Birmingham state herald., 1896-12-03
A SOLICITOR TO SELECT.

Only the signature of Gov. Johnston is necessary to create a vacancy in the so- lieitor's office here in Birmingham. The legislature on Tuesday passed the bill declaring the office vacant because of the illness of Solicitor James Little. The bill we understand, provides that MT. Little's successor should be elected by the gen. eral assembly.
 The solicitorship of Birmingham is in- deed an important position, especially to the law abiding people of this city No other city in Alabama has the environ ments that menace the peace and dignity of this community because no other city in Alabama is made by law the dumping grounds of nearly all the criminals of the state. We should have as solicitor here a man who is equal to the emergency, man whose ability and knowledge of the law would make him a terror to evil doers.
 There are several aspirants for the position. Some of them democrats and some of them very much out of line with the democracy of Alabama and of the nation, we are informed. In addition to the qualifications mentioned above the State Herald hopes the new solicitor, whoever he may be- will be a democrat and in line with the democracy of the state. We have every reason to believe that the general assembly will choose such a man. We do not think, all other things being equal, that man whose de- light 1t has been for many months past to criticise the kind of democrats who control the general assembly of Alabama T 1al a11a aR milton before that body with a man who was in the fight with and for the party It strikes us that the man against whose qualifications naught can be said, who is in every sense a democrat and took the stump for the success of his party and the men who now compose the general assembly should be given the preference.
 We do not charge that there are any candidates for solicitor to succeed MT. Little who are not democrats. We do not know how they all stood in the recent contest, but we do know that If there be any who talked against the party, its platform and candidates, but voted for them simply to prevent being charged in the future when they would probably turn up as candidates for an office that must come from the democratic party, that in the past they had voted against the party nominee, they should not be given precedence over men who gave the party, it's candidates and its platform their loyal and active support
 Only recently an attorney in Alabama was appointed to act as special assistant United States district attorney, and be- ferore he was sworn in the fact become noised about that he was democrat and had supported the democratic nominees. A telegram was hastened off to Washing ton and the appointment promptly re- yoked.
 With such occurrences as that taking place about over the country 1t certainly behooves the democrats who control the Alabama general assembly to see to It that democrats get fair treatment at their hands and that they do not give out any position that they have to give out to men who stand with the men who think a man who stood by, supported and voted for the democratic nominees should not be permitted to act even as special assistant United States district attor- ney.
 The State Herald hopes the general assembly will select a good man to fill the place that an ill-fate has taken MT. Little from and that he may be a man who is in line with the democrats who uoust select him.