The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-08

Nokcu
| 1t was announced that the dealer had
been adJudged guilty of supplying blind
the articles of Ned Brace and Hugh Rob-
erts In Sundays Age-Herald throw need
ed light ON the matter of underwood's
undeveloped strength.
| With the sincere desire to serve Tn
derwood, and the democratic party for
whom 1 have done a yeoman's part "in
the place on the wall where l was put
| during other days with not so fair skies
as now bend over it, I took the liberty of
sending tosthe Hon. William d. Jelks,
national committeeman from Alabama, n
member of the delegation, day letter"
on Sunday. June 30. when the convention
was resting from a deadlock prior to an
other prolonged session of useless ballots
with the following suggestions:
LET the convention go into committee
of the whole on harmony in the party
| with Bell of California In the chair The
motion to come from some friendly dele
cation, Georgia, say
THE candidate to release their delegates
for pro forma test ballots as to personal
choice.
THE name of every man voted for in
the convention to be printed on perforated
sheets so as to permit the selecting of one
name, and folding same, for secrecy
Half votes to have corner torn off. The
votes TO he placed in envelopes with
name of states. Three telers, selected by
the three leading candidates managers,
to see that the lnumber<put in box tai
lied with vote state Is entitled to. These
| votes to be thoroughly mixed and then
counted by these telers. Three or more
| test ballots to be thus taken.
| ''The purpose of this is, to seek to
| discover the sub-conscious sentiment of
| the delegates as to the best man to name
| standard bearer of the party under all
the existing conditions in the convert
ton"
I do not know whether my voice was
heard at long distance or not. do know
that during the history OF the party for
the last 35 years 7 have helped to make
and unmake. senators and governors, and
for the good and welfare of the people
of the state always
I originated the senatorial succession
plan put before the state executive COM
mittee by the late Carson C. Whitson.
this to save the hectoring of two great.
able and aged senators by impatient
politicians. The tribute of the people of
Alabama thus given TO Morgan and to
Pettus, was greater than the ancient
forms of 'triumphs' and funeral pyres
Now we hear that Mr. Underwood
had certain undeveloped strength; that
there was no opportunity to show IL
for several reasons; that he has been
placed in a strong position for the flu
ture. As to this last, l fall to see
II in that light Underwood is no
stronger nor Is he any weaker than
he was when he polled his high water
ballot. II the plan l suggested, or
some other, had been tried, we would
know for certainty that a large part
of the democratic voters OF the coun-
try beyond Mason and Dixon's polit-
ical dead line We're ready and willing
to take a democratic candidate from
the south If he measured up to the
highest standard of personal and po-
littcal integrity. And who shall say
that Underwood was not in all things
except for this veil Of the moon wor-
shippers'-the Achilles of democracy
on the great tariff question? IT'S true
his southern heels might have been an
element of weakness, but even this
was not SO vulnerable as the 'reck
less tongue of one and the changing
mind of another candidate. And now
we do not know.
l believe my plan would have de-
veloped a coupfde'etat that would have
done what others declared no one
seemed able to do in the open conven-
ton: 1t could have been used to tear
the mask from that bold Orlando
whose lance was "a ready, swift and
tuneful tongue according to all re-
ports, so that none dared meet him but
to fan. His secret ambition to snatch
the crown from those he himself would
cruelty on the cross Of his oyerween-
ing, selfish and ungratefui ambition
could have been developed by the Sc
cret pro forma ballot; once more in
convention assembled, he could have
been broken by the Juggernaut of Clark.
Underwood Harmon--and Tammanyi
And II Wilson had developed the
strength finally won by an endurance
test, so much the better for democratic
harmony and enthusiasm after the con-
test.
If Underwood had votes in the south |
that would have come to him: in New
York. New England and the west, as
we had right to expect, they should |
have been developed for the purpose OF
securing his nomination. Or. failing