The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-03
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
AND ELSEWHERE

democratic members of congress for the
speakership OF the house, otherwise the
leadership Of the minority that honor go
ing to Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee. The
press reports from Washington tell the full
story. The result at the last was not
wholly unexpected. Colonel Bankhead
made splendid showing, and in the vote
he received was paid the highest honor yet
accorded an Alabama member of congress.
1.-THE trouble was that DeArmond staid
in the contest to the finish'' said
a leading democrat. who is a close
personal and political friend of Col
onel Bankhead. "DeArmond's persis-
tency upset all of our calculations. 1t
was expected that he would get out of the
way at the proper time; but he didn't. It
was known that Tammany and the entire
democratic representation of the New York
delegation were favorable to Bankhead.
They did not take Sulzer seriouslyj but
Sulzer seems to have taken himself serious
ly enough. This is not meant to reflect up
on Mr.. Sulzer, who is a good democrat.
But Mr.. Sulzer never had any chance, and,
possibly without intending it, he merely
played into the hands of Mr.. Richardson.
Nor is there meant to be any reflection up
on the Tennesseean. Mr.. Richardson is
generally considered to be the abest par
liamentarian.in congress. Perhaps he is the
ablest now in public life in the United
States. 1 refer to him simply as parlia-
mentarian. In his qualities as man / am
not now concerned
Colonel Bankhead was not assisted in
any degree by the avowed and open support
of Mr. Bailey; but, on the contrary that
support was to him heavy handicap the
democrat continued. 81 have got nothing
to do with Mr.. Bailey know little about
him personally and care less than l know.
That which 1 do know is that he is not
greatly liked by the democratic members of
the new congress. He was fully advised
when he declined to ask his party in the
house to re-indorse him for the leadership.
1t was not well for Bankhead when Bailey
publicly announced that he would support
him. As for Bankhead himself, his position
in the Sixth district and in Alabama Is
greatly strengthened Alabamians are en-
abled. to see how strong and influential Is
his place in congress- in view of the vote
he received for the speakership. There is
a keen desire in the Hobbies tonight to know
if Congressman Stallings was present in
the caucus, and If he voted for Bankhead
1t has been talked for two weeks that Mr.
Stalings declared himself to be passively
opposed to Bankhead, because Bankhead
had failed to espouse the Stallings cause In
the gubernatorial contest. In point or fact,
Bankhead has not taken the SIDE Oh any
candidate for the governorship OF Alabama.
He has had his own fights to fight out; ana
for very obvious reasons ne could not IN
terfere in the contest for the democratic
nomination for governor. Colonel Bank
head is now stronger than ever before IN
the sixth district and in the state.
,,ha ideal Uncle Sam is in town, in tne
person of john NJ. Rotenbefry OF Bhoo
county. The long chin beard, the peetllng
eyebrows the firm, square-set jaws vac
thin. compressed lips, the flashing, yet
kindly. ewes, the slender and tall inquire,
al; 90 to make up Uncle Sam as We Ameri-
Guns know and love him and as the world
knows and fears him. Major Rotenberry
is nrobably the Oldest surviving native OF
Bibb He was born in what is now that
county more than seventy years ago.
though nobody would take MIN to be over
five and fifty years of age. He is farmer,
owning and occupying his farm five miles
from Centreville. He has attended to t-ds
farm and worked hard all his life, and
has prospered. He has brought up large
family, and each of his children has re-
ceived good common school education
and been started out in life with sub
stantial start from the father. Major
Rotenberry is the best type of the self
reliant, independent, prosperous farmer
and 1t is doubtful if Alabama has any
man within its bounds who is more honest
OIL who is better citizen. He is a brave
man. strong man, good man, and his
heart remains young. He is in character
and in person The Ideal Uncle Sam.
There was man in the lobby of the
Morris last night who had a pair of gloves
made of asbestos. He stood at The cigar
stand and held the gloves in the flame of
the gas light fixed there for cigar smokers
The gloves did not burn. Doubtful per-
sens and the curious asked to be allowed
to test the gloves. The owner of the
gloves, a commercial traveller, readily COM
Piled with all requests. One of the by
ISLANDERS held one of the gloves with his
hand in it over the gashght for fully five
minutes, and the fire made no impression
upon the gloves. The man said he felt
a slight warmth; that was all. The glove
certainly did not burn. Asked for what
purpose such gloves were made, the COM
mercial traveller said they were intended
for any person that had to deal directly
with fire or handle any highly heated sub
stances. For instance at iron furnaces
rolling mills, foundres, and the like, they
would be of the greatest benefit. He de-
clared that man wearing pair of sucn
gloves could handle with perfect safety a
bar of redIhot IRON
United States senator fernando De Soto
Money, of Mississippi, was in Birmingham
yesterday on his way from his home to
Washington to be present at the assembling
of congress tomorrow. Senator Money has
recovered his health, which was unsatis-
factory for so long a time, and his eye
sight is greatly improved: He spent sew
eral months last year in Europe and was