Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-20
Four Districts Where Democrats
May Be Beaten.
RESULT OF FUSION AND PARTY ERRORS
Combinations of koIbites, PopuIists
and Republicans.
THE FIGHT ON benson
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

blRMlNGf1AM, Ala, October 10, 1904.
The congressional campaign in Alabama
becomes more heated as election day ap-
proaches. The situation is so complicated
that the best-posted politicians are unable
to predict with any degree Of certainty
Just what results the election will bring
forth. That the battle ground is in north
Alabama, where the populists and Kolbites
are strongest, Is generally admitted by DO
!itical leaders on both sides.
Nominations of all parties are now COM
plete. The Kolbites, populists and republi-
cans, who have combined in this state, so
far as the organizations of those three par
ties could effect combination, completed
their nominations about two weeks ago.
naming republicans in four districts and
kolbites and populists in the remaining
1--WE. Not until yesterday, though, did the
democrats make their last nomina ton. The
democratic district congressional conven-
tions all met on September 4, and nominal
lions were made in every district except the
sixth In that district the convention re-
manned deadlocked for five days, when ad-
journment was taken and a primary or
dered for two weeks later. 1t resulted in
the denomination of Congressman John H.
Bankhead.
Where Democrats Lost Time.
The democratic nominee in the fourth
district was Mardis l.. Wood of Selma
About two weeks after he was nominated
he created a big political sensation by an
nouncing that for personal reasons he had
resigned the omination. 1t was reported
that Secretary Carlisle had rendered him
an authorship in tie Treasury Department
The district committee then met and or
dered party primary election, the candi-
Att
TO be declared the nominee. The election
occurred about two weeks ago. The candi-
dates were Congressman CASTOR A. Rob-
bins, Col. John NJ. Caldwell of Admission
The result was not known for several days,
and finally it was announced by the secre-
tary of the committee that Capt. Plowman
was the nominee. The announcement
created surprise among democrats, who had
supposed that Plowman was the weakest
man In the race. 1t was at once charged
that fraud had been committed, it being
claimed that the vote Plowman received at
the party primary in Talladegd, his own
county. was considerably larger than that
cast by the democrats at the state election.
Capt. Plowman said he didn't want the
nomination if there was any imputation
that he had gotten ii by fraud, so he Joined
the other two candidates Messrs Caldwell
and Robbins, in call fo- a meeting of the
state democratic committee to consider the
matter The committee met last Thursday
and after a two days session decided that
the primary was irregular, because it was
not in &C cOrdance with the rules and regu-
lations laid down by the tate committee
for making nominations for Congress. The
committee then ordered the convention
which had met September 4 and nominated
Mr.. Wood to recOnvene. This body met in
Admission yesterday and nominated Con-
gresham CASTOR A. Robbins on the first
ballot, Plowmar and Caldwell both having
withdrawn from the race. The democrats
in the fourth district have been quarreling
for over a month over the nomination, and
10 little ill-feeling has been engendered
in consequence. Senator Morgan was pres
ent at yesterdays convention, and in a
speech after Mr.. Robbins nomination coun-
seled harmony and unity In the party.
Endorsed by kOlbites and POpuIists
The democrats in the fourth district have
a strong opponent in the person of W. F.
Aldrich. republican nominee who has been
Endorsed by both the Kolbite and pCpulist
conventions. Aldrich and his supporters
have been much encouraged over the demo-
cratic dissensions, and have been making
hay" so to speak, while the democrats have
been quarreling. Democratic leaders how
ever, say now that as Robbins was renomi-
mated fairly all the party will fall into line
and support him. The democrats in that
district have but three weeks in which to
make their canvass, while Aldrch has been
on the stump for month or more already
S6pator. Morgan, who has actively entered
the campaign in this state. has already gone
into the fourth which is his own district and
is making speeches for Robbins and doing all
he can to unite the party, and insure the
election OF the democratic nominee. The
light in the fourth seems sure to be close.
The Fight ON Deuson