The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-06-30
AND ELSEWHERE

| denomination of Bryan and the ratification
of the Chicago platform next year; there
| will not be bakers dozen in the next state
convention who will oppose either" said
| Hon. Sydney J. Bowie of Calhoun, The
| suggestion that Senator German in en-
| deayoring to raise opposition to Mr..
| Bryan because of Bryans support Of the
ratification of the peace treaty with Spain
has been made. If he does he will find
no solid sentiment behind it anywhere. MIR.
Bryan's position on that question was iden-
teal with that of our own noble senator's.
They believed as he did that it duty
of patriotism to end the war with Spain,
and settle the Philippine problem after.
wards. That Mr.. Bryan will be renominat-
ed is beyond doubt The argument of nom
availability is no longer urged in the face
of the fact now admitted by candid men of
all parties that he WAS the victim of
more stupenduous fraud in 1896 that was
Mr. Tiden twenty years earlier. The de-
mocracy of 1900 will not repeat the mistake
of the democracy of 1880 by abandoning
their leader and their issues, and thus con-
Tossing that theft of the presidency it
not a proper issue to submit to the people,"
Some time ago Hon. John w. Tomlinson
declared that he was not candidate for
governor of Alabama; but many of the
newspapers of the state continue to refer
in very flattering terms to his suggested
candidature. The press of other states
have taken up the discussion with cordial
good will. The Chattanooga Times, for ex-
ample, observes that this prominent citi-
zen of Birmingham has been mentioned
for the democratic gubernatorial nominal
ton in Alabama and he has many friends
in that state who are anxious for him to
make the race. Mr.. Tomlinson, it will be
remembered, was one of the speakers at
the Chattanooga Bryan club banquet"
1t is not yet known whether Jefferson
county will have one or more candidates
for governor. The premier county of the
state may have two or three, or one or
none. There is no telling just now But of
one thing there is no doubt. If Mr. Tom
linson should decide to ask for the demo
cratic nomination he would be a powerful
candidate, and, if elected, would prove
himself to be one of the best of the states
governors. The near future will determine
some very interesting matters in Alabama
politics. .. a
$50
The election of State Senator Jones G.
Moore to the presidency of the reorganiz-
ed Birmingham Southern railroad is very
pleasing to the senator's numberless
friends in Jefferson and the adjoining
counties. He is one of the best citizens of
the state, and is one of the most capable
business men in the mineral region. His
qualities as a man have made him very
much liked by the public generally For
several years he has been in charge of the
Tennessee companys large property at
Bocton. He is a citizen of Bib, and in
August last year was elected to the
senate as democrat. Hence he is a hold
over senator, his term extending through
the legislature to be chosen in 1900. Addi-
son G. Smith, the vice-president of the re-
organized company was formerly chair
man of the state democratic executive
committee, and is chief attorney in Ala
bama for the Southern system.
The legal work necessary in the formal
transfer of railroad or any great landed
property is enormous. In this case of the
Birmingham Southern, the lawyers respon-
sible for the deeds, titles, abstracts and
descriptions have borne heavy burden OF
labor. The actual work of summing up,
so to speak, began some ten days ago;
George w. Jones' assistant counsel to COL
onel Falkner, representing the Louisville
and Nashville all last week; Addison G.
Smith, representing the Southern system,
and Walker Percy, the Tennessee COM
pany. 1t was needful to scrutinize every
word and figure. Many thousands OF
gone over and verified. And the work had
to be again closely inspected when the
transfer actually took place on the part of
the high officers of the respective railroads.
This work all being done, the payment of
S1,10O0OO to the sellers by the purchasers
became in order; and government revenue
stamps to the value of $1,lOO had to be
affixed to the documents of transfer.
A Birmingham lawyer was asked the
ether day to submit an estimate as to
what he would charge to examine the alb
stracts and titles to some property that
was about to be sold. The lawyer went
carefully into the matter, and guessed at
the number of days that would be re-
quired to make the examination. Valung
his time at so much day, he informed his
clients that his fee would be $500. The
abstracts, furnished by a company en-
gagged in such business, covered many
hundreds of pages, and the verifcation
required of the lawyer was very exacting
work. The property was real estate in the
country, and embraced several thousand
acres, worth $4,000. Some lawyers earn
large sums every year from examining
titles to real estate For instance, a men,
Der of the Birmingham bar received a few
days ago one fee of $500. The real estate
transfers in Birmingham at present are
comparatively small. There is not the sug-
gestion of boom in transactions, for
the reason that prices are held high, and
there is no disposition for reckless specu-
lating. Buyers are investors, not gam
blers in town lots. The tone of the real
estate market was never before SO healthy
in the history of this city.