The age-herald., 1901-03-12

Joe Ohl. writing the Constitution from Washington, has the following to say of the effect that the death of Hon. Frank L. Pettus will have upon the future pol itics of Alabama:
 There Is a lot of speculation among Alabama people here in Washington over the possible effect the death of Frank Pettus will have upon the future politics of that State. The news of Speaker Pet tus' death came as a great shock to everybody. It is difficult for one not fa- miliar with Alabama politics to realize what big hole the taking away of this brilliant young man will make. He was power in the councils of the Democratic party-perhaps it would be no exaggera- tion to say greater power in the prac- tical management of party affairs than any other one man. He had been often honored with office, being both speaker of the House and president of the Sem ate, and had never known what it was to go down in defeat.
 Tt would be natural to suppose that the son of man of the prominence of United States Senator Pettus would owe his own political prominence in some degree to this relationship, but as a matter of fact his prominence was attained entirely on his own merit. It Is very much nearer the truth to say that General Pettus owes his place in the United States Senate to the political activity of his son, rather than that the sons political prominence was in any way due to the father.
 As everybody knows, General Pettus has never been politician in the sense of being an office seeker. He Is a man with a stupendous mind, a great man. man who would do honor to any office that has ever been created but his tastes al- ways ran to the law, in which he was brilliant success, and never to politics.
 That is, in any office seeking sense He has always been one of the wheel horses of the party in the forefront of every fight, but though many efforts were made to get him to become candidate for office, he never consented until the memorable fight for the Senate four years ago, when the boys in the Legisla- ture, inspired by love for him and by admiration for his ability, insisted on solving the problem by sending him as the successor of Senator Pugh.
 Frank Pettus undougtedly had very great deal to do with bringing about this result. He was. as I have said, the politician of the family. and he was pos sessed of the very natural fiial ambition to see his father round out his career in the United States Senate His success naturally added to his own prestige as a political factor, but, as I have said, he was a great big political factor before that.
 twill Geenral Pettus be a candidate to succeed Himself now that the son, who was the pride of his life, has gone before him into the Great Beyond?'
 That question has very naturally arisen in the mind of every man in Alabama politics. There may have been no open discussion of it as yet, but 1t is a ques- tion of importance to the ambition of more than one prominent Alabamian.
 General Pettus is the oldest man in the United States Senate in point of years On the 9th day of July he will have reached the four score mark. His pres ent term of service will expire on the Sd of March, 1903, by which time he will have attained an age seldom reached by any man in active political life. MT. Nor Till of Vermont was older when he died in the harness, but there have been very few others.
 General Pettus can succeed himself if he so desires. He is a man of remarkable vigor of body and intellect, and every body in Alabama loves him. The ques- ton, therefore, of whether he will re- main in the Senate or will make way for some other man is very largely, if not al- together, in his own hands. I feel very