The age-herald., 1899-01-29
CITY CAMPAIGN
 ALMOST FORGOTTEN
During Past Week in Excitement Of Dispensary Bill Discussion.
IS NOW GETTING LlVELIER
Parker Challenges Opponents to Joint Debate at Any Time or Place Smith and Drennen Have
 Not Yet Organized.

Most of the people of Birmingham seem to have forgotten during the past week that there was any such thing in existence as well developed municipal campaign, so ab- sorbing has been the discussion in Mont gomery of the dispensary bill and the bill to abolish the county commissioners of Jeff ferson. But there were at least three men in the city who have not forgotten the olty campaign, namely: John L. Parker, Ross c. Smith and Mel Drennen. Each one of these candidates has been out among the dear people on a "still hunt" and all of them claim that they have been making votes by the score. It is to be hoped that they have been making something, for they haven't been making any news. The cam paign during the week was very tame and prosaic.
 Parker's forces seem to be the best or- ganized and to be carrying on the best cam- paign thus far He is the only candidate who has appointed his campaign manager, A. G. Smith, it will be remembered-and the only one who has opened campaign headquarters They are in room No. in the Roden building, corner of Second ave- nue and Twentieth street. His campaign committee held a meeting in their head quarters last night, Chairman Smith pre- siding, who went over carefully the work done during the past week. and also out lined the campaign for the coming seven days.
 Mr. Parker stated last night that he and his supporters were working as hard they could; that they were fully organized and were simply waiting for the other can dldates to show their hands, so to speak. He was ready and waiting to meet either one of his opponents at any time and place, and from the stump discuss any issue that might be presented. He could not say when this challenge to a joint debate would be taken up. But we are not letting grass grow under our feet" said he, while wait ing for the other fellows to take some ac- tion."
 Drennen News
 Don't know thing" said MT. Drennen yesterday afternoon, as he saw reporter approaching. "Go and ask Nat Miller what he knows"
 This is the only statement which has yet come from MT. Drennen giving any inti- nation as to the name of his manager, who is yet to be appointed. MT. Drennen did add, however, that he and his friends had been working all the week like Trojans and had accomplished splendid results.
 "Why, only this afternoon" said he, T have secured two patches of voters, one of twenty and the other of sixteen good men"
 MT. Miller, when seen, refused to confirm the report that he was to be MT. Drennen's manager. "I have another campaign on hand for the next month or two," said he, which will take nearly all of my time, and which will interfere seriously with any political work. Don't you think so?''
 Smith News
 No news can be obtained from MT. Smith and his supporters. He stated yesterday as he has so often stated before, that he was not ready to announce his campaign manager or the time for opening his head quarters. But this fact does prevent his friends from getting in their work on every occasion Among Mr. Smiths friends are some of the most experienced campaigners in the city and they are by no means idle now.
 When Ross Smiths campaign does open," said one of them yesterday, "it will open up right. Just now is the lull before the fight, which, predict will be on hot and heavy, within the next few weeks"
 With the Aldermen
 A question which is now beginning to re- ceve some consideration is what part the aldermanic candidates will play in the race for mayor. Nearly all of these gentlemen who have announced for p.acas on the board of city fathers have also announced what candidate for mayor they will support, though some are more pronounced than others.
 The opinion seems to be that the mayor alty candidates will not inIerefere in the races between the a1dermanic candidates in the different wards, unless one of them is alone in the race and starts up a hot fight in favor of either Smith, Drennen or Parker Then, in self-defense, it is said one of the other two candidates will have to get out some candidates for ai- man in that ward to fight against the man who couldn't manage his own campaign without making himself too conspicuous in the mayoralty contest.
 It was said by some of his friends yester- had definitely decided to enter the race for alderman. Should this be the case the race between MT. Jones and w. H. Ket- tig, who has already announced himself will be very interesting. Jones is a strong Parker man, while Kettig is equally as strong for Smith. frfF
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