The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-01
EIGHT GOVERNORS OF ALABAMA
 l874-19O1
No. 116-Something of the Silver Agitation
 Thomas c. Jones, Governor

repeating the sherman law, and thus throwing the silver dollar from the coin- age. Both Alabama senator's Messrs. Pugh and Morgan, opposed it. The Senate debate was prolonged through the latter days of August all of September and all of October until November i, when the
 vote was taken and the bill to repeal car ried.
 The white mans party in the state was
 now split into three factions. one calling itself regulars" who abided by the na- tional platform and repudiated President
 Celeveland. This was the main element.
 Another clung to MT. Cleveland and re-
 pudiated the platform. This faction was
 few in numbers. The third faction was
 the populist party. still led by Captain
 kolb in great numbers.
 A. G. Smith. lawyer of Birmingham,
 native of Sumter county, where he had
 ben leader of his people In the darkest
 period of military usurpaton, was chair
 man of the state committee of the reg ulars. Capt A. ]. Godowyn of Elmore, a state senator, was chairman of the state committee of the populist party. In Jan
 uary, iS9i. before either faction had put
 platforms or candidates in the field for the state election to transpire in August of that year. Goodwin addressed a formal note to Smith. II was thought that as the great majority of the regulars were anti-Gleveland. while the populsts' main plank was free coinage, something might be done by conference of the respective
 heads Of committees to effect CO.,
 allesences. r ~
 Goodwyns note was direct and prac- teal. He proposed a primary vote Only
 white qualified voters might participate
 The fundamental question to be submitted was, which of the two organizations the | regulars or the populists was the democ- F .etT s,f l.1.
 Smith summoned his committee to Bir-
 mingham. The decision was the Good wyn plan opened the primary which was to determine the question. to all white vot- CTS and therefore to democrats and re- puhlicans alike, and was thus made not | available.
 Seeing this action, Chairman Goodwin
 amended his original note to Smith to read all voters who were in good standing with the democratic and conservative party prior to the Kolb bolt of June g. 1892. This latter proposition, looking to a ce- menting of the white mans party, was also renounced by Smiths committee Both factions then began to prepare for
 repetition of the contest between them- selves of 1892, when Jones and kolb were the candidates for governor.
 A singularly important public event
 ranspired in Birmingham in the fall of 1892, which filled the city from other
 states. as well as from the counties, with immense throngs for several days This
 was the annual reunion of the Confederate eVterans.
 A rude circular building with sawdust floor and plank benches. seating capacity to perhaps 5000 called Winnie Davis wig
 wam. was hastily built on the then va
 cant space on the south side of First avenue between Twenty-first and Twenty second streets. for the customary meet ings of the order The building was used in February, 1894 for the accommodation of the largest political meeting ever seen in the state. Of this we shall tell in an- other number.
 JOHN WITHERSPOON DUBOSE