It’s once again time to delve into the past and revisit news of yesteryear.

The election year continues to dominate The Baldwin Times this week in 1896, as the front page is filled with a letter to the editor by C.W. Joseph, announcing his candidacy for state legislative representative. In his letter, Joseph touted his support of free coinage because he believed the value of gold system was waning.

“What has caused the shortage in values?” he wrote. “Evidently, the British gold standard, fastened on us by the Republican party in 1893.”

Also tossing in his hat for the position was Stockton farmer John G. Aikin. In his letter to the editor, the candidate explained his ideas on issues that evidently were not commonplace in Victorian-era Baldwin County.

“I advocate that a portion of the taxes shall be set aside for the benefit of public schools,” he wrote, “enough to give a nine-months term.”

Announcing candidacy for Baldwin County Superintendent of Education was D.C. Byrne, who was serving as the county’s Democratic convention chairman.

As for the convention, Byrne also announced that Baldwin County’s Democratic convention would be coming up on April 15 in Daphne. According to the proclamation, the convention would require five Stockton delegates, four representatives from Bay Minette and two from Perdido.

According to The Times, the convention would be preceded by the Democratic primaries on April 11 of that year. Thus, Editor A.J. Abner announced the upcoming edition would be the last chance for candidates to make their cases before the election.

“Candidates who desire to say anything to the voters can do so in that issue of The Times at the special low rate of one-half a cent per word, cash in advance,” Abner stated.

One candidate who seemed to have plenty of support was gubernatorial candidate Joseph Johnston, who would go on to win and serve a term as Alabama’s governor. His nomination as candidate for the Democratic party was forecast by an anonymous commentary.

“Verily, the 11th day of April will be a day of deliverance of the Democratic Party from bitterness and strife inside the party, and will be a day for rejoicing among Democrats all over the state,” the 19th-century commentator stated.

Politics wasn’t the only subject filling the weathered pages of The Times. Instead, an announcement indicates that health issues and how they were handled differed greatly from modern times.

“The summer quarantine will begin on April 15th, when all vessels entering Mobile Bay will have to undergo inspection, calling at the station near Fort Morgan, at the entrance of Mobile Bay for this purpose,” the announcement stated.

It seems such precautions were necessary, as another article reported that two people from New Orleans visited Mobile while being infected with smallpox.

“It didn’t spread,” the article stated.

From politics to health-related issues, it seems looking back at news of old confirms the fact that times may change, but our concerns remain the same.

That’s all for this edition. Check back next week for another perusal of The Baldwin Times of yesteryear.