Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-16
K-MAYOR CROOK TALKS
Says BesSemer Is Growing Right
 Along.
HIS CITY FOR JOHNSTON
Faeors a Liberal Policy on the Part of the State Committee in the Interest
 of the Party.

A representative of the State Herald had a pleasant chat yesterday with MT. H. w. Crook, Bessemer's eX-mayor.
 Mr. Crook presided over the destinies of Birminghams pride suburb for two years and was defeated for the third term a short time since by republican opponent after one of the hottest local contests ever experienced in that little city
 Speaking of Bessemer as whole, MT. Crook says the business interests for the past several months have been very sat isfactory; all the merchants report an exceptionally good trade; the population is larger than ever before Tn the history of the city; within the past sixty days nine handsome business houses have been erected and are now occupned, ana quite a number of residences have been built, which are also occupied. There exists a better feeling in real estate, the result of people buying property on which to erect homes, and but little spec ulation in real estate is going on.
 'The Bessemer Land and Improvement company" continued MT. Crook, mas seventy cars of fire brick on hand to be used in the building of the steel plant No active work, however, is being done further than the cleaning up Of the grounds and the unloading of cars.
 Our schools are in very prosperous condition, indeed. We have in our pub lie schools, black and white, about 800 pupils, and in the Montezuma university about 100 making in all about 900 regular attendants. The MonteZuma university is winning an enviable reputation and now boasts a fair number of attendants from distance.
 "Altogether Besscmer has no room to complainant fact the city is prosperous doing we'll"
 Having recently gone through a politi- cal battle. MT. Crook" put in the paper man. possibly you can give us good idea of the political status of your city and beat"
 "There is mo excitement here among democrats. The republicans and popu- lists, I understand. have been caucusing frequently of late,- and there is no doubt ing the fact that they are marshaling their strength to strike the old democrat ic ship with their forces combined, and the leaders are using every means at their command to perfect a thorough or ganization.
 This beat will be an important factor fin the next election. Two thousand vot- CTS will register; HOO registered in the re- cent city election, and there are number of works in the beat outside of the city employing many men and voters"
 "Who appears to be the choice or the democrats for governorW
 q have not canvassed the matter. MT. Clarke Is very little known and very lit tie talked of. But however well MT. Clarke may be known, of course Besse- mer will be for Captain Johnston. While some of our people do not agree with Captain Johnston in his financial views they are not disposed to oppose hffI on that ground; besides. gold standard man would stand no show at all at the general election. There are many like myself, who will vote for anybody the party may nominate, but there Is no use denying the fact that the party harness does not rub some people like 1t used to.
 What action do you think the state executive committee should take as to who should be allowed to participate In our party primaries?'
 "Speaking for my section and the best interest of the party. I think all restric- tions should be removed and every white man. matters not for whom he voted in the past, be allowed to participate if hs purpose is to align himself with the dem- ocratic party and support the action of its conventions in the future"
 But how can the state executive com mittee know what the purpose of the in- dividual voter is?"
 "As to that point; l think the commit tee should leave it to the discretion of the democratic voters of the precinct. If a voter is false in his purpose he will be spotted ere he reaches the polls. and no true democrat, regardless or ms pre1er- ence for candidates, will Insist upon his voting. This Is the only means I see by which we can regain our lost strength. We have been too rigid in our party re- strictions and 1t would have been much better had the halt been called along this line long since."
 How do you people stand on the hhah- cial question:
 "As before intimated, we have both free silver and gold standard advocates vet to be candid, do not think an advo- cate of the gold standard could carry this beat for any office. 1t matters not by what party nominated. The old line. un- moving democrats would vote their party ticket just as given them. but the trouble is there Is not enough of the unmoving left to carry the election"
 AAilelnAA HHM &AH