The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-12
Overwhelming Victory Is Hardly Possible for
 Either Candidate
SEEDS FOLLOWING
 WILL DECIDE ISSUE
Some Reasons Why This Cannot Be Expected to Go Entirely to Comer-Is Prohibition
 an Issue?
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

The gubernatoria1 contest between Charles Henderson and B. B. Conner will not result in an overwhelming victory for either candidate. The struggle will be bitter-perhaps sensational. The outcome Is entirely speculative The two most significant features are dD, The following of Walter D. Seed of Tuscaloosa will decide the is- sue; and CD. the following of Mr Co., mer realizes for the first time that it Is possible for the opposition to defeat it's leader
 In the event that the railroad com mission at it's meeting Monday or at any other meeting prior to May II. puts into operation an equitable freight schedule. a schedule embodying not only the "11o commodity bill" but pro- vision for cheaper boots and shoes and coats and pants and hats and under clothing, Mr. Henderson will in all probability win the election If the commission dallies and hedges and hes ltates and halts, then Mir Conner will be elected.
 At best, therefore. the race is of doubtful issue. It is just as plain now that the candidates are running neck and neck as it was two months ago that Conner would receive a plurality and that Henderson would be second man.
 The Seed Following In virtue of the fact that the action of the railroad commission in regard to freight schedule is a matter of the future, speculation in the present i,, lowing of Seed will cast itself.
 The Conner following, declaring that the Seed following is a prohibition fol- lowing, is absolutely confident that it's strength will go to Conner, this de- spite the fact that Conner is not a prohibitionist and has stated that pro hlpltion in the gubernatorial contest is not the issue.
 The Henderson following, aruging that Seeds following is not a pro- hlbltion following but a personal fol- lowing, that the professional and po- litieal prohibitionists, guilty of a base and cowardly betrayal of Seed voted for Conner, is absolutely confident that the bulk of the Seed vote will go to Henderson.
 In the second feature of the analysis therefore, one concludes that the out come, as in the first, is entirely spec uiatiYe. If the Seed following is a pro- hibition following, it will go to Co., mer for the Rev. Brooks Lawrence will so instruct. If the Seed following is personal following, it will go to Hen derson. For bitterly did Conner ar raign Seed during the preliminary bat tie that the friends of Seed can sup port him-if at all--with only little heart and absolutely no enthusiasm.
 Betrayal of Seed
 It Is a well known fact in Alabama political history that the professional prohibitionists, an organization, en- ter a contest for the purpose of win ming. They do not attach themselves to any standard with the idea of re- maining firm when the day is dark and the dawn appears far distant. For that reason the prohibitionists, as an organization, may find comfort in the betrayal of Seed. If there has been in the history of Alabama any candidate cruelty dealt with by those whom he befriendded by those for whom he sac rificed his future. that man has been Seed
 As is remembered, Mir. Seed was candidate for governor against the present chief executive and Col. H. s. D. Mallory. It was apparent on the surface that the prohibitionists had no chance with Mallory and Seed in posi- tion to split their vote. The prohibit tion politicians reached an agreement that Mallory was the stronger man. They pulled Seed down and they gave Seed to understand that in the next campaign they would go down the line" for him.
 And when the next campaign opened, they betrayed him. MT. Seed opened his campaign by declaring for state wide prohibition. Mir. Conner declared that prohibition was not the issue And yet the official organ of the prohibition party declared, not for Mir. Seed, but for MT Conner and MT. Seed. As a result, MT. Seed was slaughtered Had the pro- hibitionists stuck to him as they stuck to Mallory and as they stuck to R. P. Hobson he would have received a plu- rality.
 Smith and Seed
 The Conner following, despite the above facts, congratulates itself that MT. Seed has declared for MT. Conner. Mr. Seed has stated that if the man was the issue he would support Henderson, but inasmuch as MT. Conner more near ly represents the issue of prohibition, he would support MT. Conner It Is in- teresting in this connection to note that
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