The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-18
CANDIDATES BEGIN
 LOOKING FOR IDEAS Stream of Men With Influence
 at the Headquarters AT LEAST $45,0OO SAVED Plan Is Prepared By Which Phono- graph Will Be Used to Record
 Promises and Turn Them
 Loose at Ward Meetings.
AT LEAST S45,OOO SAVED

With the establishment of campaign headquarters serious questions are con- fronting the several candidates for mayor and yesterday a steady stream of men carrying certain, wards in their vest pock- cts were kept moving from one mans that nobody delivered, and a wailing and gnashing of teeth was heard in all sec tions of the city late last night.
 The secretary in one of the candidates headquarters said yesterday that he had saved his champion at the lowest figure $750O during the days business. This re- mark naturally brought out inquiries as to the method of such a scheme of financier- ing, and the secretary replied:
 Well, I figure it in this way. Seventy five men called here today and offered to delived a certain amount of influence pro- vided the electioneering wheels were properly fabricated. In the language of the inexperienced he wanted a certain amount of money for his services. Not one of the seventy-five thought his ser vices were worth less than S1O0 Now if I had paid that amount to each we would have been out just $750O. As a matter of fact however, I refused them all, and therefore saved my candidate $7500." The explanation was accepted as being entire- ly plausible.
 Candidates Save $45,ooo.
 It is safe to say that these seventy five men of influence visited all the head quarters. and as there are six candidates an arthmetical deduction shows that the candidates as a whole on yesterday saved $45, GOO. A pretty good days work. It is ar gued that if the candidates would form a trust, by this method, they could save enough before election to buy out the Standard Oil company and put John D. on the road.
 The serious questions confronting the candidates consist of the combined lack of new ideas. Such things are very much reeded In campaigns. but as yet the po- litical experts are running things in the same old way as when man was elect ed without opposition.
 May Use Photograph.
 A novel scheme has been suggested, and if the candidates all decide to ac- cept it the inventor will probably reap a rich reward for exercising the muscles of his brain. It is proposed to station a photograph in each of the headquar- ters arranged so as to receive talks as well as to grind them out. This machine, according to the plan, Is to be stationed behind the candidates private desk. When a voter comes in and tells the cam l,o l,i la xxrfII win it is up to the machine to act. The candidate must turn to his visitor. and, after offering him a cigar, say kindly say that to the machine" It is explained to the caller that he must say 1t in this form so as to save space. My name is John Smith. l live in the - ward and am going to vote for - I think him best fitted for the job and believe he will win" When the caller has said that to the machine he is allow ed to go. All of these promises are thus recorded on the machine. No man can then deny saying t.
 Will Be a Gret. Saving.
 The photograph method, If unanimous ly adopted, will mean the saving of great trouble in making ward speeches. For instance, the machine can be carried around after the candidate and when he gets ready to say who is for him, all that is necessary is to press button and the man speaks out for himself. If it so happens that thesc promises are recorded on the machines of two or three different candidates 1t will be beneficial to the merchants association in knowing who to credit. The merchants can at- tend the speaking in a body and will thus be able to know in a moment who has lied.
 The plan was presented to several can didates yesterday, and while they look thereon with favor. they are a little afraid of electricity It is probable. how ever, that the method will be adopted and then for the first time campaigning in Birmingham will have been made easy.