The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-25
CAMPAIGN TAME
COMPARED WITH
AMENDMENT FIGHT
#
Election of 0'Neal Seems Fore
gone Conclusion as Result
of the cup
ANALYSIS OF SOME
ASPECTS OF CAMPAIGN
Mallory Has a Chance to Carry Several
Counties But His Total Majority
Will Not Overcome O'NeaFs
in Mobile County
BY HUGH w. ROBERTS


ment to the constitution it has been
tame and uninteresting indeed.
Under natural circumstances the pc
Rod Immediately preceding the nominal
ton of a governor is characterized by
the shouts of the people, by the street.
corner argument by the newspaper adj
vertisenent, by a lively fisticuff or two,
and by the roar of sentiment against
sentiment when they clash. In the pres
ent fight the passion of the people has
not been awakened from the slumber into
which it entered on the morning of
November 80. The present race, in fact,
is not as interesting and has not created
as much gossip as that of the fight of
B. B. Conner, the railroad commissioner,
and r. M. Cunningham, the Ensley ply
stefan.
For the lack of interest in the present
political crisis--for the people, as a gen.
eral rule, face a crisis when they nomi-
nate governor-probaby there are rea-
sons. Because the candidates have not
been in joint debate the people have not
been entertained with that personal blow
and counter-blow and parade of charac-
ter against character which feature the
usual contest of a similar nature Again,
another reason for the lack of heart in
terest is found in the fact that while
Col. II. s. d. Mallory has numerous and
prominent friends throughout the state,
these friends, with very few notable ex-
ceptions. are taking no stock or active
part in the engagement; for which there
are two possible reasons-either that these
friends have already seen written on the
wall in unmistakable characters, De
feat or they are, as Senator Moody of
Tuscaloosa originally announced himself,
supporters of Colonel Mallory for purely
personal reasons and not because they
are converts to his political beliefs or to
the several planks of his platform.
Amendment Lines Drawn
But the real reason is found in this:
The people of Alabama, when they de-
feated the amendment to the constitution
last fall. nominated, to all practical pur-
poses, a governor. The fight which is
finally dragging its weary length to a
resting place was, in reality, concluded
when the amendment, repudiated by the
votes of an indignant people, fell, no
longer an insidious measure aimed at the
constitutional rights of white men and
clcaked in robes of false morality, but
fell a skeleton of political ambition and
frenzied fanaticism.
The amendment is an issue and has
been an issue in the present fight. The
proof OF this is found In that fact that
the great majority of those who uefeat-
ed the amendment will vote for Emmett
O'Neal, and the great majority of those
who favored the scheme will vote for Mr.
Mallory. Until these dividing lines are
obliterated entirely the amendment will
continue an issue or factor In Ala
bona politics for countless generations
In q minor way, therefore, it has been
amusing that while Mallory and his lieu
tenants have endeavored to convince the
people of the state that the amendment is
dead, a portion of those to whom they
spoke realized at that very moment that
they were amenders and Mallory men,
while the others realized that they were
anti-amenders and s.anch supporters of
q Neal. 1t reminds of the story of the
ostrich, which, endeavoring to conceal its
enormous body. takes no more precau-
ton than the hiding of its head.
Colonel Mallory's position, through ac-
ttoH VI Ills u1lu sldttiltDlS OH IDc QueS-
ton of regulating the traffic in liquor,
has proved a worthy matter for the con
si6eration of the people
In the first place, when 10 senators had
successfully resisted the pleadingsS and
threats of the then political bosses of
this state and were prepared to commit
the proposed amendment to its tomb even
before Its birth, Colonel Mallory appears
on the scene, saves the amendment,
n1akaS If "a N t4<tta in la IA nd
precipitates the greatest fight and the
bitterest In the annals of this states
history.
And in that contest, as is remembered,
Colonel Mallory obliterated all hopes of
his nomination to the goyernorship when
he remarked: 1--WE have driven whisky
from the saloon; we have driven whisky
from the clubs; we will now drive it
from the homes of the people
In the second place. when the great
moral issue which now it's former adj
vocates repudiate as IL 1t had encoun-
tered death through leprosy and not
through the wrath of an outraged poo-
pie, was defeated. Colonel Mallory issues
statement to the people through the
press to the effect that while he favored
the amendment he is a democrat, and
as such Is willing that the majority of
the people proceed In any course they
may desire in solving the great question
of liquor traffic.
In the third place, Colonel Mallory in
a statement made in the Jefferson the
atre declared his belief in an undying
fealty to statewide prohibtion--that
which is upon this state at the present
time.
In the fourth place, when Senator
Spragins inquiries If Colonel Mallory, as
governor, would sign a bill authorizing
dispensary in Huntsville, Colonel NAL
lory, resident of Dallas county de-
cares that Senator Spragins, resident
of Madison, is mistaken in his belief that
the people of Madison county are chatting
under the system which is presently In
vogue
O'Neals Nomination Certain
No man. familiar in any respect with
conditions in Alabama today bellows
other than that Col Emmett O'Neal will
be- the next governor Of Alabama.
4 len the majority of present day
sra& smen were too much taken with
fear and trembling to openly defy the
Anti-Saloon league in its encroa chmcnts
AGAINST the liberty and homes OF the
ncople Emmett O'Neal organized fight
against the amendment and dissipated
from over the state the darkest cloud
which ever hung there
The people are grateful as result,
and those who voted against the amend
ment. with few exceptions. will vote for
him next Monday.
In addition, many people who voted
for the amendment, because they thought
the amendment would win will vote for
O. Neal because they know he will win.
So, all in ALL the majority for O'Neal
will be enormous. There is hardly a
doubt but that the victory Will be OF the