The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-05
VOTERS ARE SLOW ABOUT REGISTERING Candidates Do Some Campaign
 ing at the Booths GOSSIP IN VARIOUS WARDS Every Man Must Register In Order to Vote Whether He Holds a Life
 Certificate or
 Not.
GOSSIP IN VARIOUS WARDS

YYterday morning, promptly at 8 o'clock, nine registration booths were opened in the city to accommodate those who desire to participate in the ensuing municipal election.
 On account of the inclement weather the resignation of the first day was light only about 300 voters registering in the entire city.
 The noticeable feature of the first days registration was the care exercised by the registrars to prevent illegal registra- tion As far as known, no such attempt was made, but each mans credentials were examined thoroughly. In addition to the care taken by the registrars, there were those about the booths who were watching the proceedings with eagle eyes. It Is almost certainty judging from the care that is taken, that there will be no illegal registration in Birmingham, Candidates Visit Booths.
 At various times during the day the booths were visited by candidates, This was especially true as concerns the can didates for the aldermanic positions of the several wards These candidates were making merry and incidentally doing a little campaigning.
 Attention was called to the fact that before a voter can register he must have paid his poll tax. It is pointed out, too, that it is necessary for every voter to reg ister in his own ward, 1t matters not whether or not he holds a life certificate. There have been many inquiries along this line, and on account of this a sub committee issued new instructions Be- fore a man can register, too it matters not whether or not he has paid his poll tax, he must either present a life certif- cate or a certificate of state registration which must have been issued last Septem- l Der. To accommodate those who were ab- sent from the city during the last week in September, the state registration will be open on Friday and Saturday of next week. Those who will have become of age at that time will be allowed to regis ter. All claims must be accompanied by an affidavit. As stated yesterday, the ward registration booths will be again opened on the day of the primary to &C., commodate those who will have been out of the city this week.
 Gossip From Various Wards.
 While visiting the several wards of the city. one could have gathered great deal of interesting political gossip. In the First ward several of the five aldermanic candidates put in an appearance. From the discussion heard, it is estimated that the strength of Burke and Burnett is about evenly balanced the odds favoring the nomination of one of these contest ants. Of course, in the Second, everything is for O'Neill, and from the compliments paid that alderman, 1t is very probable that he would have defeated any man who might have run against him. In the Third, there was a great variance of opln- ion. It was pointed out that the race was between Dick Eggleston and Dick Gam ! bill, with the odds favoring the former. In the Fourth, Walter Moore seemed the favorite over W. F. Parker. In the Fifth, Mir Cooper, without opposition, was talked of on all sides as the next Mayor of Birmingham MT. Cooper's intimacy with the fight for municipal control of the water works has made him exceed ] inSly popular with the people of his ward. In the Sixth, the race is warm between John Forney and John Williams, and the opinion as to the winner was sadly d- vded. In the Seventh, the three-cornered fight between Alderman Heidt, w. B. Grant and l.. N. Archer is destined to be close, although the odds point to the nomination of MT Heidt. In the Eighth, there is q spirited race, one in which the interest Is great. Dan Hogan and Barnes Morgan seem to be running neck and neck The race in the Ninth Is be- tween Robert F. Murphy and G. IL Estes. Both candidates are making stren- uous efforts to win the nomination. When l the candidates were first announced 1t seemed that Mir Estes would surely win. but today things are more divided. Mir. Murphy has on his campaign committee the names of 100 of 300 voters of the ward.