The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-28
Report Has 1t That State
Will See "Sure Enough
Fight for Governor
NATIONAL LEADERS
ARE ASKED TO AID
Even Said That Roosevelt, Hadley and
Johnson VIII be Urged to Help
Make Independent Fight
in Alabama
ny HUGH w. ROBERTS

by HUGH w. ROBERTs
According to reports emanating from the
camp of the general enemy, that Of the
republicans and the ''progressives,' there
is imminent in Alabama an independent
movement in state politics.
1t is said that. plans are already a-foot
for the nomination of an independent can
didate for governor not a perfunctory
nomination, made solely, as others have
been made, to retain the identity of the
opposition party, but nomination made
with the serious intention of accomplish
ing the election of an independent candi-
date.
IL the independents can accomplish that
which they declare themselves as strong
in the belief tnat they can accomplish, the
movement might be more serious than one
at prima facie glance would admit. 1t is
the intention of the progressive or inde-
pendent leaders to make an open, man to
man fight, for a candidate, sans peur,
sans reproache, and to stump the state
with such eminent and distinguished lead
ers as Theodore Roosevelt, Senator LaFol-
lette Governor Hadley, Governor john
son and others equally as strong and ag-
gressive and powerful.
Hope of the Independents,
1t is admitted that only preliminary
steps have been taken. 1T is also admitted
that Mr. Roosevelt and others have mot
consented to visit Alabama for the pur-
pose of taking a hand in the political
battle of this state. 1t is contended, how
ever that the scheme is not visionary;
that the progressives, anxious to prevent
the re-amalgamation of the republican
party and the "prodigal sons, and to
bring about an obliteration of all party
lines, are willing to show their strength
i'm any territory, it matters little how
rockbound in the faith of democracy it
might be. 1t is unnecessary to state that
if certain great leaders of the cause of
'progressiveism, as enunciated by Mr.
Roosevelt do visit this state and subject
their reputation for success to the trials
of a campaign In Alabama, the move
ment will be supported by an appropriate
sum of money obtained from the strong
box of the national Headquarters of their
organization.
There is scarcely a doubt but that the
democratic nominee, whoever he might be,
will be elected and inaugurated. How
ever 1t is interesting to speculate on
what vote the j'progressives" could ac-
foil, n Ctufa
campaign, propelled with large capital,
and conducted by Mr.. Roosevelt, Gov
ernor Hadley and others equally as rep
resentatve of American citizenship.
Fight Has Just Begun
In this connection it begins to appear
that the man who is next inaugurated
chief executive of this state will have
gone through struggle which for siren
uosity would appeal to Mr.. Roosevelt and
would recall that period of 1892 when
Reuben +. Kolb led an independent move
ment and according to general belief
swept the state from top to bottom, and
failed to receive the spoils Of his victory
The current campaign, preliminary
campaign, that for the nomination of the
democratic party, has already been under
way for several months. AT times 1t has
waxed furiously. Despite these facts 1t Is
known that the fight has only begun. Up
to the present time only b. b. Conner and
Walter d. Seed, candidates, have been
perpetually on the job. Captain Kob
made his first speech in September.
Charles Henderson has not started his
campaign--his serious, aggressive cam
paign The blows of John II. Wallace.
Jr., the fifth candidate have been scat
tering, have not begun to fall in that
regular cadence which will later be their
characteristic
So the fight has just reached its prelim-
mary stage.
Much Strenuous Work Ahead
The indications are that there will be a
double primary, that the state executive
committee will adopt a plan whereby in
the event of no candidate in the first pri-
mary receiving majority of the votes
polled he will have to enter a run-Off
campaign with the ''runner-up" or the
man of second strength. This second
campaign will be more strenuous than the
first, for whereas in the first votes will
be scattered among five candidates, in
the second the lines will be drawn, and
the two surviving candidates will be-
come the real, live issue of the fight.
The winner of the second campaign will
be worn out. 1t will then be July or Au-
gust With the nomination in his pocket
he Will probably feel justified in running
off to Atlantic City In the hope of recuper-
alton. Should he find ON his return the
field occupied by an independent, a man
of reaF worth and merit and characterized
by an abnormal lust for battle. supported
by a campaign fund from the Harvester
trust or other philanthropic organizations
and aided and abetted in his ''nefarious'
scheme by such able captains as COM
prise the Rooseyelt-H J Johnson
brotherhood-well. what would this nom
inee of the democratic party, worn out by
countless conflicts, do?
Incidents of the Week
1t is very probable that he would divest
himself of outer garments and get right
in the heart of the scrap. There is no
question but that he would win, but the
opposition, it is probable, If supported as
it's hope is that it will be supported, will
poll larger vote than has ever in recent
years been polled against nominee of
that democracy which is "unterrified and
undefiled"
During the past week Alabama politics
has been unusually quiet. True. Mr..
Conner declined to declare himself in re-
gard to prohibition at Dadeville and pre-
cipitated a sensation when he left the
hall with an opponent, Walter d. Seed. in
| possession, and Captain Hooson. cand-
date for the Senate, completed a whirl-
wind campaign through rural Jefferson
| county.
| But because the people of Alabama
have their hearts interest in the antici-
| pated announcement of the senatorial as
| pirations of Oscar w. Underwood 1t
seems to be impossible for any incident,
| however dramatic, or any orator, how
| ever pleasing and picturesque, more than