The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-11-14
SANFORD SWORN In
Is Declared 10 Be the Goyernor.tlecl Of
Alabama by the Legislature.
TO PREVENT COMPLICATION.
State Has No Lieutenant Governor and
President of Senate Succeeds
IN CASE Mr.. SANFORD SHOULD DIE.
He Is q Very Sick Man and Gath Was
administered at His Home.
IN CASE Mr.. SANFORD SHOULD DIE
MUCH OPPOSITION 10 GOVERNOR JOHNSTON
The Legislature liz Determined that
lie Shall Not Hold the onice
for 4s-nothcr Two Years.
Especial TO The post.)

Montgomery, Ala, November 13.-The
plan that had been devised to establish
the succession of the president OF the
senate in the event of the unfortunate
death of Governor elect Sanford matte
rallied today only in part.
il was Intended that a joint committee
of both houses should be sent 10 opelka
thrs afternoon TO ioform the governor
elect of his nomination and cause the
oath of office TO be administered to him
in their presence. but Colonel samford's
son declined to permit any committee to
see or communicate with as father, and
this part of the programme had to be
dispensed with.
Information from opeT1ka tonight is to
the effect that Colonel samfords condi-
ton has taken a turn for the worse
since noon. Great anxiety is felt for him
throughout the state.
The Legislature met In biennial session
at noon today. Owing to the critical con-
dition of Governor elect Sanford, the or
ganization was perfected today, presiding
officers were elected and the vote cast
at the last election was counted and the
result announced. hou w, D. Jelks OF
Barbour was elected president of the sem
ate and Hon. w. l. pettus, speaker OF
the house A joint session of the two
houses was then held and after verifying
the election returns Hon, w, J. Sanford
was declared the govern. elect
All this was unusual proceeding for the
first day of the session, but owing to the
physical condition OF the governor-elect
1t was pushed through to prevent any
complications which might ariseEirom his
death and to insure regular succession
in such event. The state has no licuteu
ant governor, aud the constitution pro-
vides that the president of the senate
shall succeed to the governorship in case
of a vacancy arising from any cause.
The Legislative body is a sincere body
Of good citizens, and there Is perhaps not
a man among Them who would not de-
plore the death Of the governor elect,
but both houses are unfriendly to the
present governor and the action today
was taken so that he Will not he permit
ted to hold over for two years longer.
The present governors friends are saying
very little. One Of them tonight limited
to The Post correspondent that the
statute required the governor to be
sworn in in the presence of both houses
OF the general assembly.
The position that Governor Johnston s
friends assume is that though the lcgs-
lature can and did regularly canvass the
vote declare the result aud swear the
new governor in, his term Of Office viii
not begin until December /, and thu
president Of the senate will have no title
10 the office to inherit from him until
he has actually entered upon his term OF
office. This is the situation tonight. II
Colonel Sanford should pull through and
take the oath on December /, In the
presence of the assembly, there would
not be any room for contention. II he
does not. It Is likely that the supreme
court will have to determine who is en-
titled to hll the gubernstorial chair.
Hon. f. l.. Pettus OF Dallas, son Of
the senator, was elected speaker. Sena-
tor W. d. Jelks Of Eufala, elected presi-
dent OF the senate, Is a rather young and
attractive gentleman, who has operated q
little daily newspaper at Eufaula for
some fifteen years, saved about $4,000
from it's earnings. and sold It recently IA
devote himself 10 other business inter
ests. He has never aspired 10 anything
in politics more important than the
presidency Of the senate. but has been
candidate for that Office for many months
and long before the presumption OF the
governor elects death arose.