The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-20
WALLACE OPPOSED
TO LONG CAMPA|G
Will Announce for Governor
in Due Time
OUTLINE OF ISSUES
Thinks State Is Too Large for Any
Candidate to Enter Race on
Single @Issue-Deplores Early
Announcements
OUTLINE OF ISSUES

Montgomery, May 9.-(Special) John
FL. Wallace, Jr, state game and fish COM
missioner will be candidate for gov
ernor, but he will make no formal an
nouncement until the proper time has ar
rived.
VIII not open headquarters for sew
eral months" he declared In a statement
Which he issued this afternoon. nor will
be a party to the torture and harass-
ment about to be visited upon the peo-
pie"
Commissioner Wallace deplores that the
contest for the gubernatorial nomina ton
has been launched so early, and maintains
that the time Is not yet ripe for the pros
ecution of political campaign. The
proper time for PRIMARY elections Is in
August, he asserts, and all primaries
whether state, congressional or county,
should be held on the same day, thereby
saving both expense and annoyance to
the people.
According to Mr.. Wallace, the last pri-
mary election for governor was held in
May, owing to the condition that arose
out of the excitement incident to the
prohibition amendment fight.
In his statement Mr.. Wallace declares
that the state is too large for a candidate
TO be elected governor on single Issue
The commissioner of the game and fish
department then gives a brief summary
OF his platform-the cessation of agita-
tion, better educational facilities, local
option with the county as a unit railroad
regulation, retrenchment. lower taxes
rural credits and Increased appropriations
for needy confederate soldiers. He also
stands for the bonding of officials who
handle public money state control of hy-
dro-electric companies enlargement Of
the powers of the rs1road commission and
great centennial exposition in 1919.
Wants South Carolina Plan Adopted
Commissioner Wallace favors the adop-
tion by the state democratic executive
committee of the plan which obtains in
South Carolina relative to making ap-
pointments on the same day for all can
didates for public office to speak to the
people. This plan allows the people an
opportunity to size up the candidates, OH
serving their manner, and estimating
their qualities.
In closing his staten ent and IN speak
ing further of this plan Mr.. Waliaca
SAYS:
"The plan that I have suggested would
enable a democrat OF modest means to
enter the race for governor. for wealth is
no imperative corollary of worth. nor is
ism or of the character that a governor
should possess"
Commissioner Wallace issued his state
ment just before leaving tonight for Bir
mingham, from which city he will go to
Alfalfa Tuesday TO address the graduating
class of the Etowah County High school
at that place
Wallace Makes Statement
Concerning his we'll known guberna-
torial aspira tions, Mr.. Wallace said:
Il will be a candidate for governor
my formal announcement will be made
at the proper time. l will not open
headquarters for several months, nor
will | be a party to the torture and
harrassment about to be visited upon
the people.
THE state is too large, its civiliza-
tion too complex. it's population too
heterogeneous for a candidate to be
elected governor on one single issue.
] favor a cessation of agitation, the
education of every white child in Ala
bama, local option with the county as
a unit the regulation of railroads and
all other public utilities, within consti-
tutional limitations, retrenchment and
lower taxes. rural credits and financial
ratings for farmers. increased appro-
priations for needy confederate SOL
diers. l oppose the creation of new Of
fees I stand for the bonding of all
officials who handle public money, the
efficiency of official service, taking the
little children out of the cotton mills,
striking vengeance from the criminal
law. the suppression of incendiarism,
state control and regulation of hydro
electric companies, enlarging the pow
ers of the railroad commission so as
to include all public utilities, and a
great centennial exposition. befitting
the growth and aspirations of splen-
did state in 1919.
II deplore that the contest for the
Eubernatorfal nomination has been
launched so early. The proper time for
primary elections is in August All
primaries, state, congressional and
county should be held on the same day,
thereby resulting in great saving of
expense and annoyance to the people.
Former Primaries
THE election of the prohibition
amendment to the constitution was held
on November 20, 1909, and announce
ments for governor were not made un-
til December following. BY reason of
the fact that the people were excited
and 1t was felt necessary to quiet the
public mind. the state democratic ex-
ecutive committee called the last pri-
mary election for governor on May s,
1910. The fact that IT was called so
early was due entirely to the condition
that arose out of the excitement incl
dent to the prohibition amendment
fight.
Last year the primary was held on
April 1 because 1T was necessary to Sc
lect delegates to the national demo-
cratic convention that was called TO
meet in June.
THE time is not ripe for the prose-
cution Of political campaign. Those
engaged in the business of agriculture
desire to gather and market their
crops during the fall and early win
ter months; after that time the wealth
er and roads are usually bad which
would prevent the people from attend
ing in large numbers the political
meetings where the issues of the cam
paign are discussed. During the spring
all farmers who have no desire to neg
lect business for politics will be en-
gagged in planting and cultivating their
crops, hence the suitable and the right
time to hold the state primary Is in
August, 1914.
"The people have elected me by an
overwhelming majority to the office of
state game and fish commissioner and
will not neglect during the winter
months, which is the busiest season of
the department over which ] preside
the duties of my office in order 20
prosecute a political campaign, even
though I should be guaranteed in adj
vance the nomination to the office of
governor. shall strive to remain faith
xul to my present trust.
South Carolina Plan
t4srancerely hopo that the state demo-
!. prSxecutive committee will adopt
40th Carolina plan and make APP