The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-04-21
Conner Wins While Hobson
Loses by Narrow Margin
MUCH MONEY WAS SPENT
Almost Complete Returns from Pr'
mary Election Show Conclusively
t.ow the Strenuous Con-
test Ended.

Alabama's primary election returns
were all in Tuesday night excepting
four or five counties and enough is
known to show that MI. Conner, for
railroad commissioner, has carried the
state by decisive majority
The people seem 10 have registere1
their determination to make it hot tor
the railroad interests, and whether the
plan of state regulation OF railroad
charges is proper, just or profitable, =
long step toward bringing it about has
been taken IN the nomination OF Mr..
Conner. The other two members OF
the board of railroad commissioners
will hold for two years longer, but Co.
mer's election has demonstrated the
temper of the voters OF the state
Fortunes have been spent by candi-
dates and opposing interests in the
contest, the one in advertising his vir-
tues, the other in scandalzing his op-
ronent's record. The newspapers have
reaped a rich harvest, one daily having
earned more than $4,000 from publish
ing as advertising matter communlcat-
ed booms and attacks. The primary
must have cost the average candidate
ten times as much as the old system
would have cost. 1t requires more than
$4,000 to send only one mimeograpned
signed letter to all CT the registered
voters in Alabama, and both sides in
the railroad fight are alleged to have
communicated with them several
times.
There was a great element of luck
in the selection of six supreme court
judges from among the eleven gentle
men who ran, and it is difficult to find
anybody but a lawyer who can name
the men he voted for the bench. For
tunately all of the state judicial aspl-
rants were worthy, but it might have
been otherwise The returns indicate
the election of Dowdell, Tyson, Haral-
son, Anderson, Sayre and benson, the
three first named being members Of
the present court.
There was a hard contest in the
sixth district for congress between
Hobson and Bankhead and the cam
paign at times was hot and furious.
Bankhead is conceded to have won
out. Captain Hobson has added mes
meric oratory to his world-famous rec
ord, however, and has shown himself
to be a campaigner Of very extraordi-
nary ability.
= The nomination in the seventh dis
tr!ct was, hotly contested between
Lusk and Burnett, and much Of a per-
sonal nature entered into the cam
paign. Burnett is the winner.
In the second district Bibb Graves
measured swords with A. A. Wiley,
In the fifth district there were six
candidates to fill the unexpired term of
the late Congressman Thompson and
also for the full term beginning with
the next congress. Hon. ]. Thomas
Heain, present secretary OF state, was
the winner in this race.
In the eighth Richardson was elect
ed without opposition. In the first,
third, fourth and ninth, now represent;
ed by Taylor, Clayton, Bowie and Un-
derwood respectively, there was no op-
position.
Delegates were elected throughout
the state to a state convention which
will select the delegation to the ma
tional convention. The returns seem
to indicate that an uninstructed dele
CATION will be sent, although the gen.
tlemen selected with likely have no
leaning to either Cleveland, Bryan or
Hearst.