The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-07
MUD SINGING IS
DONE IN HE DARK
Present Campaign Offers Some
Unique Features
O'BRIEN'S VOTE SOLICITED
Ward Campaign Committee Accident
ally Sends Letter to Opponent
Asking His Support at
Coming Primary.

In several respects the present munici-
pal campaign is unique. On the surface
considering the gossip and the opinion
OF the political chatterbox. the campaign
IL one of the cleanest and quietest ever
known In Birmingham Underneath, how
ever. there is current carrying with
1t the usual interest, the usual mud
singing, the usual strenuous effort for
votes, the usual promises and counter
promises, and the usual life, humor and
melodrama.
Another unique characteristic of the
campaign is that no candidate is giving
interviews, each leaving the impression
that he is too busy canvassing to IN
dulge in gossip. The Views of those run
ming for Office however, and especially
the criticisms of each other, are appear
ing in the papers, In black-type.
The sole item of legitimate news that
developed yesterday was the request of,
the subcommittee of the city democratic
executive committee that each candidate
for the offices of Mayor and chief of po-
lice, furnish Chairman Daugette with
list of five names from every ward in
the city From these names, the sub
committee at it's meeting on the 18th of
this month will select the managers, the
clerks and the returning officers TO con-
duct the primary on the 18th. The sub
committee desires that these names be
turned in not later than the 9Th
O'Brien's Support Requested.
Each candidate admits he Is making
every effort to defeat his opponent. To
that end letters of friendship, letters
containing campaign literature, letters eff
fecting business are being sent through
the mails, while speeches are being made,
criticisms INDUCED in, and much warm
handshaking prevails.
1t could ont be stated that formal
request was made, but at any rate the
support of Capt Frank p. O'Brlen has
been sought by those working in the
interest of George b. Ward. A personal
letter was received by Captain oBrien
last night and its contents among other
things, asked that Captain O'Brien regis
ter and vote for Ward. The letter was
mailed by F. NJ. Jackson, Wards cam
paign manager, and whether Mr.. Wards
rival for the office that he seeks was
included among others through an error,
or whether the sending Of the letter
was prompted by a little jocular i'm
pertinence on the part of the campaign
manager, is unknown. However. the mat
ter created a deal of laughter yester-
day.
Captain O'Brien, incidentally, stated
Yesterday to a reporter of The Age
Herald that he would not name cam
paign manager, but that he was the gen.
eraI of his own forces.
Activity In Wards.
In the several wards of the city there
IS noted considerable activity. The regis
tration yesterday had quite a boom, and
up to date, more than 1900 voters have
been given credentials authorizing their
participating in the primary The places
of registration are visited daily by the
several candidates. and in many of the
wards, stenographers are employed to
keep the lists of the registered voters.
At each registration place there are
stationed men who are in the interest Of.
one or more candidates. Their duties are
to see that there is no illegal registra-
ton
In each ward, while the campaign for
the mayoralty and chief Of police Is dis
cussed, the topic of greatest interest Is
the campaign of the candidates for alder
men and the executive committee. Per-
haps, interest in the latter race was
never before so interesting. This is par
TALLY due to the number of prominent
citizens who seek membership in the
committee. and who are waging active
campaigns. Heretofore, the races for
COMM tteemen have attracted very little
attention