The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-17
KILBY NOT SEEKING
TO INJECT LIQUOR
ISSUE INTO RACE
@. II. Parker Replies to Let
ter of Jere King CRITICS.
ing Admission Candidate
for Governor

|
! letter of Jere c. King, i'm which the
latter criticized the statement of Lieu
tenant Governor Thomas r. I<iIby, given
out in connection with the latter's re-
cent announcement for governor Mr.
Parker quotes from the announcement
of Mr.. Kilby in refutation of Mr. Kings
charge that the lieutenant governor
was seeking to inject the liquor question
into the coming gubernatorial cam
paign.
! The references made by Mr. King to
the need existed for big man in the
governors chair and the alleged polit-
| ical activities of the Alabama Power
company call forth vigorous and spe-
cifc replies from Mr.. Parker, who as
serts that Lieutenant Governor Kilby
meets in every way the specifications
laid down by Mr.. King. He declares that
the position of the Admission candidate
| for governor in regard to the relations
of labor and capital are not only well
known, but have been proved through
years of business practice.
The reply of Mr. Parker follows
To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
| In your issue of September IL
notice that Hon. Jere c. King makes
comment on the announcement of my
friend, Hon. Thomas e. Kilby, 1ieuten-
ant governor, as a candidate for the Of
| flee of chief executive, and coming, as
| 1t does, from a man of Mr.. Kings repu-
tation as lawyer, a cautious man who
| Is reputed to think twice before he
/ speaks, the communication is rather
surprising, as it would seem that Mr..
| King failed to read the announcement
which he criticizes
| In the first place Mr.. King would
keep the liquor question out of the next
| gubernatorial campaign, and in this de-
sire he is one with Mr.. Kilby. l quote
from Mr.. Kilby's announcement:
| while Mr. Kilby will be uncompro-
missing and unequivocal in his cham
pionship of the present state prohibit
ton laws, for which he has worked
ever since his stormy career as the
law enforcement mayor Of Admission,
he vouchsafes the hope that this ques-
ton may not be the overwhelming
Issue that it has been in recent years, to
the end that the voters may give their
calm dispassionate consideration to re-
medal measures for the rehabilitation
OF the states financial affairs He hopes
to see the present laws remain I'M
changed as regarding the liquor cues
ton, and that prohibition may have
fair trial. so that it's retention or its
repeal as a state policy may be DELI
nite1y and finally determined.
Mr.. King wants big men to come to
the front who love the state; who viii
discuss economics who Will stand Tor
progressive legislation, and state def
nitely what they stand for" Mr.. kilby
is lust such a man. and he has so well
fulfilled Mr.. Kings heartfelt desire in
stating exactly what he stands for that
the eminent Jefferson attorney should
read his remarks and become informed.
"rhe statement of Lieutenant Cover
nor Kilby that he is a banker ana
manufacturer may or may nov We
against him." Mr.. King avows. and
w hile Mr.. Kilby does not mention his
business connections in his announce
ment 1 assume that there is no one
better qualified than banker or man
ufacturer to discuss from practical
view point the question of economics
that seems to be uppermost In MT.
Kings mind. This might be sig
nal that he stands for big business
says Mr. King, who thereupon reviews
the alleged operations of the railroads
and the Alabama Power company In
their rumorer alignment with other In
forests in recent sessions or the Ala
bama legislature. His fears in this con-
nection again lead me to belieev that
nouncement, for in the newspaper in
terview given out by him and pub
lished in Birmingham newspapers, the
following statement occurs, VIZ
HE would encourage capital to come
to Alabama in every legitimate way,
but he believes AN end should be put
to the practice of granting special priv
ileges to special interests, big or lit
tie He says there is no real cause for
conflict between capital and labor, and
that the rights of both should be safe
guarded"
A statement justified in the light of
the exceedisgly cordial relations ex
listing between Mr.. Kilby and the men
employed at his plants.
Mr. King wants to know further If
| Mr. Kilby stands for workman's COM
pensation act, whether he would want
an act drawn at the hasds of COM
mittee of corporation lawyers. or by
an impartial tribunal; whether he
would favor a change in the admin
istration of justice; whether he stands
for taking the state convicts out of
the Mines" etc. Mr.. Kilby does favor
an equitable workmens compensa ton
act, and he answered the other ques-
lions affirmatively in his announce
ment, which Mr.. King seems not to
have read.
will big business have a friend at
controversy by having justice on their
| sice' if Mr.. Kilby is elected? Mr. King
would know. and I think I can best
answer that question by inviting Mr..
/ King to come over here to investi-
gate Mr.. Kilbys two terms as mayor
of Admission and his general attitude,
! public or private, when the cause OF
| the people was threatened by vested
| interests. He is not long-haired So
cialist; he believes in industrial devel-
| opment; he also believes in impartial
| justice to all classes Of men, and that
| he strives to attain this is proven in
| the record of the man.
1.-The sentry in the watch tower, who
| has the best interests of the state at
| heart, will ask, Who comes there? ;"
I Mr.. King eloquently concludes and if
| the fgurative Waterman will allow
lifelong friend of Tom Kilby to an
| swer, would say: "A man goes there
| a man of full statue. man who
lcathes little souls and pigmy minds;
a. man of courage. foresight and eau
ton; a man who has the faculty Of
translating into action, into tangible
realities the things for which he
stands on paper
| o. III. PARKER.