Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-22
FIGHT FOR ALTERNATEs
The Gubernatorial Contest is Now Red
Hot.
RATE REFORM Is BIG ISSUE
B. B. Conner, President State Railway
Commission, Will Probably Have
Big Majority.

Special Dispatch to The Star
BIRMINGHAM, Ala, August 22.-This
week marks the close Of what has perhaps
been the warmest campaign that Alabama
has witnessed since the memorable con-
test for governor in 1892, when Judge
Thomas G. Jones defeated Capt. r. F.
Kolb, the leader of the farmers alliance
element, who bolted from the regular de-
mocracy and formed the populst party.
The democratic primary, which to all
intents and purposes is equivalent to the
final election-since the latter Is but a
mere formality-occurs next Monday, Au-
gust q. At that primary governor and
full set Of state officers, chief justice and
two associate justices of the supreme court
a legislature, representatives in number of
districts, two United States senators and
two alternate United States senators will
be nominated
by the state democratic executive commit
tee last January, when 1t met to frame the
plans for the approaching primary. 1t
simply means that in addition to renominat-
ing Senators John T. Morgan and Edmund
w. Pettus at the coming primary, the dem
ocrats of Alabama will also nominate their
successors, who are to be appointed in case
the venerable senators die or resign dur
ing their terms of Office.
Senator Morgan's term expires March f.
1907, and he is unopposed for reelection
Senator Pettus term ends March 4, 1909,
and, like his colleague, he is without oppo-
sition.
Both Senators Are Old Men.
But Senator Morgan is eghty-two years
of age and Senator Pettus eighty-ave. The
latter is said to be In rather feeble health.
while General Morgan Is none too vigorous
The state democratic executive committee
took into account the operations of the
laws Of nature and figured that if Senator
Morgan lived to begin his next term he
probably would not survive the entire six
years. The same calculation was. made with
regard to Senator Pettus and, the legis-
lature does not meet but once in four years
in this state, it was deemed wise for the
democratic voters to instruct both the law
makers and the governor as to who should
be the successors of the two aged senator's
According to the rules Of the primary
the candidate for alternate senator who
receives the largest number of votes will
be entitled to appointment or election to
the first senatorial vacancy, while the can
didate who receives the next largest num-
Der of votes will be the nominee for the
second vacancy.
Hot Contest All Around.
The race for alternate senator has ex-
cited almost as much interest as the red
hot contest for governor, which has been
going on for nearly year, though the
alternate senatorial race did not begin in
earnest until five or six months ago. The
candidates are former Gov Joseph F. John
ston of Birmingham, former Representative
Jesse F. Stallings Of Birmingham, former
Gov William c. Oates OF Montgomery, for
Mobile, Representative John H. Bankhead
of the sixth district, recently defeated for
a denomination by Capt. r! P. Hobson; for
mer Attorney General w. c. Fits OF Mo-
H. T@L 90 luto
was president Of the last state constitu-
tional convention.
Politicians Of all shades and partisans Of
every character agree on the prediction
the two nominees for alternate senator
Gov. Johnston, who is Birmingham capi-
talst and former president OF national
bank here, made the race against Senator
Morgan in 1900 and was showed under by
the venerable senator, but he accepted de-
feat gracefully. This. 1t would appear, has
led many to conclude that Johnston is now
entitled, from long party service and 10y
atty, to one Of the alternate senatorships
and it is asserted that many democrats
who have heretofore opposed his every po-
coming primary. That the opposition to
him. which was SO keen six years ago when
he sought to succeed Senator Morgan,
seems to have melted away and that the
political bitterness which has SO often been
directed against him in the past appears
to have been softened, Is shown in many
ways especially by the newspaper support
which Capt. Johnston has been receiving,
much of it coming from papers which have
never before supported him for any office.
It being agreed that Johnston will be one
Of the alternate senatorial nominees, the
question follows as to who will be the other.
Various guessed have been made and num-
erous states formed. Five months ago
many thought that John B. Knox would be
the man, as he had been groomed for sena-
torial honors for several years. After Rep
resentative Bankhead's defeat by Capt.
Hobson for a denomination the veteran rep
resentative entered the alternate senatorial
race, and his entrance upset some previous
calculations. On the eve Of the primary it
is like shooting into the dark to undertake
to guess who will be the second man in this
race for a senatorship by Inheritance.
In the campaign for alternate senator
there have been no special issues except
those reflected by the race for governor and
members of the legislature and the CHIEF
issue in those contests has been railroad
rate reform and regulation. All candidates
have claimed to stand for these things. :
Lines Sharply Drawn.
1t has been in the contest for governor
where chief interest has centered. In that
fight the lines have been sharply drawn and
the battle waged with heat and energy.
The candidates are B. B. Conner, president
of the state railroad commission and leader
of the rate reform element, and DR.. r. NJ.
Cunningham, former state senator. and for
the past four years lieutenant governor OF
the state. During the illness and absence
of Gov Jelks in New Mexico for q year DR..
Cunningham acted as governor.
Conner is the largest and wealthiest cotton
planter in Alabama. He is also the largest
cotton mill owner in the state, and is in
terested in numerous other enterprises. He
lives in Birmingham. where he is active in
church and Sunday school affairs.
Being large shipper of cotton goods and
flour mill products. B. B. Conner became
thoroughly familiar with the rate question
and sought repeatedly, but In vain. to have
local rates in Alabama lowered. At first he
worked through the Birmingham CONNER
cial bodies, but this awaited nothing, and he
and others then formed an association COM
posed of wholesale grocers in Birmingham
and other cities, large farmers and other
extensive shippers. and sent committee