The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-20
No OPPOSITION FOR MANY STATE PLACES Present Campaign Notable In
 Respect MORE ABOUT SELMA AFFAIR Undsreurrent of Activity Is Already Evident In Race for Chief of Pc. Hoe of BIrminnham---other
 Political Gossip.

One of the most interesting fsaturea of the present political campaign in the state is the number of offices that will be filled without opposition. Of eourso there Is some time yet in which candida s may announce for the offices that nro free from opposition at the present time, candidates will appear.
 Senator Morgan and Senator Pettus will DO returned to Congress without oppoa- tlon' Walter Seed of Tuscaloosa has no opposition for state treasurer. Frank Julian of Tuscumba Is the only entry in the race for secretary of state and Alex H. Garber of Talladega seems to be the only man anxious for the attorney eanar- alship' Harry c. Gunnels has no oppost- ton for state superintendent of education.
 There will be only three contests in the party for Congress. The most inter esting of these contests Is that of the Fourth district where Congressman Sid I hey J. Bowie retired from the field leav- 1 ing it clear for all comers Two can ddates have already announced and it is understood that others will announce af- ter the meeting of the executive com mittee next week. The other districts where opposition developed were the Third and Sixth. Congressman Clayton was re- nominated in the Third and John H. Bank head was defeated by Richmond Pearson Hobson in the Sixth. The other primar- es are yet to be held but it is not be- lieved that opposition will develop.
 Republican nominations will be made in a few of the districts but no fear of de- feat is entertained by the democrats in any of them.
 The general tendency in the counties and state senatorial districts seems to be to nominate candidates with but little oppo- sition.
 The Selma Speaking.
 "A current statement in the newspapers to the effect that the Comer-C Cunningham debate at Selma was broken up by rowdy railroad men at the instance of the rail roads and Cunningham supporters is mis- leading a grave error," said R. F. How ard, an ex-railroad employe yesterday.
 Ut is intimated that the house was packed by railroad employees who at the instance of their employers prevented MT Conner from making his speech. I do not pretend to say that there were no rail road men present who took part in the l demonstration but they who were there acted as individuals and not at the in- stance of any railroad or other corpora tion
 q am not now an employe of any rail road but was for twenty years, up to about year ago. when l was disabled fn a railroad wreck. l am now suing the road on which l was employed at the time for damages and therefore have nc interest in any road. but I want to say that the railroads never attempt to sug- gest or dictate to their employees as to how they shall vote During my service of twenty years 1 was never approached by a single railway official on any ques ton of politics nor have l ever known of such being done by any railroad.
 Railway men are, I believe, above the average In intelligence and are left to | their own choice in the matter of selec- ton of public officials. Our organizations are absolutely free from any politics ano no one dares to corrupt the body in thai respect.
 q want to deny most emphatically that the railroads had anything whatever to 1 do with the demonstration for pr. Cum ringham at Selma. While one or two in dividual railroad men may have beer present and joined in the demonstration the railroads had nothing whatever to dc with it In any way.
 '"rhe intmation by one of the Selma papers. which is being copied by Conner papers over the state, that the railroads were responsible for the discourtesy tc Mir. Conner is a serious error, and an in i,.stjce to the railroads. to railway em- ployes and to every one concerned
 City Politics.
 While there will be no active develop. ments in city politics until after the Au- gust primary in the state and county 1 there IS alreaOy some SIndIl SNiiiilSiiie being done in some quarters especially in the office of the chief of police. Two or three men have already an nounced their intention to run for this office and 1t is understood that in quiet way some very active work is being done in this connectin. When the contest does open this race promises considerable inter est.
 l Friends close to the present chief. " F Weir. make the positive statement ton when the time comes to open the fight.
 Political Sparks.
 H. C. Compton, candidate for associate railroad commissioner. will address the voters of Woodawn at Darbys hall, nexi Thursday night. MT. Compton has invited other candidates to be present and make speeches, and 1t Is expected that they will respond
 l Thomas II. Stephens. chairman of the | Seventh congressional district republican l executive committee. has called meeting 1 for next Saturday at Gadsden Co fix the l basis of representation and 10 call q con 1 vention for the nomination of q candidate 1 for Congress A quarrel has developed be 1 tween two factions in the party in The seventh and lively fight Is expected l Ii is generally conceded that N. II. How | erd of Fort Payne will be nominated by the party in the district.