The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-16
ROCKING CHAIR
 PERIOD OVER Congressional Campaign Is On in Earnest. LARGELY A PERSONAL CONIE> I Prohibition Seems the 0nly Issue
 Yet Raised. Some Talk That Brooks Lawrence is Taking a Hand in the Contest Hawthorne win Not Enter
 short Term Contest.
LARGELY A PERSONAL CONIE> l

The period of preliminaries in the contest for the seat in Congress made vacant by the death of Colonel A. A. Wiley, Is over. The season of real ac- tivities among candidates for the hon. or is at hand.
 Four contestants face the barrier in the Congressional handicap and wise politicians believe that any one of these four entries may be returned winner. in September. Hitherto, the four can- didates have Alphonsoad and Gastoned through the prelimin4fies of the cam paign. Every man was willing to so easy for few weeks until they were sure that there would be none other than the announced quartette in the running. In the meantime they were each willing to say My opponent Is an able man. an honorable gentleman and a credit to the Second District but"
 Things will be different from now on. It is practically assured the man elect ed in the September primary will be either S. Hugh Dent or T. H. Hall of Montgomery, c. R. Bricken of cren-
 For so time 1t was thought J. Lee Long of Butler. lead CT of the rampant Conner fac- tion in the Legislature would offer, as the administration candidate for the vacancy. Mir. Long gave 1t out that he would probably be in the lists in few days. Administration candidates have been successful to very limited degree lately in Alabama and 1t is thought that the prolonged silence of Mir. Long means that he will not test his popularity in the Second District.
 R. Walter Hawthorne, a well known travelling salesman of the District, who for many weeks considered entering the race for the short term, yesterday an- nounced from Mobile that he would not be In the running. although he had re- ceived fiattering offers of support.
 With the four running neck and neck. the days of the passive campaign are numbered. In a mighty short while the fur will begin to fly and the at- mosphere will be clouded with belts from that time until the Committee gets out its adding machine and com piles the vote.
 Just now 1t seems that the campaign must be made on entirely personal grounds. All of the candidates are avowedly enthusiastic Bryan Demo- erats and in their announced platforms there is little difference in their posi- tons.
 The only difference between the can dtdates seems to be on national legis- whiskey into prohibition territory, and if the fight Is made on any issue this will be the battle ground.
 Persons who know Alabama politics. say that beyond a doubt. the men. who made the winning fight for prohibition during the special session of the Leg islatnre will have speaking parts in the Second District fight before it is over, In fact 1t is being said in po- ltticai circles that the Rev. Brooks Lawrence, Superintendent of the Anti Saloon League, is already taking hand in the fight in a quiet way. but hefore the end will be heard on the stump.
 Of the four candidates Messrs. Sam ford and Hall have done the most work up to this time As soon as he an- noInced and even before he had for mally declared for the ofice, MT Sam ford began making a canvass of the District and he has already seen hum dreds of voters Mir Hall has been A constant candidate for Congress for the | pa st four years. and had only recently completed canvass of the District, be- fore he again announced for Congress. He is seeing the voters and making A personal appeal for support
 MT. Dent has been active for several weeks. He got late start on account Of his trip to Denver to the Democrat ic convention, but since that time has been working hard. His Montgomery Sounty AIleHuS nave recently opened headquarters and are sending out It, erature.
 Colonel Bricken's friends In Cren- shaw County have done some work and mailed out literature but on account of his military service the Luverne Solic- ltor has not been able to do a great amount of personal work He will however. endeavor to make up for lost time immediately.
 Anyhow. the rocking chair period is oVer The active fight Is on.