The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
THE FALLING OUT OF THOMPSON AND
 HUNDLEY IS RESULT
Bitter Words Between Leaders on Con- vcntion Floor Shows Lack of Unanimity Among the
 Party Leaders
Ny HUGH W. ROBERTS

Mababma, and seriously adopt platform and even more seriously name candidate for state office. it is very probable that within another six years unless an anti democrat is elected president. both fac tions will be remembered only by their names.
 The republican party of Alabama is like the republican party of the nation dead. The progressive party, although more virle, is on it's last legs. Tn desper- ation, that party in it's meeting in Bir- mingham last week, Incorporated in it's platform that which is destined to be a mischievous issue In Ala pama politics. woman suffrage. In even greater des- peration. it declared TOT prohibition and thus insidously laid snare for con- siderable element of democrats who lost their candidates in the primaries of April 6 and May Il.
 When the snare will fail of capture of prohibitionists. and when in the future democrats will settle among themselves the question of woman suffrage the pro- gressives will lose that punch which some of their leaders believe they have-a punch which is nothing more or less than ambitious spirit, and will as a result of their own impotency, unconsciously re- amalgamate with the "standpat' republi- cans.
 Progressives Fall Out
 On the surface at any rate, there is among the progressives none or ma, con geniality, comraderie, and harmonious union which has eve characterized movements which springing up in psychological moment, continually gained strength until they became formidable and permanent
 Abundant proof of this contention was offered in Birmingham last week In the county convention, the chairman, pr. Lewis of Bessemer, and the since elected chairman of the state executive commit tee, George $. Obear of Birmingham, after exchanging choicest bits of vitupera- ton, indulged in an exchange of blows. As a result a faction left the hall, and the second faction remained behind to carry out it's purpose. So serious, as matter of fact was the rupture, that leaders, for fear of continued animosity, abandoned the plan of holding the con gressiona district convention, and as consequence the progress1ves' candidate for Congress will not be named for sew eral weeks to come.
 The wrangle in the state convention over the question of prohibition would not have caused surprise or would not be referred to now as a sign of progressive disnterogation but for the fact that the two men best constituted to lead the forlorn hope displayed such bitterness in their verbal encounters. From thelr biting disputation, it appears that Judge Oscar R. Hundley and Joseph O. Thomp- son no longer lie down together in per feet amity.
 Hundley Is Girddled
 In the debate over prohibition. Judge Hundley, a prohibitionist who went to the questionable extreme of supporting Tn 1909 constitutional prohibition, took the position that prohibition should not be made a plank of the progressive platform. Mir Thompson. a prohibitionist. took the other position-that prohibition, because 1t was right" and because it was tempting bait to disgrunted democrats, should be adopted as a plank of the plat form.
 Following the remarks of Judge Hund- lev Mir Thompson, taking the floor, re- ferred to '.his Surprise in that a man of Judge Hundley's ability should argue that because prohibition had disrupted democratic ranks, prosressives should leave it alone. Judge Hundley was evil dently piqued at the thrusts of MT Thompson, was evidently under the inn pression that by indirection MT. Thomp- son had inferred< that he was lacking in political sagacity. For when he "came back he was almost unkind in his ref erences to MT. Thompson's political ven lures, so tart as a matter or Tact that when at later moment. Judge Hundiey was endeavoring to correct statement made by Colonel McElroy of Jasper, MT. rTlr- xx.fkt ,a,1t a shouted loudly and brusquely and with more than ordinary spirit 'The gentle man from Walker has the floor
 While the debate was so fast and fur1- ous that scarcely a man-found opportuni- ty to smile. there was great deal of humor in what Judge Hundley had said
 Thompson's Political Record
 MT. Thompson. in his argument in sup port of the prohibition plank. had urged it's adoption not only on account of his contention that prohibition was right, but because at this moment in Alabama politics, it was expedient
 Judge Hundley. stung by Mir Thomp- sons remarks, retorted by expressing doubt as to the expediency argument. and suggested that very probably the prohibi- tionists of the democratic party would in the fall election vote for anti-prohibition democrats. In support of his contention, he referred to the last general election in Alabama in which MT. Thompson was candidate for aovernor
 Then" shouted the judge ''his plat form was a prohibition platform. It con tained prohibition from beginning to the end Despite that fact. the democratic candidate orenlv against prohibition was victorious by tremendous majority Mir. Thompson received 21 900 votes. wheras in A'aha ma, MT. Roosevelt, an anti-pro- hit.tlonists. received 23.0Oo votes for the presidency"
 The Predcst fred Failure
 The falling out of the leaders-both of whom have held federal offices-and the sharp division in the ranks on the first plank of the platform, prohibition, does not of Itself mean the failure of the move ment because 1t would fail in Alabama were other and more plea sant conditions to prevail. But 1t does deprive the p'o- gressive party of It's hope that in the fu- ture it might become great orye ni,:a- tion in Alabama politics of practically equal streneth with the democratic party.
 Tn its present shape 1t is considered in the nature of joITe.
 Anti-democrats In the legisltture have three r,en, one Tn the upner and two in the lower house. Tn the next session of the Legislature, anti-democrats may have