The log cabin Democrat., 1916-02-03
HODGES ISiIHfARD
 BY LARGE CROWD
ANSWERS MANY CHARGES
COLLOOUY BETWEEN CANDI- DATE AND COL. BRUCE
 FEATURES MEETING.
From Wednesdays Daily

speech in Faulkner county last nlghI before one of the largest audiences ever assembled in the courthouse. Despite the extremely cold weather, every seat in the circuit court room was occupied and nearly 100 people stood in the aisles and corridors throughout the speaking. MT. Hodg- es' address was principally defense of charges brought against him by ms opponent and an attack on the plat form of Dr. c. H. Brough. His own nlatform. the speaker said, could be stated in 30 seconds, and consisted only of a pledge to give the people safe, fair, conservative and economlc- al administration.
 MT. Hodges was introduced oy County Judge J. w. Holt, who paid high tribute to him as an Arkansas ,bov." and said that he had little doubt that he would be the next governor of the state.
 A feature of the speaking was colloquy at the conclusion of Mr. Hodges speech between him and Col. G. w. Bruce, a Brough supporter, of this city. Col Bruce interrogated the speaker regarding several charges brought against him by his opponents, which he said MT. Hodges had failed to explain in his speech. MT. Hodges said, q have not time to answer every dirty little lie that is being told about me-" but he explicitly replied to all of Col. Bruce's questions and his ans wers were apparently very satlstac- tory to the audience. The most lm- portant of the questions propoundeo by Col. Bruce related to two cases or theft of law books from the state, of which Hodges as secretary of state was custodian. In one case, MT. Hodges said he had traced the crim- final, secured positive evidence against him and had gone before the grand jury and had him indicted, even when the thief had threatened his lie TOT doing so. In the other case, MT. Hodges explained that the person m question had purchased one set oI supreme court reports and stolen a second set, afterwards disposing of both sets to innocent purchasers. AS the books were exactly alike, he said it was impossible to determine which was stolen and which lawfully obtaln- ed, and on the advice of the attorney general he had made no effort to re- cover the books from their present owners, one of whom is Maud Duna- way and the other Col. T. M. Me- haffy.
 The crowd loudly applauded Mr. Hodges, who admirably took care or himself under Col. Bruce's severe grilling.
 The speaker defended himself against charges of Dr. Brough that he was machine" candidate by stating that he made no pledges or promises to any member of the so- called "machine' and that he was re- lying solely upon the support of the common people for his election. lie charged, however, that the Robinson machine was bending every energy to elect Dr. Brough and that Dr. Brough admits that he entered into a coall- ton with Governor Hays and retired i from the race when Hays first De- came a candidate in order to secure the governors support in the present race.
 Mir. Hodges attacked pr. Brough's plan of a special millage tax for the support of the university and other state institutions and for bond issue to retire the state dept, which he declared was unnecessary and would mean increased taxes. lie said that Dr. Brough was recelvlng the support of the liquor interests, as was shown by the fact that the paid attorney of the liquor men was man aging his campaign at Little RocK' while one of only two senators who voted against statewide prohibition was in charge of the Brough head quarters at Fort Smith. He assailed his opponent for neglecting to men tion the ex-Confederates in his ad- dress and also ridiculed speech which he said Dr. Brough had de- liyered before an audience of l,oOo negroes at Washington, in which the declaration was made that the south ern white man had been treating the negro unfairly.
 The remainder of the address was largely along the lines of the printed
 speech of MT. Hodges. He did not mention his opponent, Judge l.. c. II Smith until his tilt with Col. Bruce and he then said that he did not con- , sider Judge Smith as real opponent Judge Smith is like man riding Tn
 a Ford automobile" he said, "He just imagines he is running"
 Following the address of MT Hodges. Hogan Oliver of Ashley