The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-08

N|fNAiNN'ff less than twenty days to the closing of the entries of the great democratic state office race of the good year 1906, the poli- ticians continue to increase in activity and the interest of the people Is becoming more manifest every day. It is thought that the lists are practically full, and that few, If any more, seek place in the running.
 The primary will be held on August 27 with July 27, the last day of filing names and paying entrance fees. J. Kirk Jack son of this city. who has done the work for years, Is now getting up for publica- ton lists and papers so that In due time every voting precinct will be supplied with the things needed to meet all re- quirements of the law.
 One ripple of the week was the an nouncement of his doubt about the rail- road commission law by President B. B. Conner a candidate for governor, at the meeting of the commission last Monday, Mir Conner took the ground and insisted that he was right about it; that the peo- pie had a right to know it If the law is bad he did not think he would be giv- ing them the service they had right to expect of him, in the light of his long known position on the rate question. If he did not make public what he had discovered about the weakness of the law. His associates did not agree with him, holding to the theory that it was the busi- ness of outsiders to attack the law by which the commission is working.
 The Questionable Law.
 1hfs doubt about tneNraffroad ruinTsds- sion law extends to two other statutes of the last session. the record in each be-
 ing ''corrected' or completed" after the session of the legislature had come to a close The other two are the textbook law and liquor license law. It Is quite a coincidence that the men who have writ ten briefs against and for the commission law. are a former attorney general and the incumbent of that important state office. Some one has suggested that 1t be referred to A. NJ Garber of Talladega. the next attorney general. and get an expression from him, that there may be q triangle of legal opinion embracing the past present and future of the state de- partment While the liquor law might be hurt If the supreme court should throw down the act. no special damage could be done the textbook situation, for the reason that all the work under 1t has been accomplished until the meeting of the next legislature. which, 1t Is generally believed, will make number of changes anyway.
 The writer saw former Attorney Gen eral w L. Martin, who wrote a brief which he argued of the invalidity of the railroad commission law at the request of MT. Conner after the publication or the opinion of Attorney General Massey Wilson, the latter holding that the bill was properly cared for in the action talk en. Mr. Martin said that he had followed what seemed to him the best principles governing such cases, and had cited the authorities that gave good reason for his position Of course, he did not say that he was right One could never tell how a supreme court would hold on question that might be approached from divergent ways but 1t was his opinion that he was right. and he believed that the courts would so assert when 1t comes to an issue.
 Wilson Convinced.
 Attorney General Wilson is convinced that the law is valid and will stand the test of any court in the country. q con fess," he said after the writing of his opinion, that l began the investigation of the statute with some misgivngs. There were points that I feared had not been favorably decided and 1t would not have been a surprise to me if I had found the law bad However, l am fully decided that it is all right and do not hesitate to say that I believe the courts will so hold"
 MT. Wilson has had sixteen years ex- perience as clerk of the legislative bodies of the state, and Is beyond question the best informed man in the state on the detailed workings of the two branches of the Alabama legislature. This makes him an authority that even the supreme court might invoke with reason. and i'm vests him with an insight that Is not , possessed by the ordinary practitioner, nc matter how well posted he is as d law yer. nor even by men of long legislative experience.
 Fight for Speaker.
 There is brewing one of the best fights for speaker of the next lower house Ala bama has known for many years. or there Is nothing in the handwriting on the wall theory. Tyler Goodwin of Mont gomery has announced. He will have the support of his associate nominee, Gas ton Gunter. but has not been assured of the sympathy even of the other two from his county; w. L. Martin. former attorney general, and o. C. Maner, a member of the last house. In fact, it is not going to be a surprise to the good people of the state who have an eye on the situation if the aforesaid Martin be- comes a candidate for speaker with the