The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-26

man Of the state executive committee was interested in the effort to eet him Tn the race. When seen yesterday GeneraI
 oates had somewhat to say ahout inc matter himself. Yes he replied. q have
 ilao the matter Of making the race mem
 tioneu 10 me by friends from all sections
 or the state, and l do not mind telline. you that MT Lowe was one of them yo, can say for me, however, that the elec- tioh IS too far away for announcements
 am not now candidate for any of nee but that is not to be taken to mean that l will not be later on. You very
 well know that aly ambition has been Tor some time to serve my state in the
 united States Senate, and l am not ready
 10 say mat have relinquished that hope.
 But do not know-none can say-what a
 year will bring forth so I could not and
 would not say that I am a candidate at
 this time for anything"
 sss
 It had been suggested that if General
 oates stood for the nomination for gov
 ernor he would line up with the railroads
 ana lead fight in that interest some
 thing like that of John V. Smith for president of the railroad commission This
 gossip carried with 1t the supposition that
 there would be a fight made on Cunning
 ham by the railroad interests because of ms letter on the subject of the duty of
 the commission. There are few who take seriously to this idea. Speaking of the , talk of this kind General Oates said: oTf should run for the governorship I would wear the collar of no faction or follow ing but would stand as | have always stood, for the best interests of tho people. l will say this much. l do not believe that the great vote received by MT. Conner was the result of any fight the people of the state wanted to make against the rail- 1 roads-for the people are not against inc | railroads-but an expression of thorough disgust with the railroad lobby that has dominated legislation at the capitol for twenty-five years That Is where tho trouble lies, and you will see it when the test comes in such way as to throw the light where 1t will reveal the true
 conditions Why should the people be against corporations? Why shouldn't they
 enter a masterly protest against unright- eous lobbying that has been a disgrace to
 the state? That Is the source of the trouble"
 The impression is quite general that Lieutenant Governor Cunningham is not
 to come under the ban of the railroad In- terests for the reason that he Is con- sldered the safest man in the state who
 seems to stand any real show now to be NiSSNNN to thS SoNerHOfSnlp. There can
 be no question about his fairness to all concerned while in the chair. Al tha
 risk of giving away state secrets some Of the discussions of the recent meetine. of the state board of assessments may he referred to. This board has the matter or assessing the properties of the railroads or the state, save depots and section houses, in hand. There was a dispos, ton to increase the assessments in inc same proportion that other property had been raised but there was objection on the ground that the old assessments had been too heavy. The Governor insisted for some time on the increase, it is heard though finally agreeing to vote with the majority inasmuch as it was hardly pos- slole to arrive at just estimate of the real value. Just here it may not be amiss
 10 say that this is one of the most deli cate duties of the state onlcers It is practically impossible to get at any real
 Idea of what is right in the cases pre- sented, and it is feared that there is more
 guessing than anything else. One man
 who has to do with it sad: Tt Is the
 only thing l have ever tried to do in my life that I did not know what I was do- Ing. Another said the board got out of It by being very much like the supreme court, hardly ever subject to review.
 In the midst of 1t all there is the great est pleasure that Governor Jell1s is again at home. He is getting well and strong and Is renewing his youth in the many