The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
HEARST 'HISGEN AND GRAVES ID BE
 AT HIPPODROME Leaders Expect to See Hall Packed for Speakers To-
 morrow Night WAYS IN IN STATEMENT
 EXPLAINS TIE CHAN NGE Old Rule Found Which Does Not AL low the Use of the High School Auditorium for Political
 Meetings.

As the result of an old rule regarding the uses to which the High school audi torium may be put, the Independence party rally, which was to have been held there tomorrow night. has been changed to the Hippodrome skating rink. -ir- engagements had been made for the use of the High school auditorium and deco rators were put to work there yesterday morning when this rule suddenly put in it's appearance.
 It appears that the auditorium cannot be used as a place for political gather ings, and this matter was called to the at- tention of the Board of Education yes terday morning. They immediately mo- tified the Independence leaders of this and they proceeded to secure another place to hold the meeting, and the voices of Messrs. Hisgen, Graves and Hearst will resound from the walls of the Hippo drome tomorrow night
 The leaders of the Independence move- ment are expected to reach Birmingham tonight or early tomorrow morning.
 V. A. Watson, who is acting as ad- vance agent for the Hisgen party. gave out the following interview last night:
 Statement From V. A. Watson.
 Thomas L. Hisgen, John Temple Graves. William Randolph Hearst, Clar- ence J. Shearn and the other speakers of the independence party are now on their way to Birmingham, and the big rally of the independence party will be held on scheduled time Monday evening in the Hippodrome, Third avenue and Seventeenth street, instead of the High school auditorium. The meeting will be much larger than was originally contem- plated or could possibly have been had it been held as first planned in the public school auditorium. All of the invita- tions that have been issued for the audi torium will be good for the Hippodrome.
 T had first arranged through Dr. Fealy, Alabama's state chairman of the inde- pendence party, to secure the auditorium for the meeting, and a definite price was agreed upon with the secretary of Dr. Phillips, superintendent of the public schools. We assumed that we were go- ing to get the hall, and advertised our meeting for several days Not until Sat urday morning, when plans for decorating the auditorium begun, did we discover that peculiar situation had arisen, and that we could not have the auditorium. As mater of fact we were extremely glad of this because we had received an offer from MT. Belton Gilreath, an old friend of John Temple Graves, our vice presidential candidate, to use the East side skating rink Tree of charge. We appreciated this courtesy, but felt in honor bound to use the auditorium, which we had agreed to use despite the fact that we had signed no contract and were be- ing constantly advised by some of the best business men of Birmingham that there was such great interest in our meet ing that we ought to get larger place than the auditorium.
 However there is no ill feeling and we do not believe that those in charge would be so petty as to make this kind of move with any political purpose.
 Tn fact we thank Dr. Phillips, MT. Thompson of the school board or any person who found the old school rule, which made it possible for us to change the meeting from the school Auditorium to the Hippodrome, which we confidently expect to see packed. Everybody in Bir- mingham, particularly the women of the city, is invited to attend the Hippodrome Monday night to hear MT. Hearst, MT. Hisgen and the others talk.
 All day today we had stream of callers at the newly opened headquarters of the independence party. No. 1S241A Third avenue. Nearly all of them wanted tickets for the meeting and were SUD- piled with them The headquarters will be open practically all day Sunday and tickets will be distributed 10 those calling for them, although there w..l be ample provision at the meeting for those who do not have tickets The tickets, of course are free of charge. reception committee, thoroughly representative of Birmingham, will meet the Hsgen party when it arrives in Birmingham, and q definite announcement of time and the road over which they will arrive will be made so that the public can be on hand If it cares to.
 T have been asked what I think of the possibilities of the independence party in Alabama. In reply, I will say that in Birmingham there is a red hot sentiment for the new party and that the club which is being formed by Dr. Fealey and Ma tional Committeeman Drake and Agricola will have very large membership with in a fortnight My information from other parts of the state is that exactly the same sentiments exists everywhere