The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-12

The extraordinary or rather the Hnlore- seen and unexampled political situation, an extra session of the legislature to re- scind a call for constitutional conven- tion made by the regular session, recently adjourned, carried in the train of events various phenomena clustering about the conduct of two citizens, both of long and honorable service in public affairs, both in the highest offices, Senator Morgan and Governor Johnston.
 These distinguished citizens had been neighbors in Selma from the fall of the i. Confectionery in 1865 to the removal Of ? Morgan to Washington in the early win ter of 1877. They were "neighbors" in the scriptural sense. They held hands in pulling the state out of the mire, where it lay prostrate. wounded, bleeding at every pore. They were assigned to diff ferent parts in the tragedy, but the part of each was dependent upon the capacity, the fidelity and above all the self-sacrifice of the other. Their names were known ,s only in notes of praise from the mountains to the sea.
 It is now 1899. In the campaign of Oates for governor in 1894, Senator Nor gan participated actively The legisla- ture then to be elected would choose his successor. He was nearing the close of his third term. No serious opposition to him had developed He had made most honorable name for himself and increased the reputation of the state. He was a bit ter enemy of President Cleveland, then in office and the President had become unpopular in Alabama. The Alabama sen ator was member of commission the year before, 1893, that had been appoint ed by President Harrison, republican, |. shortly before his own term expired to arbitrate at Paris on the part of the United States the Alaskan seal fisheries question then threatening the harmony of this country and Great Britain. The contention of the United States was dis allowed by the European arbitrator, but z Morgan made perhaps more reputation in the court trying the case than any ndi- vidual advocate engaged on either side . In New York, where he took rassage he received marked honors. There he made speech, suggestive of his opinion on the claims of the United States in the Alaskan question and boldly declaring that the government of the United States should embrace the North American con- tinent "even Newfoundland" The New Workers cheered lustily
 The foreign commission returned early in October and Senator Morgan took his seat at once in tl1e special session of the Congress which had been called by Pres 4 ident Cleveland to put the country on the ' single gold standard He delivered from his place a very excellent speech in op position to the President, among the lat est of the great debate that had exclusive ly engaged the Senate in the several months of extra session. His colleague Senator Pugh. also spoke on same side. The Senate debate on this move ment of the President was-sperhaps the abest discussion of any one topic in the English tongue ever then published Every senator spoke, on side or the other in carefully and elaborately pre- pared argument, that covered the known monetary systems and experiences of all nations ancient and modern, mon archical and republican. The speech of Senator Morgan must be allowed as among the ablest delivered. although it came after the leading senators, on both sides. had exhausted their capacity on the subject
 f Oates, in the House, had spoken, or at least had published in the Record a speech of much force sustaining the President in that same extra session Thus when Morgan came to Alabama the next year to speak for Oates candidacy for governor he must necessarily fight shy of the ex- tra session and the matter there.
 Oates had been nominated by a party state convention that ignored the coinage question for sake of party harmony in the state, then in imminent straits from the activity of Capt. R. F. Kolb. The state convention was made up of county delegates, selected by county conventions themselves made UP by beat delegates who had been chosen by beat primaries
 In the beat primaries Senator Morgan had given support, from Washington, to his personal friend and political ally Capt. Joseph F. Johnston, against Col w. C. Oates. 1t was accepted at the time as fact that when the senator reached Birmingham in this campaign of ls9a Captain Johnston gave him a dinner at the captains home there. select com pany entertained, of whom John w. Perkins of Marshall county was one. At this private dinner the senator remarked upon his then pending candidacy for a fourth term, that in view of his age, 76, he would have reached, six years hence, 1900, he would not become candi- date at that remote date fer reelection and turning to his host at table. said. T leave my succession to you.'
 The senator had lost nothing of mental force when 1900 came His senatorial labor had become very dear to him. He became candidate to succeed himself, and the whole union wished him well.
 Senator Morgan appropriated different occasions to do some indirect electioneer- ing in Alabama for himself and against any movement that Governor Johnston might contemplate against him as can dictate for the Senate in 1900. Accord 1ngly, when the governor issued his proc i0mati0n. suTnmoning the legislature to meet May 29 1S99 to repeal the enabling act to call constitutional convention, the eenator. at Washington. seized the op-