The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-05
CUNNINGHAM IS
 WELL IN TIE LEAD Seems Certain That He Will
 be Governor GOSSIP FROM THE CAPITOL Candidates for Other State Offices Are Gradually Coming Out and ln-
 terest VIII Grow from
 Now On.
GOSSIP FROM THE CAPITOL
BY HERvEY w. LAIRD.
Now on.


 Alabama, voted for and declared the position.
 His friends make this claim, and none have produced enough fuss along any ! other line of prediction to be heard 1n- stead of making enemies in the discharge of the duties of the office in the absence of Governor W. D. Jelks he seems to have made friends, and he has developed into one of the most versatile of all the public men Alabaam has ever had. This was evidenced on Thanksgiving day when he addressed three distinct religious gatherings. In the morning he spoke to union meeting of the Protestant church at Court street Methodist church, and made, by the way, what has been pronounced one of the most interesting and inspiring addresses of his life. In the afternoon he spoke to the congrega- tion of the leading Jewish tabernacle, and at night was principal speaker at the Thanksgiving banquet at the local Y. M. c. A. He is a leading Mason, high up in the councils of the medical profession
 
 journey of several days.
 No Combination.
 Some weeks ago it was related in this correspondence that rumor was current to the effect that John B. Knox of An niston, and Richard H. Clarke of Mo bile, had formed combination to bring | about Dr. Cunninghams defeat for the ! .4,I ,t..a4 4sawa trf seems to have been a mistake. Colonel Clarke has stated in the Mobile papers 1 that he never heard of such thing and l certainly had no intention of becoming l a party to it. He had never been asked l to further the interests of the popular 1 lieutenant governor for the governorship and no one has ever suggested to him | that there is any reason why he should | endeavor to prevent 1t. He has mot the most remote thought of such action," and l thinks "Dr. Cunningham Is filling the | position of acting governor admirably" 1 Nothing has been heard from Colonel 1 Knox but it is bruited that he had no such intention and is very favorably dis l posed to Dr. Cunningham and his gub- | ernatorial ambitions. The reputed reason l for the supposed combination lay in what 1 is considered Cunninghams great friend l ship for Congressman Bankhead of the Sixth district, and the supposltion that if he had to appoint a United States senator the popular dean of the demo- cratic delegation from the south would get the place.
 His Pardon Record.
 Tn the matter of pardons Acting Gov ernor Cunningham has made so.lething of record. Within the past four months he has allowed two months at one stretch n on wifi p1 A single time. He has refused to inter fere in the sentences of the courts in every instance save where there is strong | evidence that he should take action. He paroled one of the Case boys out of the Mobile jail because the doctor made af- l f1davit that he would die of consumption | if he stayed in. He refused to pardon Jeff Allen. a negro, in Perry county, al- though many of the leading white men urged it and because he would not the papers and citizens complained bitterly. He would not commute the sentence of Frank Duncan, the Birmingham safe blower, though there was a very good petition and many private letters asking him to do so. He very frankly said no real reason was presented to him for ac ton in this case.
 Just what his standard is in the matter Of pardons is not known, but enough is patent to indicate that unless there is the signature of the trial judge and so- icitor and the convicting Jury there Is little chance for a pardon. The lawyer who is simply looking for a fee for se curing pardon will Iully earn his money before he gets 1t from the man now in the governors chair. This slowness to grant pardons is not the result of hard heartedness on the part of the acting governor, but is a compliance with what he believes to be the right, way to look at the power bestowed upon him. He be- lieves that the courts know more of the surroundings of the case than he possi- bly, can learn and that the officers pres ent at the trial have better chance of determining guilt than he mas many miles from the scene of the offense.
 Much Political Gossip.
 With the passing of the election many political stories are heard and much gossip is in the air. The Sheffield Stan dard sees a possibility of General George P. Harrison of Opelika, commanding the | Alabama division, U. c. ", entering the race. and the Tuscumbia Alabamian l thinks he would make a fine showing, as l he is admirably equipped for the duties | and has a large following not only among 1 old Confederates but the whole citizenship | of the state. Some still talk of Col. H. | S.. D. Mallory, chairman of the state | democratic committee, running, as well as l Col w. A. Handley of Roanoke, Rich mond F. Hobson of Greensboro, and Judge J. M Carmichael of Dale, now president | of the state board of convict inspectors. Many are heard to say that Col. Thomas l.. Sowell of Walker, state auditor would make a warm race, and nobody doubts this for moment It Is quite likely, however. he will be for Cunningham for the next term. Colonel Handley would not say positively when approached a few days ago what he expected to do, and Judge Carmichael is regarded as a Gun ningham man in too strong terms to consider coming out against him.
 Some Lesser Officials.
 | There is nothing new in the gossip con | corning the race for lieutenant governor. Henry B. Gray of Jefferson and w IT Sanford of Pike, being the only men men | toned Once or twice the name of I. | Craig Smith has been preached as pos | sibility for associate railroad commis- sloner, and as many times he has been named as good man for lieutenant gov | ernor, but these rumors seem to have no | foundation in anything Mir. Smith or any | of his friends have said. It is quite likely | Albert C.. Sexton, chief clerk of the | secretary of state will enter for that po- | sition and likely he will have several to | contest the place with him, Frank Julian | of Colbert and William w. Brandon of | Tuscaloosa being mentioned.
 Chief Clerk Harry c. Gunnels in the de- | partment of education. which has been discussed for the position of state su- perintendent of education, which he so acceptably filled for short time after