The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-19
PRINCIPALS
 ARE ABSENT Lu11 in Great Political
 Struggle. BANKHEAD MEN CONFIDENT Senator McWhorter Writes Open Letter Supporting Senator. Conner Forces Do Not Seem to Have Fixed On Candidate Although
 Mutterings of Johnston
 Are Frequent.

the Capitol yesterday and Captain John H. Bankhead was at his home in Fay cite. In the absence of the two cen tral figures in the political battle that Is pending the interest in the Sena- torial controversy Jagged yesterday for lack of something definite to talk about.
 The single development of the day was the interview given out by Sena- tor George T. McWhorter, of Colbert county. Senator McWhorter in a pub lie communication declared that he head at thi8 time as defiance of the expressed will of the people. He made clear his intention of supporting Cap tain Bankhead for Senator to the last. date in opposition to Captain Bank head was no more apparent yesterday than at any time s.nce the political situation arose. Nobody was well Governor would or would nOe have out an opposition candidate and nobody was well enough informed to say who that candidate would be if the Governor se- lected him.
 Comer's Dark Horse.
 The puzzling feature of the situation to those who are initiated in politics is the dark horse characteristics of man. He can not be figured out at any angle. There seems to be no man shaped and framed up 70 be the Conner candidate. The impression now is that the Governor steamed up right under the Bankhead fort fired broad side and then steamed away after that burst of defiance. That at any rate seems to be the belief at this time. the right to jump into the race and elect another man if the chance offers itself.
 where the Governor leads are patient- ly awaiting and impatlently abusing the primary plan for the selection of alternate Senators.
 The attitude of former Governor Jo- seph F. Johnston. is also puzzing the political wiseacres The Governor has kept as still as David B. Hill did during the Bryan campaign: He has been silent on all phases of the pres ent fight.
 And yet the former Governor has a vital interest in the adjustment of the on the Alternate Senators ticket and as such Is entitled to appointment to the second vacancy. The disposition of the issue arising over the first va cancy will form a precedent that will be of the deepest personal interest to the former Governor. It might be ex- pected that the former Governor would cal for the regular order" but he has said nothing yet.
 Johnston May Re Man.
 Therefore people who talk politics and who cast around for candidate when no candidate is in sight have been heard to whisper the suspicion that the former Governor may be the man the Governor will pick out to ac- tain Bankhead before the legislature.
 But there is no ground apparent for this suspicion except the talk of some of Governor Johnston's friends that he circumstances stand any chance of successfully opposing Captain Bank head. On the other hand there are those who say that the Ex-Governor will sustain the primary plan both for first place and last place and that he will be drawn in no entangling alli- saying that this is' not his fight and that he Is not making any enemies un- necessarily It is intlmated that if he came out in support of Captain Bank rabid Conner men and have against him some of these radical legislators when he might have to have an in- ming before the legislature.
 In the meanwhile the Bankhead men appear to grow more and more conf- dent every day They are resting great confidence on the result of the Sena- torial primary and they declare that the people are so aroused. for their in tegrity of the primary that the legis- lature will not dare override the yer dict on the question of Alternate Sem ator.
 Senator McWharton's Letter.
 A number of mass meeting have been held in various parts of the State in which resolution have been adopted de- claring Captain Bankhead entitled to the right of serving out the unexpired term of Senator Morgan. As a re- suit of one of these mass meetings held al Tuscumbia, Senator McWhorter wrote the following letter:
 Riverton, Ala, June IT. '07. Col. J. N. Thompson and Others. Tus-
 cumbia and Sheffield. Ala:
 My Dear Sir--I am cheerfully sup porting Hon. John H. Bankhead for United States Senator to succeed 1on. John T. Morgan. He is entitled to the place. having the endorsement of the State. and l would regard opposition to him a this juncture a defiance of the expressed will of the people.
 The majority of the members of the present Legislature were chosen at the primary which selected him for alter nate Senator, and I regard it just as incumbent on them to obey the will of the people in the one case in the other. I think Bankhead's claim is as valid as the other members chosen at the same primary. Yours truly,
 George T. McWhorter. session of the Legislature was staunch supporter of the policies of Governor Conner. He even supported Lieutenant Governor Henry B. Gray in the fight to have the right to name the Senate committees conferred upon the Lieutenant Governor. The Colbert Senator was one of the Senators who were called upon often. to speak in fa- Vor of the administration measures
 Governor Conner is not expected back to the Capitol within week. It is an nOunCed that the Governor will Spend