The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-09
B. M. Allen, With Consent of Colleagues, Withdraws From the Race in Den sons Favor
STATEMENT GIVES REASONS FOR ACT
 IN PARTY INTEREST
Allen, Rushton, Spragins and Willett Say Denson Stands for Right Demo- cratic Principles

Something new in Alabama political his- tory occurred last night, when Ray Rush. ton, R. E. Spragins, Judge B. M. Allen of Judge N. D. Denson, one of their op- ponent, for delegate from the state at large to the democratic national conven- ton, and Judge Allen announced his with drawal in the interest of Judge Denson.
 For one time, at least, the voters have had convincing proof that some candi- dates mean what they said in their pre- election pledges, and that there come times in the affairs of nations when even candidates can be actuated by purely pa triotic motives.
 When Judge Allen, MT. Rushton Mr. Willett and Mir. Spragins announced S candidates for delegate to the democratic national convention, they made certain statements to the people of the state, setting forth their reasons for offering in the campaign
 They declared that the Hobson-Bryan federal prohibition leaders in Alabama had put out a slate for delegates from the state at large, and that the policies which these candidates of the opposition slate represented would prove hurtful to the Wilson administration and might be disastrous to the success of the national democracy.
 PROVE THEIR SINCERITY
 That they were sincere in these declara- tions and that they were making a fight in the interest of the national democracy and the Wilson administration was con- vincingly proved last night.
 When Judge N. D. Denson, one of the candidates adopted by the Bryan and federal prohibition forces of the state, declared himself on the questions at issue and came out strongly for the policies for which Messrs. Rushton. Allen, Sprag- ins and Willett were contending, they in- dorsed his candidacy. ~
 In order to prove their contention that they had no selfish ambitions in this fight, and were not actuated by any desire for personal glory it was decided that this indorsement should be followed by the withdrawal of one of the four candi- dates. Judge Allen, being the last to an- nounce. insisted that he should come out of the race, although he desired that it be expressly understood that he was in the fight to the finish in favor of Judge Denson, Ray Rushton, MT. Willett and MT. Spragins.
 THEIR FORMAL STATEMENT TO the Democrats of Alabama:
 Judge N. D. Denson, in a card to the press of April z, uses this language, in reply to our formal declaration
 "sI have never stood with MT. Bryan on the question of federal prohibition by amendment to the constitution, nor have sympathized with him in his policies of peace at any price, but am and have ever been squarely in line with the Presi- dent on these questions
 In reference to national prohibition, Judge Denson made this further avowal:
 believe every state should be al- lowed to act for itself on the question: Tt is needless to say that we read with great satisfaction this uneauivocal decfa- ration by democrat in whose s.acerity we have the utmost confidence.
 rlnding that he is in thorough accord with us on these paramount national is- sues on which we announced our can- didacy. we will now not only make no fight against him, but will ask the demo- crats of Alabama to vote for him.
 AS consequence, and in order to
 
 democratic principles are involved and after ccnferring with each other. in per- son and over the telephone, today, we find that all of us are in agreement that one of us should withdraw his candidacy, in order to make it clear that the fight is one involving the basic principle of democracy and not one of personalities. Each of us was willing to withdraw for this purpose, but MT. Allen insists that, as the last of the four to announce, it would be most appropriate for him to retire. and he has. accordingly, wired the chairman of the state democratic execu- tive committee and the secretary of state to withdraw his name.
 WILL CONTINUE IN FIGHT
 MT. Allen desires it to be distinctly un- derstood, however, that he will continue with us in this fight for democratic prin- ciples.
 'We anonunced as candidates for dele gate at large to the democratic na- tonal convention because of the fact that