The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-16


 gomery fund with hundreds of dollars col lected here from saloonkeepers, and then continued his journey to the city of Flor ence l charged then, and l reiterate the charge now that his conduct in obtaining the money above described brands him as a corruptonist and calls for his impeaeh- mert and removal from offiee
 q charge now that after having col lected the above mentioned funds, and failing to expend 1t in the Lauderdale campaign, he should be branded as in- famous. and the people of the state can, and should, compel a session of the lesis- lature in order that these charges may be inquired into, and if guilty he should be impeaohed and removed from office.
 T herewith submit affidayits from the local option campaign manager of Lauder dale county, and from the chairman of the campaign committee of Lauderdale county. These affidayits speak for them selves:
 We will state for your information and for the information of the citizens of Alabama, that Governor O'Neal never paid out one dollar in Lauderdale county during the last local option campaign for expenses of the campaign. We was in ac- tive charge and paid all the bills, in cluding the barbecue expense and band and talihoe exp. any other necessary ex- penses for caring on the campaign.
 C. L. HALEY, Chair.
 e. II. PRICE.
 !" State of Alabama, Lauderdale Co.
 !" Before me, II. A. Bradshaw, notary, personally appeared c. H. Price, who be- ing by me duly sworn, deposes and says that he has knowledge of the facts con- tained in the within statement and that the same are true.
 :" II. A. BRADSHAW, Notary Public.'
 Calls It Browning Act
 But, fellow citizens, you are vet to learn of the crowning act of infamy in this mans career. From every rostrum in Alabama during his candidacy for gov ernor he plead with you, and importuned you for your suffrages, he declared him self to be a champion of popular rights, he inVeighed against special privileges, and loudly asserted that he was in favor Of equal rights to all. He denounced the greed and aNarice of the money power, and pledged his honor and manhood in pro- lection of the wage earner, the poor and the oppressed. He held up to the scorn and contumely of the people his opponent as the representative of the trusts, as the repl esentatiVe of combine, as the repre- sentative of corporate power. He declared that one railroad company alone had con- tributed $25, 900 to defeat his (ONeafs) nomination. But, fellow citizens, his dec ldl d llpllS were put SudIGS anu ueluSIOllSg his promises were false and deeeitful. He had already fixed the price of an Alabama governor in the open market, his asser- tons came only from the lips his prom ises had been broken before they were made At the very time he was swearing allegiance to the people, and promising an honst administration of the government, he knew that the price had been fixed, and that he belonged body and soul, to the TheN ters, he was their poor, pitiful, cringing cowardly slave. His masters had but to crack the whip to have his knees In sup pliarce bent
 In Written Contract
 His campaign had scarcely begun when he was required to sign bill of sale to himself, and to the great office which he was seeking at your hands Early in the game, fellow citizens he will fully, maliciously, unlawfully and with reconciliation betrayed your cause, and sold your rights and liberties to the money changers, and in a written contract promised to side with the corporate in- terests and against the people, in the event of strikes or labor troubles in Ala bama This written bill of sale was turned over by him to his kinsman, w. F. G. Harding, president of the First Ma tional bank of Birmingham, little think ing at the time that he was in turn to be betrayed by this same kinsman, bat Harding, fellow citizens, filled with con- ceit proud of the fact that he held in the vaults of his great bank a paper title to the next governor of Alabama, anx- ious that his confreres and co-conspira- tors should appreciate fully his wonderful coup d'etat, in an unguarded moment boastingly told friend of his miraculous achievement; these facts were made known to me l have since verified then and tonight l stand in your presence and ask Emmet 0'Neal and w P G. Harding to tell yol what is the price of an Ala bama governor in the open market. They have both been invited to this rostrum, that they may have an opportunity of looking into your faces and answering this ques1ion Where are they, why do | they not come forward and deny the charge. or plead guilty, resign and turn the office over to Walter D. Seed and let the people have honest government for tEe next three years? Harding says ne has destroyed this bill of sale, that it was destroyed after the primary election Do you believe this, fellow citizens? O'Neal has only been valuable to them since his election as governor, he could not serve their purposes as a candidate. he has only been able to serve them as governor! The First National bank of Birmingham IS one of the greatest financial institutions in the south, it's depositors are legion, it's coffers are full. among it's depositors are thousands of wage earners-and locked m the same vaults which contain your hard earned dollars-doubtless is locked the bill of sale to Emmet O'NeaL, and the office which he holds. The same strong box which treasures the workingmans say ings also contains the written contract by which Harding 6c Co. can have the militia called out in case of strike or when hungry labor asks for a little more bread. I challenge the money changers to bring the paper into this meeting and read it to this people.
 Now, fellow citizens, if these charges are true why should not your servants, the members of the house of representa- tlves of Alabama, require the secretary of state to assemble the legislators, that impeachment proceedings may be insti- tuted against Emmet O'Neal, and if proven guilty give the senate an oppor- tunty to remove him from office? This is the only remedy left Emmet O'Neal dares not himself convene the legislature In his heart he knows what the result will be! l herewith offer two affidagits, which speaK for themselves
 Affidavit By M. W. Howard
 "" The State of Alabama, Jefferson County Personally appeared before mo M. W. Howard. who being duly sworn, deposes and says: About the 16th day of