The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-09
SURPRISE MAY BE
 SPRUNG IN STATE Senatorial Succession May Have Unexpected Applicants CONGRESSIONAL GOSSIP Inferior Court of Beats 2t and 37 Will Be Re-estabished Under Decision
 of the Supreme Court of
 Alabama Yesterday.
CONGRESSIONAL GOSSIP
BY HERvEY w. LAIRD.

 surprises sprung in a few days one or two people will be surprised They have to do with candidates for the senatorial succession and look to one man at least who has not been taken into general con sderation. And il is dollars to dough- nuts, and good money at that that he will make trouble for some of the other ambitious ones if he runs. He Is now holder of state ofhce has long record of faithful service and a wide acquaint ance, and has been urged to get into the race. He is thinking of it. because in reply to a request for help on the part of one of the known candidates he said that he was not yet ready to say what he would do. Friends have urged him to run. The writer of this letter stepped into his office this week when a county man was appealing to him to let his friends say that he was likely to run before they pledged themselves to others. But he would not say for certain what he would do.
 Congressional Race.
 Interest in the race for Congress in the Sixth district has been renewed by the letter of Capt. R. P. Hobson, asking for late primary, especially as it Is thought by many that Captain Bankhead, who now holds the place. will desire not only reelection but possible endorsement for any senatorial vacancy that may occur. Both gentlemen areapopular here There has also been more or less talk of the race in the Third district where Editor Harry Martin has been shelling the pre- serves of the Hon. Henry D. Clayton with a view of unseating him at the next cleo ton.
 It Is thought that there will be early primaries in all the Congressional districts and that they will be over and out of the way in order that all may get into the state fight during the closing ninety days which promise to be quite warm. Both Banlxhead and Clayton have made good this week in Congress, having delivered speeches in the interest of the passage of the Hepburn bill for the regulation of rates of freight traffic. Burnett of the Seventh also made a speech on the bill, as did Hefin of the Fifth, but as they are pretty certain of reelection they did not need 1t for campaign purposes,
 Important Ruling.
 Two cases of more than average inn portance were handed down by the su- preme court today, in the reversal of the
 
 upholding of the inferior courts of Bir- mingham, known as inferior courts of Beats H and 37, Jefferson county. In the first the labor law has been up held in a very important instance. By act of the last legislature a contract made by a man to labor for another be- comes prima facia evidence of fraud on trial of the accused if he refuses to kaep his contract. 1t was held by the
 
 that the law was not constitutional. This decision is reversed, validating the act, by the supreme court.
 This will mean a great deal to the people of the state who hire labor It has been the practice in many cases for laborers 10 enter into contract with em- ployers and accept payment of railroad fare or other value and then refuse to work if they did not like the place. It was found almost impossible to keep h. responsible negroes for instance, to keep their word and many hundreds of dol lars were lost in that way. This will have the effect of deterring them and after this it will be very unsafe for man to agree to work and accept pay ment on 1t and then refuse to do so. The fact that he made contract will be pulled upon him as evidence that he intended to commit fraud.
 In another important case. that of Thomas E. Goodwin vs J. D. Sherer, from the circuit court of Fayette coun- ty, it is held that the members of the commissioners court are properly elect ed and that the court is organized &C., cording to law.
 Will Raise Taxes.
 The state Board of Assessment has ad- iourned to tomorrow morning, because of nf I Craig Smith in Dallas county. It will on tomor- row resume it's hearings on the question of the rates of taxation on the rail- teN- phone and telegraph lines of the state. Nothing has been given out concerning the deliberations of the board, but 1t is heard in a quiet way that there Is to be a general policy of advancement on the lines of the larger systems, though the domestic lines will likely not be disturbed, except in cases where they have come out of the slough of hard times and have begun to make good money. II Is not, however, thought on the outside, that anything has yet been done with any of the properties
 Ii has been shown that many of the rail lines of the state have been pros perous during the last year, and. one hears this will be governing force with the board in the matter of increasing taxes Wherever there has been marked advance In earnings it is very likely there will be advance in taxes. the board talk ing the position that the ability to earn well Is an evidence of the increased value of the property.
 Peculiar Law.
 There exists a very peculiar law in the management of the municipal affairs of the town of Courtland. It is that the municipal officers are appointed by the governor of the state instead of being elected by the citizeps as in other cities and towns. Therefore. every time there Is a change in the government of the town. the governor has to wade through | a lot of papers to get at the man most desired by the people and appoint him. This he has just done, appointing John A Gilchrist to take the place of Mayor Sherrod. who resigned
 A. C. Kingry had been appointed iustice of the peace at Cottonwood, the l nlace where the murder of the famly of M Christmas was discovered yvter- | dav The governor will do whatever he can to aid in the capture of the fiend or | aends who committed the awful crime | If is quite likely the sheriff of Houston | countv will get report of the matter 10 | inc governor today and that he will help I Tn such way as he can to apprehend the murderers.
 Other important Court Decisions. ,rha supreme court has made rulings | in tvyo eases this week. the second one | todav that are of much importance to