The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-22

and lug in other issues or are seek
 lne to do so in order to appeal to preJ-
 hdice, appeal to anything that they
 may gain control Of the state and have
 their way. What Is the issue tha1
 they are seeking to place before the
 attention of the people of this state
 It Is the negro. Why. my friends the negro at this time can no more be made an issue than any other false issue What has the negro to do witt
 the great question now presented to our people? Has he not been disfran- chised? What then can he possibly have to dos with the grave questions now before our people? With the same un- l serupulousness with which the saloon has always operated 1t is simply laying hold of this and seeking to make it a question in order to fnfiame perjudice blind the public mind and elect their chosen minlons to office.
 "Onlv a short while ago MT. O'Neai said on more than one occasion that he would rather support black negro | than to vote for me for governor. This Is the Veriest demagogy Recognizing that thousands are going to support me. even among those who are not of my way of thinking politically, and he acknowledged this in his speech from this platform a few nights ago when he said. If there have been any de- sertions from our ranks, neither in character influence or numbers have they been sufficient to attract any mo- tice or create any apprehension. Their places have been more than supplied by loyal republicans l say. realizing this, he is seeking 10 befuddle the people 1hv a remote and absurd scarecrow. 1 There are thousands who would not vote for O'Neal on any occasion. But what does he mean? Does he mean to reflect on the character of all good men who are supporting me within his party? Such men as the thousands Of ministers who are supporting me-such men as MT. W. T. McElroy of Carbon Hill, who was the delegate 10 the last democratic national convention from | the Sixth Alabama district; such men as Mr. J. E. Hughes. the father of Flor ala and a leading democrat of the wire grass whose letter l now read you, by permission, replying to a letter of Stall ings requesting that he become mem Der of the campaign committee:
 Florala, Ala, September 26 1910.
 MT. Jesse Stallings, Chairman, Birming-
 ham, Ala.
 Dear Sir; Your letter of the 24th in stant is received. Replying thereto, l | beg to say that the issue is whisky and no whisky, and l stood for the amend ment and such men as McCord. ONeal and you defeated us in the primary by l rather vote for a white republican, than rotten democrat. Very truly yoprs,
 (Signed) J. F. HUGHES.
 (Here Mr. Thompson read other sletters from strong democrats over the st tel
 MT. oNeal is seeking to prexeat the support of these good citizens bvl Gnder- taking to heap obloquy on my nailie. This is his only means, that of appealtng to prejudice. not for the sake of hs own personal ambition alone, but as tbr ham pion of the liquor forces ~
 Now let us see what there } | assault made on me- and in | t | made to smirch me in an unWors, Y.
 Tn one portion of the state L.. ealks one way. and in another he talks iH an- other way h one sense not creditable to himself MT. 0Neal complies with the principles of Paul in being all things to all men, Now he has insisted on white supremacy. Now after this has been done, after tine negro is dsfranchised and after an effort has been made or is being made to organize a party, which Mr. O'Neal has insisted should be done, in an extremity in the service of the | liquor interests, he comes out boldly and says that he would rather support ne- gro than the man whom he fears, be- | cause he knows that I know what the one supreme question before the people is, that l am going to insist on it. and if chosen the governor of this state he knows that l will enforce the law check any legislation that seeks to undo what our good people have done, and be able tc thwart the liquor men in their con- stant violation of the law of which I know as much as they do themselves by reason of my relation to the department of internal revenue. It is not that Mr O'Neal fears the negro, as he pretends, but it is the fear of the election of man who will fearlessly do, as the chief ex ecutive of the state, just that which Elm met 0Neal does not want done, enforce the law against his masters, the brewers, to whom he is indebted for the defeat of the amendment by as foul means as his packers are capable of, and for his own nomination, procured by means just as foul. and no one knows this better than Emmet O'Neal himself Hear me, as I quote Governor Conner in his speech from this platform three nights ago He said: No one feels more humilisted than I do that the liquor and brewers association should have beaten down the temperance of our state and set back the moral ad- vancement of our people; no man can say how far And, ladies and gentlemen. we all know that while uttering that statement and looking at MT. O'Nea, the governor said in his heart Thou art the man."
 Yet this is what they call democracy. ONeal stands pledged to the saloons to bring back liquor to this state. He stands under obligation to do their bid- ding He is in position to become the agent of that hierarchy of liquor men, and if elected he will not be governor of the state, but the purveyor of the liquor men who with his bags of money con- trolled both elections and procured the nomination of Emmet O'Neal. Behind the executive chair will stand the fat and plump figure of Charles M. Lewis, who will dictate the policy of this state if Emmet ONeal is suffered to become gov ernor.
 l abstain from any personal attack on MT O'Neal for reasons of propriety, but will say that there is no more vulnerable man in the public life of this state than he
 Now, look at this varying position, which is like a weather vane, respond ing to the winds. He insists on white supremacy, and when this is offered is building up another party which proposes to check the abuse of the traditions of the party to the leadership of which he has been elevated with gratitude to for