The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-28
An old Voters Observations

T have been q voter nearly 40 years, and in that time have seen many turbu- lent campaigns-state and national" said well-known democrat Tn recent cam palgns in Alabama scenes of other days in various states have been repeated. The same sort of malicious and unfounded charges that kept politics in Mississippi, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia al fever heat in years gone by were resorted to by the amenders last fall and are be- ing resorted to by some of the friends of Colonel Mallory now. But what strikes me as being foolish as well as wrong is claim of coming victory which a few of the papers supporting Colonel Mallory make right on the eve of the primary.
 "Partisans and especially campaign managers and political organs, always make strong claims for their respective leaders, do you say? But that has not been true. In several presidential cam paigns the result has been in doubt and In that case both sides were justified in hoping and in predicting victory. But in 1888, when the democratic chairman, the late United States Senator Calvin Briee, made himself ridiculous by giving out roseate interviews the week before the election, every intelligent and observant democrat in the country knew that Pres
 dent Cleveland was badly beat Nobody of any prominence but Mir Brice made any claim for the democratic standard bearer, and he was simply laughed at by democrats as well as by republicans. In 1892 it was Cleveland's time to win again. Democratic victory was in the air and only Ia republican numbskull thought there was any chance for the reelection of President Harrison. Every southern state has witnessed contests from time 10 time In which certain candidates had
 landslide victories and in which the over whelming victories were unmistakably forecast We have just such contest in Alabama now. ONea1 will be the win ner next Monday by big majority and every intelligent man in the Mallory ranks feels that it Is so Yet the Mont gomery Journal of Tuesday prints con- spicuously on its first page a featured in- terview with MT. Ellis in which this state- ment is made: Today MT. O'Neal is defeated candidate, with a discredited backing, and Colonel Mallory will be nominated by a majority of not less than 10000 votoes.'
 Now. that claim for Colonel Mallory is about like some of the amendment headquarters claims last fall. In the amendment campaign only numskulls and easy marks continued to contribute money to the last, but the amendment tightwads who started out with high hope knew, a week before the voting day. as we'll as Chairman Lee Long did. that the defenders Would be vic- torious by a decisive majority, and being sure of the result, they refused to con tribute to the additional campaign fund.
 Papers that now make claims of vic- tory for Colonel Mallory may possibly cause a few of their innocent readers to be cast down with disappointment when the returns come in Monday night. The discounted their disappointment.
 And in conclusion, I would give this pointer to young voters: If you ever bet on elections in this state you will be quite safe in going by Mir, Marcus Wells forecasts MT. Veil is successful mer- chant, and he is also a successful politi- cal forecaster. He goes about making up his forecasts on the same principle that he conducts his business. He places MT | O'Neal's majority at not less than 27225 | It is a safe bet that MT. Well has under estimated rather than overestimated"