The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-14
HAPPENINGS IN MM
 1he CENTRAL CITY

l Senate. Every hOld-over in the Senat'
 who was sufficiently versed in parlia
 mentary law to make a presiding off
 cer. was discussed. and his strong and
 weak points carefully analysed. w finally agreed unanimously that Senate
 Jelks was the best equipped man in al
 respects for the position, and this con. | clusion was not hard to arrive at fol | all three of us were fond of Senator | Jelks, personally, and each one wal | glad that the other two were so heart fly in favor of his being the next Pres ident of the Senate.
 Senator Jelks was approached on the | subject of being a candidate. I do moi know whether he had ever thought of
 running up to that time. He was very modest about the honor which his three friends were So anxious to thrust
 upon him. and demurred little to the proposition, saying that we could, perhaps, fine some one else who might i'll the position better. He was frankly told that we had canvassed the entire situation and that he was the strongest man for the place, and he consented to make the race. From that time forward Sowell, Moore and myself left no stone unturned to land Senator Jelks in the Presidents chair. came home and wrote to every hold-over Senator and kept the mails warm as soon as a new man was nominated. I wrote to some of them as many as five or six times before I got an an- swer. for politicians are a little averse to pledging themselves So far in ad- vance. Senators Sowell and Moore also wrote letters and we all saw as many of the hold-overs and new Sem ators as possible, with the result that when the Senate met we had enough pledges in black and white to put Sen- ator Jelks in.
 As you all know, Tom Sowell was elected Auditor in place of the la- mented Senator Matthews, but he was on hand when the Senate convened and had his sleeves rolled up and was working for Senator Jelks. By mid night of the day before the Senate met the three candidates who were opposed to Senator Jelks were down and out of the race and he was unanimously elected President the next day.
 Personally I was very fond of the other candidates. General Harrison would have made a splendid presiding officer and had he been elected would have made the State a fine Governor in this emergency, but it was natural for the hold-over Senators to support one of their number, who had gone through three Of the most trying and exciting sessions the Legislature ever held in Alabama. Senator Rather was also a candidate, as was Senator Mead dow, ard either of them would have made a good presiding officer. Senator Jelks appreciated what Senator Moore and did for him and after his election asked me what Chairmanshfp wanted, and when I told him Local Legislation he gave it to me. He also honored me with being a member of his cabinet by putting me on the Committee on Rules
 "On account of my personal friend ship for Governor Jelks and because he represents the great newspaper fra ternity of the State. I am glad that he was in a position to become the Gov ernor of Alabama when the gifted and beloved Sanford was called to lay down the cares and responsibilities of life and to pass over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.''