The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-13

question as to which would be the best and least expensive policy after all
 Tebbetts Seems Hopeful.
 It is pretty well established that the reappointment of w. F. Tebbetts as col lector of the port of Mobile will come along in a few days, notwithstanding the fight made on him by the Alabama ref erees of the President. The situation is just this: Tebbetts is a relative of Uni ted States Senator Frye of Maine. who is president of the Senate and 1t Is under stood here MT Frye has asked as a per- sonal favor that the President reappoint him. The President would hardly be put in the light of antagonizing Senator Frye unless there were more against the rec ord of Captain Tebbetts than anybody has heard of so far. A man close to the referees said to the writer yesterday that he believed Captain Tebbetts would land. and that the referees thought so. The fact Is, the fates have been along with the captain. He Is related to the presid- ing officer of the Senate, has made a good record as collector and the referees have been unable to get man out for the place who possessed any great amount of strength.
 Poole Is Anxious.
 Commissioner of Agriculture R. R. Poole Is very solicitous about the cotton situation, and is calling to his aid every bit of help and advice he can muster. He thinks now that at least 100 men of Alabama will go to the meeting at New Orleans on January "A, 25 and 26 where plans are to be discussed for the better ment of the conditions of the cottton-rais- ing states. Mir. Poole sees In reduction of acreage the only hope for adequate price for the staple and Is urging this in every section. He has had reports from a num- Der of meetings held in Alabama coun- ties Tuesday and they will all indicate that there will be much less planting this year than last There will be so much cot ton held in Alabama this year that it will take a small crop to make things even up for next year.
 Expensive Business.
 Though the people of Alabama voted last November for President and Vice President of the United States, and the result of such balloting was known and reported within twenty-four hours after, and the same announced by the Governor In a proclamation issued a few days later, it cost the state $612.40 to have the matter officially closed last Monday.
 On that date the eleven electors for whom Alabama voters balloted gathered in the office of Secretary of State E. R, McDavid and solemnly voted on white slips of paper for Alton B. Parker of New York for President and Henry G. Davis of West Virginia for Vice Presi- dent, and the result was solemnly an nounced by the Secretary, "Eleven votes for Parker and Eleven votes for Davis, and the president of the body just as sol emnly announced that Parker and Davis having received the entire vote of the body, they are declared the choice of the people of Alabama for President and Vice President of the United States, notwithstanding Judge Parker went to work in his law office two months ago and MT. Davis resumed the luxuries of his home and private car about the same time, both knowing that the other fel- lows got so many votes more than they did that they hardly knew they were in the race.
 And then, after all the solemnity of the meeting the eleven electors, or rather ten, and one substitute, walked down to the treasurer's office and drew sS per diem each and for 1911 miles of travel at 10 cents per mile, or $SS per diem and S524.40 mileage. After this Is to come s250 to be paid by the United States gov ernment to the messenger who conveys the returns to the president of the United States Senate. Pretty expensive this. especially when the real result is so well known alreaedy
 Eliminates Question of Succession.
 The Attorney General is of the opin- ion that the decision of the supreme court in the case of Prowell V. Hasty eliminates all possibility of question in the succession of office save in cases where local acts are supposed to govern by reason of special wording. One of this kind came up from Mobile today for argument before the supreme court. Two members of the board of revenue claim that by local laws under which they were elected they are entitled to hold two years longer, notwithstanding