The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-27
EIGHT GOVERNORS OF ALABAMA
1874-1901
No. 66-The New Generation to the Front
Edward A. ONeal. Governor
1874-19O1

Rivalry for the nomination for COVER
nor by biennial party convention became
unusually acute in the spring of 1886.
The great gathering at Montgomery in
April, to welcome President Davis,
haps every political leader of general in
fuence in the state.
OF greater Importance to the political
situation. it brought together, for the
first time, a large concourse of voters
who were IN infancy In the war time and
8who in childhood had little Appreciation
of the 10 years of military rule and IT'S
degradation.
This now largely grown proportion of
the voters had arrived at the enjoyment
of the suffrage upon the tide of victory.
won by their fathers over the hard CON
oition of military rule Already Spencer
and his rettnue of carpetbaggers had de-
parted, the scalawag had returned to his
normal political relations, the negro had
Internationally retired from political agi-
tation and had settled down to peaceful
and normal attitude toward white supre-
macy in affairs of government and
spciety.
among themselves, went home, read the
same newspapers ard arrived at COM
mon view of the public veal. They re-
pudiated nothing CT the virtues of their
fathers.
In connection with the political devel-.
opment, certain physical advancement OF
the state was to be taken into the esti-
mate of the situation.
Notx x1t \, eft urlfi n ba nf
battlefields for four years and in other
ways resulting from the disturbed condi-
tions of those years, the drafts of a heavy
immigration movement following the
close of the war, the population of 1886
was greater by more. than 250,0000o0 than
when the war closed. Excess of state
debt resulting from bad government III
the military period, had been adjusted,
while the new railroads, originally in
volved in it, passing through rich mineral
resources for the most part. were now
valuable assets. More than 1000 miles of
new railroad had been built and put in
operation since the war, new telegraph
lines had been built and the telephone
freely introduced.
Since the war, up to 1886, cotton mills
were founded at Montgomery, at Annis-
ton, Cypress, in Lauderdale county, at
Huntsville, Hurricane creek, In Cherokee
county, at Selma, Mountain mills. in Col
Randolph county, at Tallassee Falls (re-
organized and enlarged, at Cottondaie,
at Tuscaloosa Gwo mflls). mill in
Chambers county, near West Point, Ga.
Besides these, there were the Henderson
woolen mills of Pike county and the
Kilebrew woolen mills of Dale county
In the same post-bellum period SO coal
mines had been opened to successful
working
Suddenly Alabama had even now be-
come one of the recognized iron produc-
ing states. The output here was, say. .
per cent OF that in Michigan. Alabama
produced in 1886 more than 25 per cent of
the pig iron produced in all the states in
1860. There We're rolling mills at Birmins-
ham, at Gate City, Shelby, Admission;
Z car axle works at Admission, Bluffton an1
other iron manufactures at various
! places.
More than million acres of improved
farm lands had been added to the agri-
cultural industry in 10 years.
In ten years from 1876 to 1856 the as
scssed value of property for state taxes
increased from S1:.6,535, 1872 to S173. .SSS, ,097.
The president nf the senate, Thomas
Seay senator from Hale, the heart of the
black belt now just arrived at the age
of 40 years, a lawyer of advancing repl-
tation, cotton planter on a large scale
and successful where many had failed