The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-16

last named looking TO the REDUCTION Oh
freight rates in Alabama has been noted
with great deal of interest by politi-
clans and business men at the capital
1t seems to indicate that the newly elected
executive is not only going to get very
busy as the head of the state govern
ment, but is posting himself in advance
in order that he may conduct his CAM
paign of government and enterprise in
the most intelligent way 1t will be re-
called that as soon as Mr. Conner be-
came president of the railroad commits
sion he launched active and vigorous
policy in the interest of a general re-
vision of freight rates in the state, and
was only headed off in the continuation
of it by the attitude of the other two
members of the commission, who did not
agree with the very strenuous policy
which he undertook to carry out.
These things are taken to mean that
Mr.. Conner will undertake a fight along
every line which he is able to utilize for
the promotion of his ideas regarding the
economic administration of the affairs of
the state. Not a few persons have also
found marked similarity betweGE the
President and the new Alabama ,aaeer
so far as activities and methods ~. The
fact Is a close friend of Mr. Conner said
the other day that he, Mr. Conner, is a
great admirer of President Roosevelt and
is anxious to lend whatever aid possible
to the advancement of a number of the
ideas for sometime promoted by the ma
tional executive. With the state govern
ment largely of his way of thinking and
the railroad commission in full sympathy
with the Conner idea politicians believe
that he will have little trouble in secur-
ing very much his own way in the mat
ter Of the adoption of laws outlined in
the platform of the late state conven-
ton
Race for Speaker.
That veteran lawmaker Col. Sam VIII
John of Birmingham, who spent two or
three days in Montgomery this week,
was sitting in the supreme court Ii
brary on Wednesday afternoon talking
with former Attorney General l.. w.
Martin. A friend came up and addressed
Colonel Martin as Mr.. Speaker" Colonel
John spoke up at once with That's the
idea; he is going to be that very thing.
Colonel Martin smiled and said he hoped
so and Colonel John smiled and told him
he need not be uneasy. All of which
leads up to the statement that the race
for speaker of the next house of represen-
tatives seems to have narrowed down
between Colonel Martin and Tyler Good
wyn, both of the Montgomery representa-
ton. For some weeks these gentlemen
have been busy with the elected repre-
sentatives to the next house and it is q
safe bet that both of them have illustrated
Private John Aliens negro story on many
occasions. 1t will be recalled that this
story is of an old negro who relates that
a lawyer that he had hired recommends
himself mighty highly"
1t is contended by both candidates for
speaker that they have the endorsement
tacitly at least of responsible element in
the Conner following, and that on a show
down they will both receive heavy sup
port from among the outspoken Conner
men, 1t is regarded at the capitol that
Colonel Martin seems to have the best of
It so far as the indicated Conner prefer
ence goes, inasmuch as he has been called
upon on more than one occasion for legal
advice by the dominant element of the
party al this time. However, one dare not
say either has the advantage, for the very
good reason that most of the men who
are going to do the voting saving
wood in the midst of a well defined ST.
lence.
Tom Martins Work.
Adherents of the principle of .'honor 10
whom honor is due" are paying a good
many compliments just now 10 Thomas
w Martin the talented young assistant
to Attorney General Wilson, as u result
OF some business that has been handled
by him during the long Illness of his chief.
While the policy so to speak of the re-
cent report of the attorney general to the
governor, covering period of four year S
activity in his office was made by the at
torney general, it is a fact that vast
portion of the detail, including the selec-
ton and assembling of interesting figures,
was worked out by Mr.. Martin. This
was made necessary by Mr.. Wilson's
physical inability to get to his office for
several weeks. and his assistant was
forced under the circumstances upon his
own resources in compiling the document,
which is attracting so much interest not
only in the state but in the United States
we'll
Among the more recent service rendered
by Mr. Martin was his assistance TO the
insurance department in the matter Of
the receivership of the Atlanta irmins
ham. Fire Insurance company, which has
been worked out to the maximum of pos
sibility to the Alabama shareholders in
that unfortunate organization. He In
sisted, in conjunction with Deputy Insur-
ance Commissioner A. c. Sexton, that
the receivership should be placed in the
United States court in order that Ala
hama and the other states interested
would be able to meet on perfectly un-
preiudced grounds. There was no con,en-
ton on the part of either one of the gen.
tlemen that the Georgia state courts
would not do the right thing; they simply
held that federal court was best capaci-
tated to look after the situation as re-