The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-11
Mr.. Thompson in Accepting Nomination
Charges ONeal Faction With Seeking to-
Bring Back Saloons Into State-Express-
es Unalterable Opposition to Return of
Saloon Into Any County, City, Town or
Hamlet Of Alabama

influence may be exerted to produce for
the people of Alabama, the best things
| that may be given them and to promote
| for the future as well as the present the
most lofty ideals of government, the re-
publican party appeals to the independ-
ent thinkers of Alabama to aid 1t in this
present political crisis, leaving for future
adjustment their future political align
ment.
Convict Labor
We are precluded by the shortness of
the time allotted us from calling atten-
| ton to more than one other feature of
this platform. That feature is the plank
which condemns the leasing of convict
| labor, both from the standpoint of hu-
manitarian treatment of the convict and
from the standpoint of view of the hon
est laboring man who is entitled to be
free from the competition of convict la
Dor. In our view the present convict
system of Alabama is barbarous and ut
terly unworthy of progressive, proud
and civilized commonwealth. Punish
nnent of It's citizens should always be adj
ministered by the state under it's own d.
rect supervision. Convict labor should
never be leased, nor should it ever be
employed in the production of such arti-
cles or In the development of such indus
tries as will bring convict labor into
competition with free labor The public
roads of the state of Alabama should be
improved by it's convict labor, worked I'M
der the humane and careful supervision
of the states own officials, who have no
personal interest, gain or profit to be de-
rived from the labor of these unfortun-
ate convicts, but whose purpose should
be while administering necessary punish
ment in the execution of the criminal
laws to make this very punishment
means of reforming the offended, as
we'll as deterring others from the COM
mission OF crime. This plank breathes
the same enlightened. progressive spirit
of civic righteousness that find express
sion in the temperance plank, and that
is In accordance with the high and lofty
spirit which breathes itself into every
corner of this excellent platform.
And now, Mr.. Thompson, we are fully
ferring upon you an honor without its
heavy burdens We know that you have
not sought this honor. The party has
sought you as a fitting exponent of its
lofty purposes and ideals and notwith-
standing the personal sacrifice which we
fully understand it implies, the republican
party of Alabama tenders to you this
nomination and begs at your hands its
acceptance.
Mr. ThOmpsOn's Speech
Mr.. Thompson in making his reply
said:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Committee on Notif0tion:
II am exceedingly grateful for the
honor conferred upon me by the repub-
lican party of Alabama. had hoped the
choice of the convention would fall upon
another; but since the party has willed
otherwise, l accept its nomination for
governor of the state. I am in full ac-
cord with and indorse the platform adopt
ed by the state convention. The time is
ripe for this people to speak out in no UNI
certain tones for temperance, for morality
and for honesty in public station, as well
as in private life; and should l not carry
your banner in triumph at the polls in
November, it shall not be because do
not speak plain language for the right.
1t will be bright day in the political
history of the state of Alabama when that
vast number of high minded and intel
Iigent men who have in the past felt
themselves constrained, for the sake of
t., att%1i 70 Fnto t1a
democratic ticket against their own sound
Judgment and conscientious convictions to
decide they can do no more patriotic
thing than TO elect a republican gov
ernor, and thereby announce to the world
that Alabama has in fact, as we'll as in
name, republican form of government.
Two Strong Parties
at was declared that the main object
for assembling, near 10 years ago, of the
last state constitutional convention, was
to free the white man of the shackles of
an oppressive political servitude. If that
claim was made in good faith there can
be, from that viewpoint, no good reason
why the thus enfranchised white man
should not conduct himself as free. One
must be dull indeed who does not see
in the, democratic nominee, my honorable
opponent, all that is typical and repre-
sentative of the old state democratic doc
trine of tyranny over the individual man.
Such is his boast. He is true repre-
sentative of the old idea in Alabama that
the rank and file of the democratic party
are saves-mere chattels. The same sin
ster but powerful interests, whisky and
railroads., which prior to 1901 lay coled
around the capitol at Montgomery and
dominated legislation until the people were
sick unto death, have again captured the
organization and seek to place him as
their secret representative in the execu-
tive chair. Having by a series of oblique
and deceitful movements secured for
themselves his nomination, these interests
through him and the organization resort
to the same old method of horsewhipping
party men into subsection. This was re-
Gently shown when he declared as his
first and fundamental claim for support,
that now, having gotten the nomination,
all opposition must be treated as joke.
If the day has not yet arrived, let us pray
God 1t soon shall, when the temperate.
moral and religious education and convic-
tions of good people cannot be 80 con-.
temptuously and defantly trodden under