The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-13
EIGHT GOVERNORS OF ALABAMA
 1874-1901
Mo- 127-Prelmnaries of the Johnston Clarke Contest
 William c. Oates, Governor

Captain Johnston's candidacy for the romination for governor on a bimotallic platform, really was the chief benefi- oiary of the Birmingham conference of November IS, 1895. There was doubt no- where that if Colonel Troy had survived that meeting, he would have been then and there nominated for governor, and the opinion was general. that the war ring factions of the party of 1874 would gladly have returned to their integrity Under him as sufficient and satisfying guide and leader.
 The democratic state committee took notice. It held an early meeting at Montgomery to provide for the state par ty nominating convention of 1896. This party machine, as the custom went, had been made up by the state convention of 1894 when Oates prevailed over Johnston. But Johnston, with masterly tact had succeeded in compelling an anti-Johnston convention to choose proJohnston state committee. to rule in the interval of nominating conventions-1S94-96.
 The Oates convention of 1894 presum- ably sound money, had itself named the chairman of the state committee for the ensuing two years, to-wit: Hon. Henry Clay Tomplxins of Montgomery. ex-At- torney general. always party leader now an extreme Cleveland, sound money dem- ocrat
  mittee met at Montgomery the next month, but one. following the Birming- ham Troy conference, Chairman Tomp- kins perceiving the" silver boom com plexion of it, shook the dust from his feet. He left the "city.' He resigned without apology or compunction of con- science. Committeeman John B. Knox. a young lawyer of the Calhoun school, from Anniston, was promptly put in his place by the automatic action of the body itself
 The committee upon attempting to de- liberate at once divided into two camps, sound money and silver loons
 The former segment developed a fancy for Hon. Richard H. Clarke, representa- tive in Congress from Mobile. for choice by the forthcoming state convention for governor and their leader in the critical juncture of state and national party poll tics. CapIain Johnston, of course, was the man favored for the same position. and prospects by the other and maJor segment of the committee.
 The movement set on foot by Colonel Troy was fermenting force, of immediate and irresistible effect The committee saw and proceeded accordingly Party primaries in all the beats of all the coun- ties were ordered for April Il. The state Tarty nominating convention was ordered for April 21. These dates were unusually early, but Captain Johnston had proposed or at least indorsed them
 In fact, several Johnston counties had acted prior to the issuing of the commit tee order in regard to primaries. John ston desired to keep up the spirit in his favor indicated by their action. Besides this motive the counties that had antici- pated the order of the committee had pro- ceeded on the "open bars" plan. This pleased Captain Johnston. 1t WAS indeed a reflected light from the Troy Birming- ham conference.
 The negro was yet a full fledged voter The committee sitting at Montgomery re- ceived letter from negro of Wilcox county. signed 'F. J. Marshall Chairman Afro-American League of Alabama" The letter asked for a ruling from the com mittee on the application, now presented of negroes who habitually voted the demo- cratic state ticket to participate in the forthcoming democratic primaries. MT Mardis l.. Wood, Johnstonian member from Dallas, moved that the application from the Afro-American league be re- ferred for determination to the counties in severalty. After warm debate, Wood s motion prevailed.
 The committee fixed ihe rule of appor- ticnment of delegates on. the population basis, thus continuing that which had prevailed in 1891, and thus the convention would be composed of 504 delegates. To Jefferson county was as signed a represen- ta ton of 30 delegates. No other county reached as many as %. The Clarke and Jcl nston sentiment vas supposed to be about equally divided in Jefferson at this early period of the campaign for governor
 JOHN WITHERSPOON DUBOSE.