The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-11

Monday.
IT HE ante-convention night was
wv marked by an overflow a all the
hotels. The New Exchange. as
large as 1t is, was filled up before Z
o clock Before the crowds which came
In on the Louisville and Nashville trains
had secured accommodations, every hotel
in the city had every room taken.
Before o'clock, delegates who had
friends in the city were telephoning for
any old sort of sleeping place. In the
early part Of the night the finding of suf-
f1cient sleeping rooms was a serious prob
lem. Many of those who had been left
out were given timely aid by delegates
who had already secured rooms and who
were willing to take in their friends
rather than see them walk the streets
during the night.
The convention has drawn to the city
a number of prominent newspaper men
of the state. The Birmingham News,
which was the organ of Mr.. Conner during
the campaign, is represented here by Eli
p. Smith, the editor-in-chief of the News
Gen. Rufus N. Rhodes, was prominent
figure in the gathering. The Birmingham
Ledger is represented by C. P. Jones,
and e. " OConnor Of the Mobile Item
is here in a double capacity, represent
ing the Item and being a delegate in
the convention as well. Other newspaper
workers In the crowd were r. e. L. Mel
of the Selma Journal John Williams, Jr..
of the Talladega Mountain Home and a
number of others
The lobby of the New Exchange was
packed as 1t has never been packed since
the hotel was built. And naturally, for
this is the first convention that has been
held since the old Exchange was torn
down. AS large as is the lobby of the
hotel it was packed to discomfort last
night. The hotel was filled with only
fraction of the crowd, for the larger
portion was forced to find accommoda-
lions elsewhere The lobby crowd. too,
was only part of those stopping at the
hotel. for in many of the rooms confer
ences and caucuses were being held.
To the crowds the most interesting fig
ure in the whole gathering was the Junior
StlldtOT lIOlll <Aidbdllds IlOii. Edihulih w
Pettus Senator Pettus came over yes
terday evening from Selma and will re-
main throughout the convention. He
spent a large part of the evening In the
lobby meeting old friends.
Among the Birmingham party that
came to Montgomery yesterday prepared
to make political history today were Hon.
B. B. Conner, the leader of the party;
Gen. Rufus N. Rhodes, editor of the Bir-
mingham News; e. K Campbell, B. A.
Thompson, Capt. Frank S. White and ex-
Governor Joseph F. Johnston. Hon. John
H Bankhead of Fayette was with the
ex-governor, and as they moved about
the hotel Hobbies last night they were re-
peatedly halted and congratulated upon
their successful campaign for the alter
nate senatorships.
The candidates who were defeated In
the primary were as a general thing con-
spicuous by their absence. But few of
them were to be seen in the Hobbies. But
all those who won were on hand. To
those who lost, politics had no partic-
ular attraction at this time. But the win
ners were still In love with the game. 1t
is pleasant thing when man has won
hard fight to walk about in. the crowd
and receive the congratulations of polit-
ical friend and political foe.
Hon. John H. Bankhead nominated for
alternate United States senator In the
recent primaries. was prominent hsure
in the office of the New Exchange last
night. Friends all over the state crowded
around the distinguished congressman to