Madam Rumor was pretty free in using the names of certain anti amendment speakers, and among them we heard most often used the names of Moody Bowie. Henderson and ONeal. These were all practically running for the office and waiting for the result of the election You know the result, and you know what happened then.
 Here we had a race already opened up before the people and a primary just ahead. What was the result. On No- vember % some of these gentlemen paused to catch their breath. Only one kept running, and he has been running. and will run until May 2, when he will begin to rest and look like a neal gov ernor. When the amendment was de- feated. Emmet O'Neal did not stop: he did not sit down and join in the sent1- e he just kept moving while some others loitered. and he has more than made good the fondest hopes of his friends.
 Corruption Fund
 One of the fixed charges in modern political fights is that there is a corrup ton fund Such is the charge now. It is industriously circulated with affdavits to match and with amounts that make the mouth water The rumor starts from fertile mind, fearing defeat; it is denied, but made again each day, and like He, goes further than truth can follow. The system seems to be to get, not the Nal ory, but the O'Neal forces to believe it; and to get those who have not been paid money, and that's all of them, to believe the other fellow has been paid; and thus get all dissatisfied because they do not believe in that manner of carrying elections.
 Not long since. in a joint debate, the other side boasted so strong that they had walked to the meeting, rather than ride in the gilded car of corruption, that I was forced to take the crowd into my confidence as I do you today. and after pledging them to secrecy, admit that my expenses were paid, and that my wife did the paying But she does it with q cheerful heart. and voter or not l cor rectly represent her.