The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-23
Speaker Will Make Hard Fight
 In the South
A FREE-FOR-ALL CAMPAIGN
Taft Will Have to Mend His Pace In the South to Overcome the Han dicap-Hobson Addresses
 Large Crowd.

Washington, December 22.-(Specal)- The Taft supporters have been counting upon practically solid delegations from the south to the Chicago convention for their candidate. It Is true that most of these claims were made prior to the recent declaration of President Roosevelt that under no circumstances could anotherI nomination be forced upon him. Then theI federal officeholders in the south were fixing up the pins to elect Roosevelt del- egations with view of turning them over to Taft in the event Roosevelt could not be induced to run again. But since Roose1 welt is out of it, and it appears now to be "the field against Taft the situat ton has changed. It is getting to be a free-for-all fight in some of the states ard as there is no certainty about Tafts getting the nomination, many of thu workers regard it as probable that the political wire pullers in the south are scheming to get in with the winning can didate, or at least to be in position not to be left high and dry should Taft be defeated in the convention.
 Park Agnew, formerly chairman of the Virginia republican state committee, and one of the most influential republicans in Virginia, says that dll VIII huNo the support of his state.
 'If you were to make a guess right now, who do you think stands the best chance with the Virginians?' he was asked
 Speaker Cannon,'' was his answer. T know that he is at present by long odds the favorite with the Virginia repub- licans. and my belief is that no ono can take the support of the Virginia del- egation from him while there Is chance to nominate him.
 It is also learned here that the sup porters of Speaker Cannon are actively preparing to set up the pins Tor him Tn all of the southern states where they are inclined to believe that the Taft influence Is not too strong to warrant contest. The understanding here is that the friends of both Vice President Fairbanks and Senator Foraker have determined to make a determined fight in Alabama The break between Referees thompson anu Scott in that state causes them to hope that 1t will not be difficult matter to rip up the Taft programme in that state.
 Representative Hobson delivered an ad- dress this afternoon at Alexandria, Na'' before religious audience, on charaNer building He made such a hit that Ne was compelled to prolong his remarks aA hour longer than he had intended, the men women and children insisting upon hearing him explain the plans he has so long advocated for the building of navy that would make Japan and all other 4a- tions have a care if they are thinking of getting into a brush with Uncle sam
 Representative Champ Clark of Mis- sorri spoke last Sunday before prac- ticaiIv the same audience. The Alexan- drians seemed to like Captain Hobson address much better. as he does not agree with the views of the Missourian in re- gard to the naval policy of this couh- try.
 The remains of Maj Manly B. Curry, 8 son of the late Dr. J. L. M. Curry, who was killed in Atlanta the other day in an automobile accident, were brought here today for interment in Arlington eeme- tery. w. o'