Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-10-08
The Contest for the Alabama
SenatOrShip.
Is ATTRACTING ATTENTION
The First Test OF Strength WILL
Occur at the PrImarIeS Next
December. Outcome Awaited
with lnfergSf by 5he AdminI-
Strafion. Senator r1organ'S
Strong Competitor.

Washington, Oct. THE contest
now going en- in Alabama over the
choice of senator 20 succeed John T.
Morgan is attracting great interest in
administration circles, not only on ac-
count of Mr.. Mcrgan's long and con-
spicuous service in the senate, but be-
cause OF his prominence as a demo-
,cratic supporter of the alleged imperi-
alistic policy. While his term of SER
vice does not expire until March 8,
| 1901, the real contest will come in the
primaries which will be held in De-
cember, and for that struggle forces are
now getting in readiness. Senator
Morgan's principal competitor, SO it is
believed, although not yet formally
announced, is the present governor cf
the state, Joseph F. Johnston. His
campaign is of the still hunt variety.
He will not openly announce himself
until he sees from the results at the
primaries whether he can be elected or
stands a good chance of election. If is
said that were the contest before the
people OF the state Morgan would be
an easy winner, because of the tradi-
j tional admiration which Alabamians
/ nave for him. 1t was he who made the
canvass of the state in 1874 and by
his strategy and good generalship re-
deemed it from the carpet baggers.
Two years later, as a reward. he was
elected to the senate. and took his seat
March 5,1S77, the same day that SEN
ator Hear of Massachusetts, entered
that body. Were the contest an omen
one between Morgan and the agyres-
slve governor there would be little
doubt as to the result Other condi-
t1ons, however, must be taken into ac-
count.
Johnston demonstrated last spring
that he held the legislature of Ala
bama in the palm of his hand, so per-
feet was the political machine which
he had built up. It will be recalled
that the legislature ordered con-
stitutional convention for dealing with
the question of negro suffrage. Every
body seemed in favor Of the conven-
ton, including Johnston, until it ap-
peared that the people in electing del
egates to it had chosen a large num-
Der of gold democrats or men who had
not been in sympathy with the Bryan
movement in their rarty This hap
pened naturally enough. The people
picked out the men best qualified to
represent them in a constitutional
convention, and this brought into
prominence those who had net been
stampeded by the free silver cIamor.
or course, free silver had nothing to
do with the provisions of the state
constitution. As socn as Governor
Johnston discovered the fact he called
the legislature in session and asked
it to repeal the act establishing the
constitutional convention. Senator
morgan, although a strong free silver
man, argued eloquently against this
move, as did nearly all the substantial
lawyers Of the state The question at
issue was not whether 20 have a con-
vention, fer upon this all agreed, but
Palmer and Buckner demo-
Gratis were by nature worthy to be in
trusted with a participation in such a
responsibility. Morgan's efforts were
rruit1ess. Johnston carried both
houses Of the legislature by a consid-
cradle majority and the convention
was declared off. This shows the ex-
power which the governor
had acquired among the politicians.
The question is asked, Why will not
ne be able to do the same thing with
he senatorship?
Johnston probably would be success
full in this if his campaign could be
conducted quietly. If the people OF
the state become aroused to the idea
that it is a question rf Morgan or
Johnston for the senate they will be
likely to show their strength. Singu-
arly enough, the gold democrats of
the state are working for Morgan. In
with this, it is noted that
Morgan gave out an interview a few
weeks ago tc, the effect that there were
other democrats besides Bryan, inn
plying that he should prefer to have
one of them nominated This caused
he old gentleman a. good deal or
trouble when he got back to Alabama,
or the affection fer Bryan is in that
state a recognized test of democratic
fealty Morgan later came out with
mother interview, in which he said
hat he was firmly convinced that
Bryan was the man abQS5nm Aothers