The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-12
Conner ADMITS HE
WAS BEST GOVERNOR
/. THE STATE EVER HAD
Refers to Politics in Bacca-
laureate Address at Bir-
mingham College
DIPLOMAS GIVEN AND
HONORS ANNOUNCED
Former Governor Uses Plans of His
New Cotton Mill to Illustrate the
Necessity for Rock Founda-
tion for Character
by RICHARD #. LUssIER

morning. The address OF tne 1oriner
governor, the presentation of the diplo-
mas and medals, and the announcements
of the board of trustees were the fea-
lures of the last days exercises of the
annual commencement of Birmingham
college.
Despite the declaration that he would
not intersperse politics in his baccalau-
reate Governor Conner forgot himself
several times. He again reiterated his
statement of several weeks ago that the
state of Alabama was going through
helrs gate, and that now was the time
to stand by the anchor" The audience
was apparently with him yesterday
morning and his vigorous announcement
that he was no quitter as Milton II.
Smith and Judge Thomas Jones well
knew" provoked loud applause. He re-
iterated that he regretted nothing of his
speech in Greensboro last year when he
advocated the recall of the judiciary and
positively asserted that he was going to
be the next governor of Alabama.
Preliminary Orations
Prior to the baccalaureate address of
Mr. Conner, the programme of exercises
started promptly at 10 o'clock with ap
pronounced by the Rev. DR.. l.. C.
Branscomb, presiding elder of the Bir-
mingham district. This was followed by
two orations on "The Problems of Our
Generation. Samuel Mcpherson Minis
was the faculty representative and Ed
ward Lee Norton was the class represen-
tative. Mr. Minis said, in part:
Democracy is the hardest type of gov
ernment in that it imposes a task on
every one. We have at present IL sys-
tenn of government that is unfair to the
many classes it of necessity is a part.
1t has grown so because of the fact that
the great development that followed the
Civil war. has finally outstripped the
ideal of accomplishing benefits for all
and given way to the great greed of
dollars. We are money mad and the
dollar today makes so much noise that
the drowning cries of the suffering and
the needy are never heard.
Many Panaceas Offered
Many panaceas are offered by various
political sects. The reforms advocated
by the old reactionary political parties
have done some good The socialist
with his greed for life of service and
the attention of the world and his ideal
is but rational evolution Yet the So
cialist, who has the keenest grasp on
the problems confronting us and the best
cure for them does not by any means
provide the great system of government
of the future The ideal government will
come only when the principles of Jesus
Christ prevails We must first have ideal
men before we have an ideal govern
ment."
Edward Lee Norton, representing the
class, closed his address by thanking the
board of trustees, the president and his
classmates in a very impressive address
for the great good he had derived from
his four years association with them.
Music followed and President J. ID.
Simpson introduced Ex-Governor Conner
Conner Easily the Feature
Ex-Governor Conner was easily the
feature of the programme. His entrance
into the college hall and grounds was
met with cheers The day was beauti-
full with q delightfully."- cool breeze that
swept gently over the hill at Owenton
and the setting with the great enthu-
siastic crowd clothed in gay colors
seemed propitious for Mr.. Conner to re-
peat his baccalaureate effort of last year
at Greensboro. However, yesterday
moring Governor Conner touched but
lightly on politics He stated that his
address last year at Greensboro had got
him In hot water and that this year
he proposed to get into no controversy.
'I wish to introduce to you this MORN
ing the best governor Alabama ever had
up to 1915, for he will surpass his pre-
vious record when again he assumes the
reins of leadership"
Believes DIR. Simpson Is Right
Jr ranliad n int ,n+; 10,
in a cheers vein. He said: "Dr. Simp-
son states that / was the best governor
Alabama ever had. wish to state most
emphatically that / believe that 1 was.
He also infers that | will be the next
governor of Alabama. Well, as to that,
'Barkis is willing and I do most ear
nestly believe that 1 will be the next
governor of this great state.
"However. | am not here to speak OF
politics / spoke of politics last year at
Greensboro and was censured for it.
That is not the reason / am not going
to speak of politics this year. The rea-
son is that 1 have better subject.
What | said at Greensboro a year ago
was the truth and | am never afraid to
speak the truth as Milton II. Smith and
Judge Thomas Jones well know. / am
not a gutter and they have found that
out. But this morning you young men
ARE going out into the world, and it is
my pleasure to give you a little advice
Uses Cotton Mills Plan
At this juncture of his address Cover
nor Conner unfolded a long roll of plans
which, he stated, were for his new cot
ton mill at Sylacauga. From these plans
Mr.. Conner went point by point in en-
phasizing that the foundations must be
on solid rock to be firm and true He
went on "The plan of this great building
is no different than the plans of human
life If for foundation you have char
acter, you will attain the height of any
plans that you design for yourself. Char
acter Is the foundation of all success
Build your foundation on rock and not
on loose sands. Give always the bes.
that is in you. There is a place for all
of you in this world and it is for you
to find it. But no matter where that
place is, whether it is at the head of the
table, in the middle or at the end; or
even at the table at all. strive for the
bert and the ideal always. Be COM
plete and give the best there is in you
Now, there are several values to any
man. There il, for instance, the intangi
BILE, as well as the tangible value. This
applies to railroads as well as men. TIL,
tangible value of railroads is friction
compared to the intangible value as rep
resented by colossal capitalization. Blu
in men it is different from railroads
the tangible and the intangible shoult
go together IL possible. This is aptl,