The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-13

l Col. Daniel S. Troy took the problem
 of his party honor and party cohesive ness by the horns. He was a democrat, without fear and without reproach. but first citizen who accepted the respon- , sibility of his personal and political char acter, won by himself, and his God given talent held in trust fer employment. Alabama was not responsible for the piebald electorate with which the state was burdensd. That affliction had been mercilessly loaded upon her by the con- queror to intensity the fact of her con- quest by the sword. All respectable peo- pie in the state and without looked upon the biennially recurring state election
 merely as the opportunity to put the best man in office under guise of law, but in truth by fair means or foul.
 The necessity was upon us The cour- age to dare all or die was ours. We won and the God of heaven and earth smiled upon our endeavors and upon our success. Had we faltered there could nave been no Birmingham: there could nave been no Coosa river water power no prairie alfalfa fields; no Denny and the university; no Yancey centennial.
 But the flood tide of political expediency In the name and form of ''elections'' had been reached and fulfilled the righteous purpose
 The party of 1874 was dismembered kolb controlled large fraction of that party and kolb contested at the polls with Oates and his fractional part
 In this crisis Colonel Troy detected im- minent peril to the political character of the state. He came boldly, unselfshly eioquently to the front of the situation 10 demand return to the rule of fair elections, which had ever controlled in Alabama in her normal political life and evolution.
 Colonel Troy used freely the col umns of the Birmingham Peoples Tri- bune, Kolb's papers. There and else where he published a call for con- ference of delegates to the number of 500 to assemble in Birmingham from all the counties on November I3 1Sa5 The project was thoroughly worked over and influences put in reoutsition to conSregate for the occasion a body or men so respectable in numbers and so important in personnel that no hos liie force could successfully assail it's dignity or It's wisdom
 The invitation was instantly and enthusiastically accepted on it's own terms by the faction that had voted Tor kolb against Oates. Colonel Troy With great labor had perfected A svs- tenn or representation in the confer ence to reach the masses. Birmingham streets were alive with the delegates rom 24 to 36 hours In advance Hon J. C S1bley member of Congress from a Pennsylvana district and millionaire farmer of that state came. Ex-Goyer- nor William H. Smith occupied a seat of honor on the stage.
 Alas, disaster befell the movement only few days before the date named Tor the assembling of the delegates. The promoter and leader, Colonel Troy passed from life suddenly at his home at Montgomery. No leader had pre pared himself to take up the intent of Colonel Troy. The vast thronr of people in attendance was as shin without rudder. Troy planned inc meeting; Troy had a design. None pres ent seemed willing to lead in his stead nor in truth did anyone know with ac curacy the full scope of his mind in the premises.
 The meeting became important how ever. in this that 1t proved the read mess of exGovernor Smith and the free silver republicans led by him to act in the forthcoming state and na- tional elections of S96 with any party that favored the restoration of silver to the hints and the restoration of bimettalism to the policy of govern ment.