The age-herald., 1898-12-14
THE DEMOCRATS OF BESSEMER Very Sore Over Police Commissioners Ap- pointed for Their City. BLAME IT ALL ON HOUSTON Two Commissioners AVOWSd Anti-DemO-
 CratS and a Third Doubtful. ONLY TWO DEMOCRATS ON BOARD E. A. Little Says That Houston Prom
 ised to Leave the Selection to a Democratic Mass Meeting, But He Didn't.
ONLY TWO DEMOCRATS ON BOARD

There was all kinds of excitement in Bes- semer yesterday over the appointment or the police commissioners of that city, m accordance with bill recently passed by the legislature. The democrats of the city say that they have been betrayed, as only two democrats and three anti-democrats were put on the commission. The pu6li- cation in yesterdays Age-Herald Of the commissioners appointed was of the great est interest in Bessemer yesterday, and It is said that the republicans in the Marvel City were giving their democratic friends the morse laugh" all day.
 E. A. Little and w. T. Kennedy, two democrats of Bessemer, were in Birming- ham all day yesterday, having almost been run out of Bessemer, they said, by the taunts of McEniry's crowd.
 'There is not much to tell," said Mr. Lit tie, in discussing the matter. "As you know, Bessemer has for some time past been in the hands of the republicans, owing to the large negro vote, and it has been the one aim of the democrats down there to rescue the city and put 1t back under demo- cratic rule. One of the best ways to ac- complsh this would be to have demo- cratic police commission similar to Birming- hams, and in this way get control of the police force.
 q think I can claim to have been the originator of the scheme, and w. T. Ken nedy, J. A. McClusky and 1 all spent from ten to fifteen days in Montgomery seeing that the bill went through. The bill was looked after by Dan Houston, whom we supposce dto be democrat and Bessemer' s representative After the bill passed he told us to come on back to Bessemer, call mass meeting of democrats, pick out the five commissioners We wanted, send the names to him, and on his recommendation the governor would appoint them.
 Roast for Houston
 "We came back and called the mass meet ing for Monday night, as Houston had re- quested. There were about 15O democrats present of the 2SO or more who had signed our petition, and we were just about to proceed with the balloting for commissions CTS when a telegram from Houston was re- ceived, reading: Your commissioners have been appointed. See to-morrow's Age-Her- ald.'
 we immediately telephoned into The Age-Herald office in Birmingham and when we found the names of the men that had been appointed, there was terrible howl of indignation The people wouldn't believe it at first, but this morning they were con- vinced. We all suppose that Houston named the men that were appointed and that Governor Johnston is entirely relieved of any blame in the matter. Why on earth a man claiming to be a democrat should not give the democrats of his city at least a majority of the commissioners we can't conceive.
 "T J. Cornwall and w S. Winters are the only real democrats of the whole five, and are the only ones the democrats would have chosen. James Trotter, third con- missioner, is the city attorney of a repub- lican administration. Captain T. T. Huey is the city clerk of the same administra- tion and is candidate for mayor on the republican-independe ticket. Both Trot- ter and Huey are avowed enemies of the democrats The fifth commissioner, w. l.. Rush, is uncommitted and it is doubtful which way he will vote. He is partner of Rosenbaum, one of the republican alder men, and is a great friend of Mayor Me- Eniry. In the congressional election last month he wouldn't promise me to vote Tor Underwood, and in Bessemer we all think he voted for McEniry. This shows what kind of democrat he Is.
 Bombshen from Houston
 "Here,s a letter I've just written MT.
 
 letter in which he certainly rubbed 1t m on that representative from Jefferson. He wrote in the name of the demo- crats of Bessemer, and said that lie (Hous- tom hadn the least authority to name the commissioners-especia such men as he did name-after he had faithfully promised the democrats of Bessemer that they should have the privilege of selecting the commissioners
 q don't know exactly what we will do now" continued MT. Little. 'We were getting along splendidly and had a splendid organization perfected to fight the republi- cans in the next election, but this action of Houston's knocks us all to pieces. It is too late to change these appointments. wouldn't be surprised if we didn't work to have the police commission bill repealed during the second term. Better no com mission at all than the one we have had forced upon us. Unless Dan Houston has some better excuses than we think he has, we won't do thing to him the next time he shows his head up for office in Jefferson county.
 "Of course, the republicans in Bessemer are growing over their victory. Do you think we have been asleep all this timer? one of them said this morning. They are enjoying the situation immensely, thanks to the Honorable Daniel Houston"