The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-25
DELEGATES ARE ON HAND
Struggle for the Permanent
 ChairmanShip.
Auditorium Will Re the Scene of Action Beginning at Noon Today. County Delegations in
 Caucus Last Night.

four years was UaNh tions of strife, and struggling.
 The political sky was overcast with clouds last night. If the portended storm does not break today, 1t will be because the political weather men and rainrnak- CTS were able to dissipate the clouds which lowered at midnight. A promise Of fighting and contending was borne Tn the surcharged atmosphere in the Ioooy of the Exchange Hotel when the polltlcai leaders retired to rest last nignt well after. the hour of midnight had struck.
 The Alabama Democrats who Will as- semble in convention at the Auditorium +cday at noon had not agreed upon a nermanent chairman when they separated fof the night The State Executive Com p,ittee had without dissension decided that Col. Henry B. Gray of Birming- ham should be the Temporary Chairman of the Convention. This was done quiet ly and in order.
 Who Will Be Honoreds
 Rut who is to be Permanent ChairmanE Tn answering this question there may De .tr,fe and bitterness The delegates had not agreed at the delayed hour of rern- ins, last night. At that time there were .braa ways in which the question might ha answered. Hon. R, H. Clarke Of MO bile might be elected. Congressman o. I Rowie of the Fourth Alabama Dlstriee might be named. Col. H. B. cray, the Tsmnorary Chairman might be named as rerroanent Chairman. This was the situ- otion at midnight. No leader, no dele- cate at that time could make a dennlte rrediction as to the action or the Coh- yentIon as to its Permanent Chairman.
 The answer to the vital question IS witn the Convention. It may be answered III the caucus of the county delegauons vhioh will be held this morning preceo-
 aKTce unan any definIte program 1t is pronapie that the whole question will De toughe out on the floor of the Convention.
 Friends of Colonel Gray, the Temporary Chairman of todays convention, an- nounced yesterday that 1t was his pur- nose to. become a candidate for Lieuten- ant Governor to succeed Acting Cover nor Cunningham at the next State elec- ton. His personal friends were last night urging his claims for permanent chairman, as a presiding officer who would arouse no antagonism, either from one wing of the party or the other.
 The name of Hon. Richard H, Clarke of Mobile County, Is being urged not only by his personal friends but by prominent citizens of all sections of the State for his eminent services to the party. There was persistent gossip last night that the name of Congressman S. J. Bowie would be presented to the Convention as suit 'able candidate for permanent Chairman. Whether the Fourth District Congress- mans name would or would not be pre- sented today could not be definitely fore told last night.
 Contest for Delegates.
 The election of a permanent Chair man was. however, really a matter of secondary importance to the throng of delegates that surged in and out of the historic lobby of the Exchange Hotel Al,k A1.z ton was the contest for the four places for Delegates from the State at Large to the St. Louis Convention. It was in reference to these four places that there was the most buttonholing of delegates and whispered conferences. The selection of the delegates at large took the center of the political stage upon the assembling of the delegates on their arrival in the city and 1t was the vital thing of importance when they went to bed last night, or rather when they went to bed early this morning.
 No slate with a clear title to en- dorsement by the convention had been agreed upon when the delegates sought their rooms at an early hour this morn ing. It had been the subject of num- berless whispered conferences. but no leader nor set of leaders had pre- empted the right of the convention as to the selection of the delegatAa when the informal adjournment of the in- formal gathering in the Exchange Ho- tel came.
 The discussion and the conferences ranged about the candidacy of Hon. H. S. D. Mallory. of Dallas; Hon. w. w. Screws, of Montgomery; General Ru- fus N. Rhodes, of Birmingham; Col F. L. Russell. of Mobile; Gen. J. w. A. Sanfo<d. of Montgomery, and Con gressman William Richardson. of Huntsville.
 In the early part of the night a per sistent rumor went the rounds of the hotel that Judge J. B. TalIey, of Jack son County, would have his name pra- sented to the convention as a candi- date for delegate at large. Later in the night, however, it was authorita- lively announced by Judge Talley's friends that he would not be a candi- date and that his name would not go before today's convention.
 Another interesting rumor in the early night was that Congressman H. D. Clayton would be a candidate for permanent Chairman. Friends of MT. Clayton. who were in a position to do 30. however declared at midnight that he was in no sense a candidate for permanent Chairman and that his name would not be presented.
 All the candidates for delegates at large. Chairman Mallory. General Rhodes. Major Screws, Colonel Russell. General Sanford, and Congressman Richardson. were prominent figures in the hotel lobby where the delegates assembled and discussed the situation.
 Senator Morgan Arrives.
 Senator John T. Morgan came in from Washington at 9:20 o'clock and went directly 10 the Exchange Hotel. where he had engaged a room by tele~ graph He travelled alone and ap- peared to be fatigued from his long Journey. He retired to his room as soon as he reached the hotel
 Among the men, more or less known to State fame, who shook hands in the crowd, were former Governor Joseph F. Johnston, Congressman Jesse F. Stallings and Congressman J. Thomas