The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-27
MANY CANDIDATES FUR COvGRESS Four Men HaVts .nROuDcsd for
 VI|Iaf' 2 Place TWO HEHRYS IN TIE FIELD Clan McLaurin Has Lost Hold Upon Voters In Mississippi, as Shown In
 Both Primary Elections
 Held This Year.
TWO HENRYS IN THE FIELD

Jackson, Miss, August 26-(Special.)- )-- The announcement by Senator-clect John Sharp Williams that he will not be d candidate for Congress again has flushed covey of aspirants in nearly every one of the five counties of the Eighth dis trict, and the prospect is for a lively scramble over tine possession of MT Will Hams brogans. The first to come from cover was Dr. Louis Hallum, exEpiscopal minister, and now lawyer of this city who states that he is a poor man but IS going to canvass the district if he has to walk but in the same breath declares he stands fiat-footed on Nardamans negro platform. and in his explanation shows that he out-Herods Herod
 The second to shies his caster into the arena is Hon. Patrick Henry of Vicks- burg, d gentleman who has served a term in Congress about ten years ago. and who made quite an enYiable record for a young man. Mir. Henry has served district as circuit judge, district attorney, city attorney. state senator and else where, and has never been found unequal to the emergency.
 The third to make his wishes known IS Hon. Joseph George of Yazoo City, son of the late United States Senator George. a member of the legislature and young man of a great deal of force. He is the friend and neighbor of John Sharp Will Hams, and would naturally fall heir to d good deal of his local strength.
 There is another Patrick Henry in the district. resident of the home town of Clan McLaurin, Brandon. and who has also served one term in the lower house at Washington. He is an uncle of the Vicksburg aspirant, and it is not at all improbable they will measure lances Tor the congressional nomination next year, though the Brandon patriot has not so far intimated any disposition of the kind.
 There is but one more county ln the district, Madison, and it has been great number of years since she furnished a congressman. though good timber IS abundant Hon Wnliem H. Powell. ono of tire foremost lawyers in the state, is located at Canton, and his county would vote foi him almost solidly if he should offer for the place.
 There are others at Jackson in whose bonnets the bee Is said to be buzzins, and 1t is not probable that MT. Hallum will be permitted to have the county all to himself.
 Clan Loses Prestige.
 During the closing days of the guberna- torial campaign Hon. F. r. Noel the successful aspirant charged repeatedly and finally proved beyond the peradVen- ture of doubt that United States senator McI,aurin was doing all he could for the election of Mr. Brewer. Letters written bv Senator McLaurin were exhibited at Noel headouarters here and printed. They urged the recipient to do all m their mower for MT. Brewer. MT. Noel Knew that he was going up big proposition but he tackled it boldly In all or ms speeches and publications, and won out in spite of the 4,lcA4aurin iniluehce.
 This would seem to indicate that the backbone of the McLaurin influence has been broken at last. In the first primary Senator McLaurin openly advocated the election of Judge Truly as governor but Judge Truly never got within sleht or the mansion. However, the McLaurin hand was felt in the race. Not only dld It's support defeat Truly and Brewer but us opposition defeated Scott in the hrsC urinary. It is evident that the McLaurin clan was divided in the first primary, or else they threw down. as is charged fudge Truly. for Brewer, and in the long run lost both.
 For twenty years the Clan McLaurin has been the strongest political factor Tn Mississippi and for that length or tune it has won in every fight in which 1t en- gagged save in the opposition to Narda-
 
 to nave been the beginning of the end of a long and prosperous reign. In that contest they failed to land their friend and in the late primaries they failed to elect members of their own tamily In their own county and district.
 Should Senator McLaurin live to see the beginning of another term, which In his case is 1913, but the election to choose his successor will he held four years hence. he will doubtless be a candidate for another term. That he VIII pc op- nosed by Governor Vardaman there need he no doubt. II was Vardaman who has forced him to loosen his hold, and it may be left to Vardaman to make him let go entirely. However, that depends on whether 'Vardamanism' grows or recedes in Mississippi during the next four years. In the event Governor Vardaman takes editorial control of a newspaper-any old newspaper--at the end of his term next January there will be no retrograoing.