The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-06
GRAY AND THOMAS STATE
 POSITIONS IN CONTROVERSY

assured me that he intended taking no part in the organization of the Senate. From my understanding of our conver- sation. MT. Conner Is willing that the Senate should perfect its own organiza- ton and he will not raise his hand to help or hurt any man in 1t .. z T am, of course, confident that VIII be elected President pro tenn: I believe the Senate will reserve to itself the right to have a legislative officer of its own seelction, name the committees without shifting that responsibility to an ofh- cer of the executive deparmen. clearly defined to be such by the constitution. The will of the Senate in this respect will be a law to me. and I would not presume to dictate to the Senate It's own duties.
 If. possibly. the Senate should be disposed to waste a week of It's val uable time. at the expense of the peo- pie. in order that the plans and pur- poses of the Lieutenant-Governor may be effectuated. 1t is the privilege of the Senators to do so. But I am confident the Senate will be guided by the Con- stitution. and when 1t organizes Tues day, the sth, will arrange for the ap- pointment of its standing committees by some officer or person of its own choosing as contemplated by the Con- stituticn, and will continue its sessions regularly The last Senate so construed the Constitution. and the new Lieu- tenant Governor was elected in the face of the construction.
 Gray is Uonfldenf.
 Colonel Gray reached the city yester- day on the same train which brought Governor-elect Conner and Senator Na- than L.. Miller of Birmingham. He has a suite of rooms at the Exchange. Asked for a statement by a newspaper man. Colonel Gray said:
 "rhe contest that is on over the naming of the committees of tho Sen- ate, and all along the line. is nothing and an anti-administration fight" said Colonel Gray at the Exchange Hotel :. ."The outcome of it7 We'll, you can never tell the outcome of political fight until the votes have been count ed I haven't the slightest doubt that our side will win. I know that a ma- jority of the Senators are with me. and I am. therefore. absolutely confident of winning.
 Senator Thomas and I are good friends. He was my friend in the pri- mary when was a candidate for Lieu tenant Governor, and I have been his friend in discouraging opposition to his candidacy for President pro tenn. He will be elected without opposition. Only on the naming oI tno Conmittee Is there any contest. shall stand out for the prerogative of appointing the committees until the Senate takes what ever action 1t may decide upon.
 'One argument for depriving the President of the prerogative of nam- ing the committees is the fact that the Senate will be in session six days be- fore the Lieutenant-G Governor is inau- gurated. There are several feasible plans by which any embarrassment from this source may be avoided. and the friends who are with rne In thi4 contest. ara serene on this score. and each Of the several plans would prove satisfactnry \
 Conner Has Ncthing 10 Say.
 MT. Conner went immediately to the handsome home of lfs son-in-iaw, Hon. J. Craig Smith. For the present, and at least during the early part of his administration. MT. Conner will make his home there. He was not about the hotel lobbies either yesterday after noon or last night. While he met all newspaper men pleasantly, the Cover nor-elect said he had nothing to give out now. Mfr. Conner will attend the regular meeting of the Alabama Rail- road Commission which will be held Monday.
 Among the early Senatorial arrivals was Hon. John W. Overton. of We uoWee. A Fumor puDusned simuItano- ously in Montgomery and in Birming- ham stated that Mir. overton, if the Lieutenant-Governor named the com mtttees. would be placed at the head of the Judiicary Committee.
 The Senuators who reacred the city last night were Messrs. II. P. Mer- ritt of Tuskegee, E. P. Thomas of Bar bour, John W. overton of Randolph, Evans Hinson of Lowndes, G. B. Vim berly of Pickens and W. W. Barbour of DeKa1b.
 The House members who came in were John MeDuffie of Monroe, F. O Hoffman of Mobile. W. E. Urquhart of Jefferson. W. M. Coleman of Marshall and J. H. Henley of Escambia.