The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-03
RUSHTON FORMALLY OPENS CAMP AIGN
 IN ATHENS SPEECH
Candidate Says There Is Too Much Class Appeal Being Made By Those
 In Race

Athens. April 2.-(Special.)- the the assembly room Of the Limestone county courthouse Ray Rusnton of Montgomery this afternoon made the orening speech of his campaign to sue cced Senator Bankhead.
 My only appeal is to the unbiased and untrammeled electorate; my only claim is lofty ideals of constitutions, government, and the only guarantee that I can give that I will maintain the principles so dear to the hearts os all freemen is the record of a life of industry. honesty and fidelity to prin- csple and the universal confidence and respect of those who know me-" de- clared MT. Rushton.
 The Montgomery candidate spoke for nearly an hour and his hearers gave of his speech a crowd gathered about sim and congratulated him upon his address. He was introduced by w. T. Sanders of Athens.
 Mir. Rushton made no criticism or his opponents other than to say that leach one is seeking by every means possible to jngratiate himself with some. certain class of voters based upon some claim of record made or promise to protect the special interest ct some and yield to the prejudices Of others.'
 'T would consider myself unworthy O. the great office of senator if to ob- tain 1t I made appeal solely to one set of men or to any one organization, league. class or occupation. Nor would : be worthy of that high honor if I made any promise or agreement that would subject me to the domination of any man or set of men to be guided by their whims. their pfejudices, their selfish desires or their biased judg- ment."
 Commenting upon the fact that the state Is now dominated and always will be by the white people, Mir. Rush. ton declared that this was true "be- cause of our alliance with and al- legiance to the national democratic rarty, the only party that has unquali- fiedly stood for the right of local self government"
 Continuing, he said "I am for that reason a partisan democrat. I owe it unqualified allegiance, and when it commands I will obey" MT. Rushton spoke ardently of his advocacy of local self-governmen and states rights, de. claring he did not believe the federal constitution should be clogged with matters pertaining to policy relations of the states. He said he was opposed tc the Eighteenth amendment, but that since it had been made a part of the constitution it was the duty of all citizens to support it. He referred to the salient features contained in his announcement for the Senate. In MT. Pushton's audience there were many young men who have fought in the war and to them the speaker addressed words that won ringing applause.
 TThis is your government" said MT. Eushton. Tt belongs to you. It re- quires no prophetic vision to foretell that you will soon. take charge of it and run 1t. I assure you there will never be any statute of limitation placed against you, but whatever you do demand or request, don't let it take the form of bonus. I don't mean it in any spirit of criticism but I can't keip but feel that the imputation of expecting a gift by way of additional pay for services willingly and pat riotically performed in defense of your homes and firesides smacks of rapa- ciousness unworthy of American man. hood"
 Mir Rushton left Athens tonight for Hartselle, Morgan county. where, he will speak on Saturday.