The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-30
MAYORALTY RACE
IS SENSATIONAL
Charges and Countercharges
Are Full of Bitterness
ODDS AGAINST WOODWARD
Newspapers of Atlanta Do Not Print
All the Hot Statements Made
by the Candidates Who Are
Waging Hot Campaign.

the bitterness and asperity in the sem
sational race for mayor which Atlanta
will settle at the polls on next Wednes-
day will never be known to the outside
world for the papers have declined to
publish many of the things which are
being charged by the forces back of
James G. Woodward because in most in
stances they are based on groundless
street rumors which the Woodward par
tisans are picking up and spreading until
they grow like the story of the man who
had eaten a Welsh rarebit, and heard q
few weeks later that he had dined on a
couple of cats.
Following one of Woodwards recent
meetings at which he made a speech con-
tanning severe but general charges against
the reputation of his opponent, Robert F.
Maddox, it is understood Mr.. Maddox
protested that the newspapers which had
agreed to support him were not dealing
squarely inasmuch as they were giving
circulation, to his injury, to what was
nothing more nor less than false and
groundless SANDER
At any rate, the papers are no longer
serving as the circulating medium of the
Woodward charges, insofar as they affect
the personal reputation of Mr.. Maddox,
| especially as no proof has been offered
IN support of them in any single in
stance.
Unable to get these stories in circula-
ton through the newspapers Woodward
supporters are now detailing them upon
street corners and wherever they can get
an audience. To such an extent has this
gone on that notice has been served upon
them through the public prints that any
further circulation of SANDER would be
dealt with in accordance with law, and
that those responsible for 1t would be
arrested and brought before the courts.
To what extent this will stop it remains
to be seen.
The Maddox forces charge that the
woodward crowd has been registering
numerous illegal voters to counteract
which they have appointed a committee
to make a special study of the registra-
ton lists with view to the removal
from it of any unlawful names.
The Maddox meetings generally have
been characterized by good temper and
moderate speech. The condrct which
woodward has admitted and which
brought upon him the opposition, Is re-
ferred to only In general terms and about
the worst that has been said is summed
I'D in the issue as the Maddox people
have put 1t "Decency VS.. Indecency."
Woodward and some of those who have
spoken for him have not hesitated to hurl
the most abusive charges against Mad
dox and those who have spoken for him
at public meetings. He asserts loudly
that "all the virtue and decency are not
wrapped up in Maddox's hide" and says
If he will meet him he will ask Maddox
some questions that will give him bad
quarter of an hour. Woodward says they
have made too much of a sensation out OF
his being drunk now and then when there
have been mayors with whom soberness
was the exception. He is attempting TO
play the role of the prosecuted martyr.
Several thousand Maddox men Joined
In the torchlight parade last night, light
ing I'D the business section of the city
with thousands of redfire torches, and in
spring enthusiasm in the Maddox ranks
This will be followed by a parade OF
the business men at noon next Tuesday,
while the Woodward torchlight procession
will take place on Tuesday night-the
| eve of the election.
The Maddox leaders claim now between
| 1000 and 5000 signed members in the Mad
dox clubs. all voters. This is considerably
more than half of the vote that will be
cast out of a registration OF about lIOOo'
and if all those signed up are entitled
to vote and do vote there is no further
question about the election of Maddox.
Woodward claims that card signing
amounts to nothing and points to the fact
that several years ago it was claimed
that H. c. Stockdell had 1900 voters signed
TO cards when Woodward defeated him.
The trouble was the anti-Woodward
| vote was split that year among three
| candidates. and " oodward won the nom
ination on less than 25oO votes which is
about his normal strength.
In the present race, however he is
! making all the capital possibly out OF
| the fact that he was the nominee of the
white primary and this Will probably
| be worth as good many votes. This is
| opposition has had to encounter. Promi-
| nent lawyers have given the opinion that
| when Woodward withdrew as the pri-
| mary nominee at the organization of the
movement against him he eliminated him
| self as such nominee and has no right
| now to claim that advantage There are
| many who differ with him. and those
| voters who have adopted no partisan
| alignment are considering the question
| from the standpoint of to what extent
| they are absolved from the primary OBJ
| LEGATION by the conduct of the nominee
| which resulted in bringing out the oppo-
| sition against him.
| Almost all the bets which are now be-
| ing placed are at to l on Maddox. Oc-
| casionally there is an even bet, but gen
/ orally speaking the Woodward men are
| demanding odds of 2 to /, and many bets
| have been made on that basis.
Railroad Tax Collection.
| State authorities have under con-
/ sideration the question of attempting
| to enforce collection from the 1essees
| of the Western and Atlantic railroad
| the property of the state, of one-hal1
| of / per cent on the net income of tina
property, and it is not unlikely thai
| this will be matter for consideration
by the special Western and Atlantic
commission appointed by authority OF
the legislature which the governor ha!
called to meet here early in Decem
| ber
1t is asserted that this is a specific
| part of the lease contract, it being
| similar to the contract made with the
| Georgia Railroad and Banking com
| pany In it's charter. 1t Is also claimed
that it is a requirement of the act un
der which the state provided for thu
| Of ha