The Pensacola journal., 1907-06-23

The Mobile Registers Montgomery
service says that when asked for an
interview Hon. Z. p. Thomas. of Bar
bOur, president of the state senate
declared himself a supporter of MI
Bankhedd and threw some hot shots
at Governor Conner.
1 am unheSitatingly for Bank
head said Mr.. Thomas, Il could not
be otherwise without repudiating the
very primary by which l hold my
nomination as a senator. | could not
be otherwise without violating a sol
emn implied obligation to obey in the
discharge of the function of my office
the will and wishes of the people
whom l represent, when that will and
those wishes have been so clearly
and so enthusiastically expressed as in
this instance.
4 Shot at Conner.
The distinguished governor of The
state recognized this principal when
in obedience to the behest of the
people he appointed Colonel Bankhead
United States senator, but in effect
repUdiated it when in his pronuncia-
mentO he said his legislature should
not elect him. How the distinguished
governor can decide that the peoples
Will is binding on him. their agent
but is not binding on the legislature
also their agent, is a mystery to me-
especially when I recall that the
agency of each, that of the governor
and that OF the legislature, was Gre
ated at and in that same primary.
The Cat and the Chestnut.
ITO be sure. there is a hot chestnut
in the fret is the United States
senatorship belonging to Bankhead by
the voice of the people. 1t must be
pulled out of the fire and away from
him, says the governor, for the people
did not know what they were doing
when they gave it to him. 1t is ad-
mitted that the paws which will pull
it out will get politically burnt-bad-
ly burnt and 1t shall not be mine"
says the wise governor. But. it is
alright for the legislative paws to get
burned. So he says: Proceed gen
tlemen of the legislature. and pull the
hot chestnut out of the fire. You play
the cat and furnish the paws Who'll
be the cat, the people of the state
wait with interest to see
4 doubt that there will be enough
paws when the roll is called TO pull
the chestnut out" concluded Mr..
Thomas
J. Lee Long Is Evasive.
The governor and his friends have
been Singularly silent The first
mouth of the Conner faction was open-
ed to-day when Representative J. Lee
Long of Butler, the floor leader of the
administration in the house, came to
Montgomery. Mr.. Long was evasive
He would not express himSelf as to
senatorial preferences, nor would ne
indicate what the Conner men would
do when the legislature re-asgembled.
4 have read the senatorial plan
adopted by the executive committee"
he said, and the action of the state
convention on that plan. ] did not
see in either what the committee or
what the convention did anything that
was binding upon the legislature to
compel it TO eject the winner of that
primary, which ought not to have been
called"
Mallory for Bankhead.
The Birmingham Age-Herald of re-
cent date contained the following:
II. s. d. Mallory, chairman OF the
present Democratic state executive
committee. made the following state
ment while en- route from Selma 10
Saturday afternoon:
The state Democratic executive
committee directed the plan for the
nomination of alternate United States
senators. The people fell il with
the idea. Several distinguished gen
tlemen offered themselves as candi-
dates. The people manifested keen.
int elligant close interest in the Prim-
airy. and the claims Of the different
We're closely scanned. MI
Bankhead led the candidates, and nc
is entitled to the victory. If party
law means anything it means that AIT.
Bankhead is the nominee 10 succeed
Senator Morgan. What concerned the
party then concerns it now. Mr..
Bankhead has done nOthin" to for
felt the confidence of his people
Straight Talk.
He went in good faith before the
people with other distinguished citi-
zens in a contest for the honor IF
party law is 10 be considered. and
am not insisting that il be considered