The age-herald., 1900-07-15
Thompson Appears to Be
 in the Lead.
HE MAY CARRY COOSA
There Are Four Aspira1ts for Congress sional Honors-CoI. Thompson's Strongest Opponent Being Col.
 Brewer, Present Member

Montgomery, July IA. = Especially = The l Fifth Congressional District presents the 1 most interesting political contest in Ala l bama just at present, as the Democrats of l the district are having to choose between 1 four of the States most worthy for a l candidate for Congress to succeed Colonel 1 Willis Brewer.
 Colonel Brewer is himself an applicant l for the nomination, but his success is in | no wise assured The other three candi- | dates are Charles w. Thompson, of Macon; l Hon. Thomas J. Hefin, of Chambers and | Hon. Thomas l.. Bulger, of Tallapoosa. l From the action of four of the counties in l the district it is made to appear that Sena- l tor Thompson will be the winner in the
 convention, which will meet at Goodwater on August 15.
 l There are 61 votes in the convention, di- vided among the nine counties as folows
 Chambers g, Antauga f. Clay 5, Coosa 5
 Macon G. Elmore 2, Tallapoosa 8, Lowndes | Il, Randolph G.
 Senator Thompson is the only candidate , who has received any instructions outside
 of those from his home county. He won
 the day in Randolph, and it is now conced- | ed that he will win in Coosa, as well as in l Clay and Fillmore.
 The situation in Coosa County is most | interesting and unusual. The County Ex- | ecutive Committee ordered that delegates l to the Congressional Convention should be
 selected by the County Convention, which
 met last Tuesday for the nomination of | County Democratic ticket. This order was | taken as move in the interest of MT. | Brewer. At the time Senator Thompson l lxxyaS tool 1lxr t.. | ty, and was told upon his arrival in the | county week previous to the convention 1 that Brewer would certainly carry the | county because it the home of his pri- | vate secretary. After couple of days can yass of the situation Thompson found | that, through the influence of the private | secretary, who belongs to one of the most | popular families in the county, the senti- l ment was very strong for Brewer because | of the influence above stated. However,
 Senator Thompson thought it missionary l ground, and he began hard fight His first speech in the county was made l at Rockford, where large crowd received | 1t with enthusiasm. There were present 1 representative Democrats from most every l precinct in the county, and from the hour | of that first speech the Thompson boom | was well on in Coosa.
 The next speech was made at Goodwater | the home of the private secretary and it was greeted by a large and enthusiastic | audience of ladies and gentlemen. They | showed their endorsement of the splendid | speech of two hours duration by their | hearty applause. An effort was made upon the part Of the friends of MT. Brewer to nave Rev. G. A. Hornaday reply to Colonel | Thompson, but the latter declined to dis | cuss with others than his opponents. After an active canvass by Senator | Thompson and his friends, when the con- vention was called at Rockford on Tuesday 1t was almost impossible to tell who was the strongest candidate Thompson or Brewer Most of the delegates were with out instructions. However, had all the beats in the county prorated, as per order
 of the Executive Committee Thompson would have had a majority in the conven- tion, as is illustrated by the votes in the following precincts:-Kellyton: Thompson, 33; Brewer, IA; Travellers Rest: Thompson, 66; Brewer, 4; Mt. Olive: Thompson, 22; Brewer '; Hanover: Thompson, Il; Brewer, Il; Goodwater: Thompson, S7; Brewer, lO9 The Goodwater delegation refused to pro- rate in the convention, and the friends of Senator Thompson, together with some other local candidates. decided to eliminate Congressional from county politics. and a resolution providing for the postponement Of the selection of Congressional delegates to primary to be held August 11th was advocated by Thompson and opposed by Brewer. The resolution was adopted by vote of 101 to fl. This was taken as of approximately the relative strength of the two candidates. It Is conceded that few of Brewers friends voted for the resolu- tion, yet its passage was conceded Thompson victory, as it is believed that he
 will easily carry the county in a primary Thompsons friends claim this to be the biggest victory of the campaign, and if
 straws point the direction of the wind it
 means Thompson's nomination. In Randolph
 In Randolph County Senator Thompson
 was also stranger, but it did not require him long to impress his strong personality and fitness upon the intelligence of the Democracy of that county.
 Congressman Brewer was warmly sup
 ported in Randolph by some of the oldest and best politicians in the county. Under Solicitor S. l.. Brewer he led the fight for Congressman in an astute and able
 manner. This same fight is being made by all of the assistants of the solicitor giving him the benefit of the Influence of their of fees.
 Senator Thompson, in his businesslike and methodical manner, canvassed every
 beat in the county, telling the people in
 plain and unmistakable terms his position upon all public questions. The famous Catts and Campbell letter, which appeared
 in the public press recently, resurrecting
 an old church feud that had been forgotten by most people, and which died fourteen years ago when Colonel Thompson allied HluiSSll WltH tHS hleluOulSl SnuTCn III IuS-
 kegee, was sent to the Randolph County
 papers by a son of MT. Campbell, and pub- lished, copies of the letters being distribut- ed by young Campbell all over the county
 just before the election. But Senator Thompson's friends promptly explained the old church feud, and its effect was most damaging. The day the letter was ub-
 lished Senator Thompson was highly en- dorsed by his county and city officials in telegrams as a high-toned Christian gen. tleman, and denouncng the letter as ma licous and slanderous.
 Senator Thompson left Randolph four
 five days befose' the primaries, going into Coosa County, as both elections were to be held on the same day. Congressman Brewer remained actively at work until the close of the primaries. This was a straight primary, the people indicating their choice for Congress, with Thompson.