The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-09
Administration Influence Makes Self
 Felt. SENATOR THOMAS ADMITS HE WILL BE DEFEATED { Expected That Question Will. Arise in Senate, But Result
 is Certain. Newly Elected President Pro Tem Con~ cedes That Executive Department Win Probably Have Its Way In Naming Standing
 Bodies.

Col. Henry B. Gray. the incoming Lieutenant Governor, will name the committees of the Alabama Senate. Senator 10. r. Thomas who was last night nominated by the Democratfo caucus for president pro tenn of tho Senate. admitted the Influence of the coming administration had been too all probability delegate the naming of the committees to the Lieutenant Cove ernor.
 Senator Thomas made no formal statement. He simply said that CQk- onel Gray appeared to be successful n hls fight.
 There will no doubt be some motion which will bring the vexed question up for discussion during the session of the Senate today. The Senate will today in all probability adopt the rules of the last Senate But it will adopt thems with an amendment. The amendmens will provide that the incoming IAeuten ant Governor and not the president pra tenn of the Senate shall name the cons mittees.
 Then the fight will come. if there is any fight coming. It win not be a continuance, except in principle. of the fight that Senator Thomas has inaugu- rated. The minority VIII in alI prob- bility stand out to the last for the legal and constitutional right of tho Senate to have legislative and not m executive officer name the committees
 It was generally known and freely admitted last night. that the Gray forces had been successful, and hnd more than a majority of the senatora to their way of voting.
 Victory Was Expected
 The victory of Colonel Gray had no element of surprise in 1t for tho well informed. As soon as Mir. Corners position was clearly and positively de- veloped, the result of the fight was in sight. The Senate could not any more stand out against Mir. Conner than could the House.
 To the last, the friends of Senator Thomas contended that he came to Montgomery with absolute assurances from a majority of the Senators that they were unalterably in favor of the Senate itself naming it's committees through it's designated officer. He bora assurances. these frind= stoutly claim. that a majority of the Senators stood for the Lieutenant Governor remains in an executive officer, while the Senate should do It's business through a legislative officer. They claimed the question involved the trespass of one department upon the provinces Of another State department, thing for bldden by the constitution.
 Even when the crowd hnd assem- bIed, and the Thoma5 Senators were trying to get the majority to uphold their views they were assured by oth- CT Senators.
 Is right. But theyt have made tho thing an administrative measure. They have put the pressure upon us. We can't afford to be put in the attitude of fighting the aan!nistration, and those fellows tell us. if you are not for Gray in this matter, you are with the Cunningham crowd, and the ad- minIstration will have four years ii which to pay you off.
 Administrations Hand Plain.
 There wasn't any room Go doubt where the administration stood in tbe fight. w. D. Nesbitt. who will be member of the Railroad Commission under Mir. Comers administration, J.. Craig Smith, who will be President of the Board of Convict Department. Bibb Graves, who will be Adtutant General and Captain Frank & White, who has been MT. Comer's main leader and ad~ wiser were all at the Exchange Hotel and hard at work for the Grey end of the controversy. When these men enter ed the fight nobody could doubt the position of MT. Conner It was as clear that he wanted the Lieutenant Governor to name the Senate commit- tees as though he had himself spoken to the Senators.
 A newspaper man asked one of tho Senators who was originally consider ed doubtful, on tho vital question:
 Has Mr. Conner appeared in per- son in this fightT
 His reply was
 NO he has not personally solicited the voto of the Senators. He Is be- ing held fin reserve. He will appear if 1t is necessary for the Gray forces to win. The Gray people will now win without his assistance, but they will win because the men who have talked to the Senators arc known by them to represent MT. Conner"
 It developed that Mr. Comer'B ap- pearance was not necessary.
 There was frank talk, too. in these preliminary lobby canvasses. Senators were told the administration would he In four years. They were told that their attitude was heing watched by the administration, and that in four long years lot of rewarding and punishing could be done. They were made to understand that the man who voted against the Gray side was considered no better than d Cunning ham man.
 This was too much for an ambitious Senator to stapd up against. No man wanted political prescription for four years. The situation cleared, and tt was seen that Mir. Conner was aa thoroughly and completely In charge