The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-06
GOV. JoHNsroN AND A THIRD


 scme weeks ago The Mobile Register | peinted as political gossip in that city the probability that former Governor
 Johnston would enter the race for a third | term as Governor. Shortly after he | came out in an interview denying that
 he had any such idea. Nevertheless he expressed great confidence that some
 body would enter the field against Gov ernor Jeiks.
 Now comes some more talk of the same kind. This time 1t appears in the shape of the following special from this place to The Nashville Banner: Montgomery, Feb. 1.-There has been a sudden revival of talk of ex-Governor Johnston as the probable candidate against Governor Jelks for the nomina- ton for Governor. Not only are the ex- Governors friends talking it, but those close to the Governor are expressing their belief that the winds are blowing in that direction. This Is partly due to an article in the last issue of The Ala bamian. the newspaper at Birmingham which represents the opposition to the present party control. The article ex- pressed confidence in the truth of inter- views reporting Governor Johnston as saying that he was not in the list Of candidates, but argues that the people may call him out anyway. This is taken to foreshadow a movement to get him in the field. and 1t is perfectly well-known that the ex-Governor is going to have fight if he has to make 1t himself. It is the common theme at the Capitol this week that he has made elaborate inquiries among his friends as to what he could or should do, and the information Is that they have pretty generally urged him to allow himself to be put in the lead. The time for paying poll taxes was up on Saturday and politics are expected to warm up.
 The opposition to Governor Jelks is by a sort of common consent drifting into a campaign on the State Committee for
 a straight primary for all State officers and United States Senator. Should the committee order such a primary, the strength of the black belt in the conven- tion which is based on population would be brought down to. a level with the white counties where the opposition has its strength.
 < This special is entitled to special con- sideration in the light of the fact that The Banners correspondent here is Mir. Chappell Cory. who was Governor John- ston's private secretary for four years and is his close friend The statement that the. -ex-Governor's friends on all sides are urging him to enter the field, may. therefore. be assumed to be accu- rate.
 So it seems very probable that ex-Gov- ernor Johnston Is about to make another exhibition of his ambition and audacity. He Is so ambitious to get into the saddle again, in order to attain federalSenator- ship, that he contemplates a degree of audacity never before displayed by an Alabama aspirant for Governor. No man in the history of Alabama who has held two terms as Governor has sought e third.
 If Governor Johnston's friends are giv- ing him the advice reported, 1t is proba- bly because they know that Is the sort he wants. Furthermore. 1t Is likely that many of them are as desperate as he is: they see no prospect of getting office again under existing conditions. and they are willing to see him take great risks in the hope of profiting by the 
 daring speculation.
 Governor Johnston has so far failed to
 bring out any other prominent man to oppose Governor Jelks. and 1t must be | that he and his friends have abandoned
 the undertaking. This situation itself
 demonstrates that the bulk of the Party is in favor of Governor Jelks's nomina- tion, and 1t should discrourage even so vain an aspirant as the ex-Governor. But he has shown his blindness to condi- tions frequently in the past and his eyes
 are probably no better as he grows older. Of course his entrance into the campaign will give 1t an interest 1t would not other wise have. but Governor Jelks's friends
 will not be alarmed by the development. In fact there is large number of people who will rejoice If the ex-Governor puts up his head again. Nothing will give them more pleasure than to even up on old scores