The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-20
STATE LINEUP AT THE PIE COUNTER Every Office Will Have Many
 Applicants THOSE IN THE LIMELIGHT Gray, Mallory, Seed, Weakey, Bran don and spragns Grooming for Gubernatorial Race-Some-
 thing of the Men.
THOSE IN THE LlMELIGHT
By HERVEY w. LAIRD.

l office to the lowest in the gift of the peo- 1 pie there is going to be a scramble for place, or else the signs which may usually be taken as indicative are failures. It is evident, even at this time, that l there is going to be as much attention 1 given to the election of the next legisla- l ture as to the last. There is also an i'm l pression that the next legislative branch l will be far more independent of the execu- tive than the present one has been. This impression is gathered from what men say in all parts of the state with re- l gard to the feeling that there was too much dominance over the members of that body now in office. One man eX- pressed the fear that in disposition to 1 show it's independence there was some 1 danger of the next legislature coming to l the capitol with such a go-it-alone spirit | that it will undertake to go too much by 1 itself for the best interest of all con | cerned.
 Those in the Limelight.
 The prospective candidates for the va l rious offices more generally discussed in- clude the following:
 For Governor-Henry B. Gray, at pres ent Lieutenant Governor; H. s. D. Nal 1 lory, both of whom have announced; ! Walter D. Seed, Samuel D. Weakley, 1 William W. Brandon and R. E. Spragins.
 For Lieutenant Governor-John w. Overton and Perry Thomas.
 l For Secretary of State-Cyrus D. Brown and A. c. Sexton.
 For Treasurer-J. A. Wilkinson, Robert R. Poole and T. C. Banks
 Superintendent of Education-H. J. Will lingham, I. w. McAdory, Joel DuBose.
 Auditor-C. Brooks Smith and w. c. All good.
 Attorney General-Thomas w. Martin and Thomas L. Bulger
 Commissioner of Agriculture-Hector D. Lane, W. H. Seymour.
 Associate Railroad Commissioner-W. D. Nesbitt and John A. Busk, present incum- bents.
 Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John R. Tyson and Samuel D. Weakley
 Associate Justices-N. D. Denson and John Anderson.
 Something of the Men,
 Of the gubernatorial prospects, Lieut. Gov. Henry B. Gray was the first man tc announce. As Lieutenant Governor he presided over the recent session of the senate, insisting upon his right suct presiding officer to appoint committees This prerogative was not exercised by the former Liuetenant Governor, Dr. R M Cunningham.
 Col. H. S. D. Mallory the other an nounced candidate has for many years been chairman of the state executive com mittee, and a lawyer of wide influence and high standing. He is a leader in the Baptist church and has lived all his life al Selma, which is the home of the late ven- erable Senators John T. Morgan and D. W. Pettus
 Few men in the history of Alabama came so rapidly into favor of the public as did Samuel D. Weakley in his race for fof IoC To fe lyfanx r. be in line with the policies of the present administration, and for some time it has been considered that he was Gov. Conner S choice for the next chief executive. To be perfectly candid, however, there is lit tie to indicate that he will abandon his ambition to be elected chief justice, even with chance of the governorship.
 Walter D. Seed is serving his first term as state treasurer, and William w Bran don is likewise in his initial period of service as state auditor. Both of these gentlemen are widely known in all parts of the state. They are leaders in not only politics, but in church and fraternal circles, and have given much of their time to the promotion of school interests of the state.
 MT. spragins enjoys the distinction of being the only man who voted against the general prohibition bill in the senate. He held to the opinion that the party was pledged to local option law, and he still believes that local option is the best solu- ton of the liquor problem. If he should enter the race for governor it is under stood that it will be on a local option platform.
 l Overton and Thomas.
 John w. Overton, who is spoken Of as a prospect for Lieutenant Governor. made 1 a great reputation as result of his lead aIo ion of amendment at the last election. He is a prominent lawyer of Randolph county, | and as senator from that section took high rank in all deliberations of. that body. Besides other committee assign ments, he was chairman of the committee on commerce and common carriers and presided over the consideration of most of the important railroad laws
 Perry Thomas Is president pro tenn. of the senate and, though he made losing fight for the right to appoint the commit tees his conduct was such as to bring him into decided prominence in the delibera- tions of the body. While neither he nor MT Overton has announced his inten- ton to run, 1t is believed that both will make the race for this position.
 Brown and Sexton. At the present time the only two candi- dates prominently suggested for secretary of state are Cyrus B. Brown, son of for mer Attorney General Brown, and In many respects one of the best informed young men in the state-and Maj. A. C. Sexton MT. Brown served an apprentice ship, so to speak, in the office of the au- ditor, and during the present term of Secretary of State Julian he has been chief clerk As clerk of the last house 1 he made great reputation for speed and accuracy, and was publicly thanked by the officers on more than one occasion. l Major Sexton is deputy insurance com 1 missioner, having succeeded to that posi- tion with the retirement of Col Harry { Shorter, who was associated with Secre- tary of State E. R. McDavid. Few, men in the state are better known than Major Sexton, who brings to his position in pub lie service all that old-time courtesy and politeness for which Virginia, his native state, has long been noted
 Treasury Outlook.
 Of the prospects for treasurer, all three are men of prominence. MT. Wilkinson is at the present time commissioner of agri- culture and has brought the office to an l exceedingly high state of usefulness to the farmers and agricultural interests generally.
 Mr Poole the former commissioner of agriculture, is well known as man of integrity and ability, and has made a great success as a planter in the black belt.
 Mr. aBnks is business man of Attalla and has not been within the limits of state