The age-herald., 1899-04-08
THE HOT CONTEST
 IS NEARLY OVER SuItry Municipal Campaign in the
 Capital City. BOTH SIDES ARE CONFIDENT The Sports Are Backing Their Choices
 With Their Money. ODDS NOW BEING LAID ON JOSEPH To Disinterested Onlooker It Would Appear That He Has the Better
 ohance-Opposition to the
 City Machine
 
BOTH SIDES ARE CONFIDENT
DDS NOW BEING LAID ON JOSEPH

Age-Herad Bureau, Hotel Mabson, Mont gomery, April 7.-(Spec -Montgomery's hotly contested municipal campaign is drawing to a close. Only two more days, and then will come the battle of the bal lots. The city has never experienced a more interesting contest.
 The principal interest is naturally cen tered in the race for mayor. There are but two candidates-present Mayor J. H. Clisby and President of the Council E. B. Joseph. It is not an unusual thing for Montgomery to have an exciting municipal campaign A rev'ew. of the municipal politics shows that no man has won the race for mayor in re- cent years without a struggle. The voters are not even democratitc to the extent of rewarding an official with u second term uncontested, while on the other hand they are democratic enough not to have allowed third term since reconstruction days
 Montgomery has had sad experiences from third term'sm. It is interesting to note that but one man has ever served the city as mayor for more than two terms. In 1892 the people came nearest breaking this record. It was in the famous Reese Cromelin contest. The late Col. Warren S. Reese had served two terms-from 1885 to 1SS9 He was succeeded by Captain Ed Graham Two years as mayor satisfied Captain Graham, and he failed to stand for reelection to a second term.
 Colonel Reese, who was one of the most popular men ever residing in the Capital City, again offered for the position. Third termism was raised against Captain Reese and those opposed to this idea placed Hon. John c. Cromelin in the race. MT Crome- lin was good, clean man, put as he was not good mixer" he was not well ac- quainted with the masses. The race was close, Cromelin winning by majority of 61 votes.
 Powers of the Mayor
 It is a very nigh honor to be elected mayor of Montgomery, for that official is vested with sufficient power to make him a czar. No city of similar size in the south vests as much power in one man as does Montgomery The city charter provides that the council shall elect the clerk, treas urer, attorney, recorder, physician and sex ton. This leaves in the control of the mayor about 150 employees, including the police engineer, and probably fifteen assist ants, electrician and assistants, market clerk and assistants, superintendent of streets and about thirty assistants, mayors clerk, a half dozen sanitary policemen chief of fire department and forty fremen, superintendent of water works, sanitary inspector keeper of city stables and any other employees that the city may require At the recent session of the legislature an attempt was made to do away with this one-man-power, but it failed. The charter Of the city is out of date in many particu- lars, it is said, and joint committee from the city council, the Commercial club and the citizens framed a new charter The new charter seemed to satisfy the people, and was unanimously endorsed by the city council, but it greatly curtailed the power of the mayor. The charter bill passed the house unanimously, but 1t encountered ob- stacles in the senate and was left in a much abused pigeon hole" The defeat of the charter has been traced to Mayor Clfsby, and the question has been used against him in the present campaign with great effect. There has been some mud singing" but third-termism and the de- feat of the charter are the two principal questions which the Joseph men have used against the present mayor.
 Tremendous Registration
 There are more voters registered in this campaign than ever before in the history of Montgomery The egistration books closed last Saturday with 2,964 names regis of Montgomery. The registration books the interest manifested in the present race. It is said that some of the city's "oldest and best" citizens, who do not ordinarily take interest in municipal politics, have registered this year.
 The result is going to be very close, of course, both men claiming the final vic tory. Each candidate estimates his ma jority at about 300. Bets have been free. Several of the "sports' have wagered ''summer's vacation in the mountains" on the result Four weeks ago the Clisby men were offering odds at to 4. The betting then got down to even and yesterday a Joseph supporter was offering odds on his man at to 6. Next Monday will settle the matter.
 To disinterested on-looker the straws point very strongly to Joseph as the win ner, and his majority will range from 200 to 500 It looks as if Montgomery has caught the fever of overturning the ina chine" which has been done in every municipal contest occurring in Alabama during the present year.
 There is considerable interest in the contests for aldermen in the different wards. There are so many offce-seekers in Montgomery-so many people anxious to care for the interests of the city-that two years ago law was enacted providing for the election of three aldermen from the city at large.
 The Aldermen at Large
 Three of the most popular business men in Montgomery were elected to these posi- tions-David Fleming, J. T. May and E. B. Joseph The two former are candidates for | reelection, while the latter Is candidate for mayor. That Jim" May and Dave Fleming will be reelected few men in | Montgomery will deny. MT. May Is one of l the most popular men in Montgomery. His l big heart knows no bounds with his friends | and every acquaintance is his friend. His record during the yellow fever epidemic in Montgomery in assisting stricken humanity | has made him loved by all. He has served | on the council with ability looking care | fully to the peoples interest, and they | will keep him there As for MT. Fleming, | every man in Alabama who has visited the l capital knows him. And every citizen of | Montgomery knows him but to honor him. l He Is a quiet, unassumng man, attending l to his own business, and other peoples only when be is asked to do so. to relieve