The age-herald., 1899-05-26
IN HOTEL LOBBIES AND ELSEWHERE

q
 for the democratic nomination for governor
 next year, and the apparent undercurrent
 of feeling in his favor. It would perhaps
 be too much to say that this sentiment has
 advanced to the importance of a positive
 development or policy. Possibly 1t is. as
 matters stand, merely incidental; but how
 ever that may be- any serious talk or con-
 aideration of General Oates as successor
 to Governor Johnston cannot fail to be
 of great importance. The suggestion is big
 with far-readhing possibilities. It is said
 that in many north Alabama counties there
 is decided sentiment in favor of the man
 from Henry; and in the southern and cen-
 tral counties he has a following the un-
 usual strength Of which cannot be ques-
 tioned.
 It is safe to say that Governor Oates | would be willing to once more lead his
 party to victory if the party so desired. l And it is held that his courage, his ability, | bis integrity, and his power of oratory on 1 the stump are qualities that will be sorely
 needed during the coming year. He Is l thoroughly in line with the organized de- l mocracy of Alabama and of the country l and is prepared to lend all his great en- orgies and splendid mind to the upbuilding of the party and the preservation of it's l principles and policies. Through causes
 that need not be specified here. General l Oates lost some elements of his powerful l following; but his recent course in politics | and his well-understood attitude have re- l gained him much of what passed from him; l and amongst the shrewdeSt of poIticiaIr5 l there is an impression that he could make | a great race for the governorship. l This talk about General Oates leads to l the statements of men best qualified to | give accurate political information that all l over the state the old line democrats are rallying almost to a man to the cause of constitutional reform. In many of the 1 more important white counties this move | ment has assumed remarkable proportions, and will be irresistible in the primaries next spring. Specifically Madison, Morgan, | Limestone, Lauderdale and Colbert, in the | Tennessee valley, are aroused against the repealists, and even Lawrence county is | said to be on the right side. In fact, all over North Alabama the repealists are re- ceiving notice to quit. And information from the southward is also very encourage ing to the friends of good government as offered by the organized democracy.
 As to the governorship, it is persistently maintained that Governor Johnston is se- riously considering the proposition that he become a candidate to -ea.eeeed- isiiniseir, and that he has received 300 or 400 letters urging him to take that step. It would be extremely interesting should he and Gen. eral Oates once more measure strength for the first office of the state The governor is in New York at the moment, presumably on private business.
 Some striking figures illustrative of the rise in the prices of building material are given by w. M Lindsay, the florist. MT. Lindsay determined several months ago to | build seven or. eight additional green houses on his place at Woodawn, but for various reasons, chief of which was pres- sure of court reporting, he did not arrange for giving out contracts, as he desired to give the work his personal attention He discovers that glass that would have cost him $500 at the outset would now cost $5OO and lumber that would have cost $1iO would command at present $25O He was of- fered boiler required for heating pur- poses for s1,1OO. For an identical boiler
 
 price except for immediate delivery and at an immense increase.
 
 "I have just travelled through a consider able district of Marshall county, and I dis covered that the farmers there stood great ly in need of rain," said Captain E. w. Booker, of the state board of convict in spectors. "The oat crop is practically r,EY,oI md tJ,a, sez aia lo La Wheat, too, has been very materially dam aged. I am of the opinion that the oat crop of the state at large will turn out a very poor yield. I do a good deal of trav- cling over the state in the line of my duty, and I do not remember to have seen a promising field of oats.
 Captain Booker will spend the next two or three days inspecting the convict pris- ons at Pratt and Coalburg. Some of the Captains best friends, by the way, pass him by nowadays. The absence of the fa- miliar military mustache is the cause.
 William Garrott Brown has paper in the Atlantic Monthly on the oratory of the se- cession movement, which is attracting thoughtful and admiring attention through out the country, and is being largely quoted by the leading journals. He deals very fully with the speech-makers and speech making of that epoch-making political de- velopment and does it with peculiar grace and force of language. Mr. Brown, who is one of the most brilliant of Alabamians, is the assistant librarian of Harvard uni- versity. nd is a growing power in litera- ture.
 "In all my experience have not known any weather in late May as chilly as that we are having now" said an old and ob- servant man yesterday. Hast night was more than coo--it was cold. I daresay everybody in Birmingham slept under blankets"
 "This weather is having it's effect upon the public health," said medical man. ''It has upset the whole population, though as yet it has not produced any necessarily dangerous sickness. Stomach derange-