The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-10

The county, prior to the foundation of
the city. was a stronghold of the demo-
cratic party. Prior to the advent of the
mining of coal and the manufacture of
iron jefferson stood on the state auditors
books among the second class taxpayers.
THE city was chartered by the legisla
ture of 1S70-12the democratic Lindsay
legislature. The state net revenue col
lected from Jefferson county the year
of the charter 1871. was sSolls 81. Mobile
county that year paid on the same ac
count $l2a,91l, the highest of the counties.
Montgomery, the next highest paid $64.
47l The return from jefferson in state
taxes for the current year is $S15, S06.09.
Every democratic national platform
from the beginning had declared for tariff
for revenue only. jefferson had support
ed the movement to abolish the Congress
districts for the general ticket system IN
order to free the state from the two whig
or protective tariff districts, the Mobile
and the Tuscaloosa districts. Jefferson
had come nobly into the Houston column
of 1874, for white supremacy, by a ma
jority of the class called 'overwhIln-
ing"
But John c. Morrow, in 1880, was elect
ed probate Judge of Jefferson as an inde-
pendent as greenback. In 1854 the green
back party held its first Alabama state
convention in Birmingham, under the spe-
cial patronage of Judge MORROW. In 1871
the Jefferson county democratic conVen-
ton instructed its delegates to the state
convention, that renomnated Governor
o Neal. to insist upon the appointment of
delegates to the national democratic con-
vehtion soon to assemble at Chicago, who
would favor a degree of tariff protection
for coal and iron, a policy IN complete
reversal of all antecedent Alabama demo-
cratic principle and squarely in the face
of the established record of the national
democracy from the beginning. This coun-
ty also instructed its delegates to the
Congress district convention to vote for
protection democratic nominee. The
democrats of Birmingham invited Hon.
Samuel J. Randall, a protection democrat,
representing a Pennsylvania district in
Congress- to visit their young town. So
i'm January. 1885, Mr.. Randall, accom-
panied by democratic Representative Me
Adoo from New Jersey, delivered protec
ton speeches in O,Bren's opera house to
packed and most enthusiastic audiences.
The high protection war tariff yet re-
nssined unrepealed. Only in the south
was labor universally employed. More
than million men walked the highways
OF the north and west vainly seeking
work to support in many cases, half fed
families at home. A financial panic of
exhaustive severity confronted the cam
paign for President and representatives
in Congress in 1884.
Notable failures in business distressed
the country. Among these was the firm
composed of Gen. L. S. Grant and Ward
of New York. Grant and Wards failure
became conspicuous by reason
of the military and civil fame of the
head of the firm At the insstence of
Ward, General Grant drove in his carriage
to the private residence of Mr. W. II. Van
derbilt Sunday night to solicit a personal
loan of $lo000o that his house might be
ready when the banks opened next morn
ing to meet certain imperative notes The
money, he assured Mr.. Vanderbilt would
be returned in very few days. Van
derbit turned TO his desk. wrote his check
Tor the desired sum and placing it in the
borrowers. open hand, said General
Grant, this is not my way 3 of
DONG business; it is personal favor
to you." Ward received the check
next day. put the money in his
pocket. made provision for his young fam
lily and absccnded to Canada. He was
ultimately captured. tried in a New York
touil anu sentenced 10 Ia Years in the
penitentiary. General Grant had received
IN recent tour of the world countless
presents from Kings, and mobiles and gov
errments in gold vessels and other forms
Oh great value. He promptly turned over
his entire collection to the friend who
had favored him by the Sunday night
loan Mr.. Vanderbilt gave the whole in
lee to the government and the interest,"
ing exhibit is to be found in the Smith
tt1tn
value to show the universality of the
financial confusion of the time and to en-
pam somewhat the sources of the polit-
lcal disturbance that ruptured parties and
brought strange leaders upon the scene
Another failure of extraordinary i'm
portance came in that of Mr. Seney A
SPECTATOR in railroad securities Yet an
other SPECTATOR, Fish, in this class of Sc
curities, fell. The junior partner made it
out that the fall of Fish demolished the
house of Grant Ward, but the claim
mace no acceptable apology to the pub
ic General Grant possessed no uual-
hcation for his line of business while
MS working partner was without either
competent talent or honest habit.
The quadrennal republican national con-
vention assembled at Chicago June 5 and
three months later the national demo-
cratic convention met at the same city.
John r. Lynch, a negro delegate from
MISSISSIPPI, was made temporary chair
man OF the republican convention Sen
ator Ednunds from Vermont, a very able
lawyer; Senator Logan from Illinois, who.
In 1861, while representative in Con-
gress. was so ardent in his sympathy
with the Confederacy that he went home
10 raise In Egypt the lower counties
of his state, then under Missouri and Ken
lucky influences, a regiment for the
southern army, were placed in nomination
as we'll as others. Senator Blaine won
the coveted nomination on the fourth bal
lot by a large majority Senator Logan's
democratic partisan antecedents had been
eliminated from his record by the intre-
pidity of his conduct a. S soldier of the
union and especially by the brutal relish
he took in laying waste" South Caro-
lima. as he crossed that state with Sher-
mans army. Logans nomination for vice
young gentleman, William Villas from
Wisconsin, was made president of the
national democratic convention at Chi
cago. The strong movement of 1880 to
avenge the counting out of Mr.. Tilden in
1876. was repeated now. in 1884 But the
sage of Grammercy Park sent a letter
to the convention declining to permit the
use of his name for the nomination. SEN
ator Bayard from Delaware. of illustrious
lineage, was proposed and his name well
coined with prolonged applause" Sem
ator Hendricks from Indiana put in NOM
nation Mcdonald from his state and ar
gued, from a manuscript held In hand,
the claims of his friend. Congressman
Carlisle from Kentucky was put in nom