The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-23
SHREND MOVE OF
 JIM WOODWARD AtIanta's NayOraIty Race Is
 Very Complicated TO BE WIDE OPEN ELECTION Politicians Do Not Know How to Take the Situation, But Woodward Is Gathering Strength for the
 Fight at the Polls.
TO BE WIDE OPEN ELECTION

Atlanta, November 22.-lSpecial )-Jim Woodwards double somersault has got Atlanta by the ears this week and mo- body can think or talk anything else but the race for mayor and it's prossible re- sLlt.
 Whether Woodward's withdrawal and return were sincere or the snrewdest po- litieal game that has been played in At lanta in some years, is mooted ques- tion. Each view has It's adherents. Whether so intended or not, it had the effect of the latter.
 Withdrawing before his case came to trial in recorders court, it had the effect of inducing his political enemies in their sympathy to request that the whole pro- eeeding be dropped. While this was not done it amounted to the same thing for he simply forfeited a small fine deposited very much as a bond and was not re- quired to appear in court where the de- tails of his .escapade would have become public property.
 That opportunity for his enemies to have made campaign material having passed, he came back to the race in rather a dramatic manner which gave his fol- lowers new political life and hope. There have been various Sreports as to the size of the crowd which gathered on Wednes- day night to demand his return to the race. From the best evidence obtainable it appears to have been about 2oOO persons. approximately the following which has stuck to Jim Woodward through thick and thin in. fortune and misfortune
 But the spirit of the crowd approached that of the Parisian commune, evidenced in its invasion of the Capital City club where it went to fling taunts in the teeth of the kid glove candidate,s' as the Wood ward followers have denominated Robert E. Maddox, and in It's attack upon the Atlanta Georgian whose purpose was thwarted by the timely arrival of the po lice
 That night gave evidence of what may yet be expected before the campaign is over. It is not unlikely that the Wood ward leaders will have difficulty in pre- venting a certain element among his fol- lowers from leaving their mark some where about the city.
 The most remarkable feature of it all is the seeming strength and confidence which Woodward and his friends have gathered with his re-entry into the race, He withdrew apparently a beaten eandi- date; his followers had declined to accept bets at two to one on Maddox He re- turned like a Caesar coming back to Rome, and they are now offering two to one on his success at the polls.
 This Is the first time in years that At lanta has entered into a wideopen cleo. tion. The negroes are going to vote. There are some 15oO to 1900 of them reg istered, and this vote isgoing to count Naturally both sides are going after if: have, in fact, already gone. So great has the change in the situation appeared that despite the fact that there are 14OOo White registered voters, observers declare that the candidate who succeeds in land ing the negro vote is going to win It may not be so bad as that, still that is an in- teresting present viewpoint
 Woodward has no organ-the three daily papers of Atlanta are combined against him. But he has a campaign fund and his campaign documents will find circulation.
 Both sides are already we'll organized Maddox and Woodward committies arfe working like beavers-and it will be the speediest and possibil the most through canvass of Atlanta's voting lists ever made. So far there has been little vitu- peration or abuse; each side seems to be waiting on the other to make a move. and the quiet but determined fight for votes goes on.
 The preachers have religiously kept or been kept out of the fight; the votes which they might most readily influence are already on the side of Maddox and so far as other elements are concerned, their interference, unfortunatelyA usual ly makes votes for those they are oppos ing.
 From now until December there will be from two to half a dozen political meetings every night. considerable red fire and some torchlight parades. The situa ton is hot and getting hotter