Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-15
AN INTERESTING CONTEST AHEAD.


During the next two weeks we are
promised lively time in Birmingham.
There are four candidates for the Of
flee of mayor now in the field. 1t is
very nice plum and those in the fight
for it appear to be very much in earnest.
The size of the plum and the shortness
of the time in which the race is to be
made guarantees a lively campaign.
Mr.. T.. " Evans, the nominee of the
city democracy, is at work already in
dead earnest, and has many strong sup
porters who are pressing his cause to the
front in a lively manner Mr.. Evans has
been a citizen of Birmingham for a num-
Der of years and the handsome majority
he received over his competitor in the
primary marks him as a strong man. lie
is a splendid political worker, a good
talker, an excellent mixer and an ag-
gressive fighter in politics.
Mr.. Enslen, who is an Independent
candidate, and his friends are moving
up all along the line. They show I'M
mistakable signs that they are to be
heard from during the contest. In fact,
Mr.. Enslen appears to be in the fight for
all there Is in it. He has been citizen M
Birmingham for many years. AS busi-
ness man none can question his ability
for he has visible proof of his success.
Mr. C. F. Enslen, whom everyone knows
to be a young man possessed OF many
sterling qualities, appears to have taken
charge of his fathers campaign when
means that they will soon demonstrate
that the man who wins out over them
will not be safe in permitting any grass
to grow under his feet.
Mr.. Lowrey, who has been longer III
the race than any of the other candidates.,
is a strong young man. 1t Is safe 10 as
sumo that he has not been idle. Having
entered the contest as an independent
candidate for the office some time pefore
1t was known who would be the party
nominee, it is very reasonable to sup
posed that Mr.. Lowery has his FENCES
well up and his plans for the contest well
matured AS an evidence that ne Is
good business man, can be cited the fact
that for three years he held an import
ant position at the head of the money
order department of the postoffice In THIS
CITY. 1t can be said, therefore, that Mr.
Lowery promises to cut an important
figure in the campaign now on.
At the very last moment,and when near
ly everybody had come to regard the race
for mayor this year between Messrs.
Evans, Enslen and Lowery, Mayor j. A.
VanHoose SHE'D his caster into the ring.
OF course, this was done at the earnest
solicitation of many friends"
Having only decided last Wednesday to
make the race, it is to be presumed that
Mr.. VanHoose has not yet got his forces
s.,
But he is known as a hustling cam
naiener and it is safe to say that by
Tuesday night there will be but few II any
cans down in the mayors political lines.
Two years ago Mr.. VanHoose was the
candidate of that element in the city
which took unto itself the name or re-
form" a name under which many num-
cinaI contests have been fought and a
good many won The reform candidate
won by a large majority two years ago,
and since that time he has occupied the
office of mayor.
To MANY people the administration OF
Mr.. VanHoose has been highly satisfac-
tory. Others have not been pleased WITH
II and it can be said truthfully that some
who supported him in his first confess
will not be for him this time. But tha'
is frequently the case. 1t is certain that
| a man who succeeds in securing an Of
flee and fails to gain some new frienos
while in the office will find himself weak
er when he seeks reelection than ne
was on the first round, for he Is certain
to loose some of his old stand-bys.
That Mr.. VanHoose is a good business
man will not be gainsaid by anybody
who knows him. He has many strong
friends who will join with him in making
his part in the campaign during the next
two weeks lively.
It is evident that IL prosperity gets
here within the next two weeks 1t VIII
find a hot contest going on to determine
who shall preside over the destinies OF
this city during the next two years ana
draw the handsome salary OF tWenty-six
or twenty-seven hundred dollars annn-
ally.