The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-11
The issues and Men

II am watching with much interest
the controversy between the Selma Times
and the Montgomery Advertiser over the
gubernatorial contest" said a man who
formerly took a very active part in pol
tiles.
1.-THE Selma paper did good work in OPP
posing the obnoxious amendment last fall
but it is now an ardent supporter of
Colonel Mallory. an amendist for the
governorship, while the Advertiser, which
helped defeat the amendment, is doing eff
fective service in behalf of Colonel O'Neal,
the anti-amendist leader who aspires to
the office of governor.
"This campaign started off quietly and
for little time it looked as If We might
get through with 1t without bitterness
or mudslinging. But the Mallory organ
has begun to deal in personalities land
the campaign will soon become as wrath
full as the fight between the ultra pro-
hibitionists and the defenders o. the con-
stitution over the amendment. The Adj
vertiser of last Wednesday says, among
other things
" 1T CThe Selma Times) cannot recon-
cile itself to the fact that 1.-THE three big
morning papers support Mr.. ONeal. Be-
cause it deserted Mr.. Mallory's leader
ship, and fought against the amendment,
it thinks its contemporaries should for
get the issues involved and support its
townsman 1t is also sneering at Mr..
O'Neal and some of his friends, and in a
general way is pitching its campaign on
Now. IL a candidate is to be criti-
cised, as the Times seems to think just,
for the friends he has made, what is 1t
going to do about some u Mr.. Mallory S
friends? Is it proud of them all? How
about Brooks Lawrence and Governor
Conner? Are they not for the Selmian
True they may not have proclaimed II
from the housetops. but are they not
quietly at work? Is not Lawrence busy
with the Anti-Saloona league organiza-
ton in a gum-shoe effort to nominate his
co-iaborer?
1T (The Selma Times) tries to mini
mize Mr. Mallory's attitude on the amend
| ment as zone error" and apparently con-
siders it nconsequential. Now The Ad'
vertiser has no malice toward him, what
soever, as 1t has already shown In more
than one way, but 1t is idle to consider
| his course as one little error, of no par
ticular moment. 1t was a great blunder
one out of line with his whole conserva
tive record as an able. cool lawyer. lilac
| 1t not been for his active personal In
fuence with several senators, Brooks
| Lawrence and Governor Conner Wouic
have failed in their undertaking. II Mr.
| Mallory had stood firm against the ex
| IRENE of fanatlcism, Alabama would nave
been spared that bitter turmoil. con
ceived in and aimed at political ends OF
| the mart of those with whom Mr.. mallory
had not trained. If he regarded the Is
sue as inevitable. he should have coun
selled waiting until this year. 80 that
could have been fought out sauarely ant
fairly by all the qualified voters. Nearl,
everybody now sees what blunder j
was. and Mr. Mallory's failure to see !
In advance, and to prevent 1t, was not
little error 1t is turning out to be
boomerang, and The Times can't neu
tralize the law OF nature
"I think the Advertiser has decided
lv the best of the argument. Colone
Mallory's one error was a most seri
Gus and far-reaching error. As tn
Advertiser points out. il Colonel Nal
lory had stood firm against the ex
| IRENE of fanaticism Alabama woul
have been spared that bitter turmoil
II cannot conceive how any man VIII
looked upon the proposed amendmen
las a .monstrous thing to quote Colone
Hilary A. Herbert. can turn aroun
two months later and support the CUB
ernatorial aspirant who helped tn
amendment bill through the legisia
ture. PANTHER than espouse the caus
of Colonel O'Neal, the father. of tn
Montgomery conference, which result
ed In a successful campaign againt
the iniouitous amendment. Colont
O'Neal is a gentleman of high charac
ter and fine equipment for public liz
He Is moreover man who has o.
ways had and always will have tn
courage of his convictions. Colon'
Mallory is an amiable gentleman Of II
oachable character, and he Is q
excellent lawyer. But the prohibitio
leaders, soon after the amendment We
beat gave notice that they would nj
rest until they tried ii yver again an
lhad written statewide prohibition
, the organic law. And Colonel MalloI
Is now the candidate of these san