The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-07
.DRUMMERS FOR ROBSON Echo of Old Fight in 3rd
 Infantry. WORKING IN THE SIXTH
C0ngreSSman'S Son an Op-
 ponent of Col. E. L. Higdon.
Travelling Men Assert That They Brought About the Defeat. of Adutant General wm. W.
 Brandon in Tuscaloosa.
BY BRUCE KENNEDY.

Birmingham, March 6.-(Staff Corres> pondence. IA most interesting phase of the Bankhead-Hobson contest in the Sixth District Is discovered in Birming- ham today.
 The friends of Colonel E. L. Higdon. of the 3rd Infantry, Alabama National Guard, are actively at work to defeat Bankhead because of the unfriendly att .titude of John H. Bankhead, IT,, Major of the regiment. towards Higdon in his military squabble, resulting from the courtmartial of Lieutenant Colonel Os- ceola Kyle. This Is important because Higdon, as Secretary of the Alabama Di- vision, Travellers Protective Association, has large number of friends who are travelling statesmen. visiting counties of the Sixth District every day, where they are popular with all classes.
 Ardent Hobson Partisans.
 One recalls that every drummer met in Walker and Fayette counties was an ar- dent Hobson partisan, Some of them had never seen Hobson. but they were openly avowed political agents of the sailor.
 Major Bankhead, 1t is said is the head and front of the anti-Higdon faction of the regiment, and 1t Is charged that he has had the cordial support of Colonel W. w. Brandon of Tuscaloosa, Adtutant General of the Alabama National Guard. These drummers assert with positive pride that they defeated Colonel Brandon for Probate Judge of Tuscaloosa County. and declare that If the undertakes to assist Bankhead in that County, they will take up Hobson's campaign thcre and give Bankhead more trouble.
 It is said that one friend of Higdon connected with a Tuscaloosa County cor poratfon employing many men voted ev- ary one of his workmen against Brandon and would do it again.
 The joint debates between Bankhead and Hohson will be resumed at Fayette tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. Circuit Court begins there tomorrow. and large crowd Is expected. .f4 Next in Tuscaloosa.
 This is the last appointment of the two speakers until Monday of next week at TuscaIoosa Hobson expects to be at In- tercourse, in West Sumter, Tuesday, but how he is to get there Is not apparent. Banlxhead will probably remain in Walk CT, where he no doubt realizes. much work isNto be done.
 IL is plain truth that the conditions in Walker have surprised the friends of the Congressman. He returned there from Washington confident that he could over come whatever inroads Hobson had made into his political popularity to find that he had an adversary worthy of his lance. The writer was told that several County officials of Walker are for >Hohson, and they are candidates for reelection. It is claimed that the back beats of Walker are for Bankhead and that these rural voters are not attending the joint debates where so much enthusiasm for Hobson is let loose.
 Conservative men, some of them friends of Bankhead, estimate Hobson's majority fin Walker at 25O. Hobson himself claims that 1t will not fall short of 700. Tusca- loosa County is to be the real battle ground. If Bankhead can secure 8 ma jority of 800 in Tuscaloosa 1t is believed he will be nominated. Less than this would mean a victory for HobEon.
 A Politicians Figures.
 A political friend of Bankhead, whose name is familiar to all Alabama, cons piled these estimates which are interest ng only as a prediction of well informed politician
 Bankhead majorities; Greene, 25O; Fus- caloosa, 800; Fayette. 260; Lamar, 100; Marion, 25O; total. 1850.
 Hobson majorlties: Hale, 700: Sumter, 50; Pickens, 400; Walker. 250 total, 1,4O0.
 A total majority for Bankhead of 15O.
 IIobson is deeply religious. He Is lay reader of the Episcopal church and fills a pulpit each Sunday. Two weeks ago at Suiligent a friend of Bankheads, 1t Is said, demanded his credentials, and they were produced before he addressed a congregation on spiritual affairs He had an engagement to preach at Fayette this morning, and he went there from Horse Creek. Bankhead came to Bir- mingham and went to Fayette on an af- ternoon train.