The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-25
PLEASANTS
 IS THE MAN May Be Named as Judge. HuNDLEY LOSING STRENGTH Another Alabamia Delegation Sees
 the President. Gossip is Now Including the Names of several Who Are Looked
 Upon With Much
 

Washington. D. C., March 24.-(Spe- cial.)-With the exception of his own packers and intense partisans. nearly everybody else eJhas settled down to the belief that Oscar Hundiey will not be the judge for the Northern District At this writing all indications point to the selection of Shelby Peasants, of Huntsville. for the permanent ap- pointment., However. President Taft has not positively determined upon this, though the overwhelming opinion Is that Mir. Pleasants will be the for tunate individual Today the President received another delegatic1 of Alabamians who were with him .some time and left another written statemsnt. in addition to ear nest verbal reasons. as to why Hund- ley should not be appointed. They were Representatives Richardson Clay ton. Craig, BurneV Heflin and Dent. aud former Representative O.. c. Will ey. who happened to be in the city, was. also present to assist in whateevr way he could to explain the situation to the President.
 They frankly informed the Presi- dent that they did not ask the ap- pointment of a Democrat as judge. The two Federal judges of their party were already serving in Alabama, and they were not there to suggest that he select a third. They impressed upon Mir. Taft the fact that there are able and upright men among the Ala bama Republicans of the district. any one of whom would be generally &C., ceptable to the people of the State, regardless of political feeling, and left with him the names of Shelby. Pleas ants. of Huntsville; w. H. Smith. of Birmingham. and o. D.. Street, of Gun tersville, the latter, as is well known, being district attorney.
 Sees Senator Bacon.
 Senator Bacon. of Georgia. also talked at length today with the Pres ident about the Hundley case. He went over the long and bitter strug- gle. in detail. the President being anxious to hear what he had to say. for the. reason that Senator Bacon was Hundley's most active opponent among the minority members of the Judiciary Committee. Although he re- trained from stating any conclusions that may have arisen, the senator ad< mitted that his visit was most sat- isfactory one.
 Senator Bankhead ,-said this after noon that he and. Senator ohnston would call upon the President as soon as the latter indicated that he wish ed tO COHeQtt tHCfHs tno uHuGTStdnuiUk D0- ing that Mir. Taft would have, final talk with the Alabama senators be- fore he picked out the successor to Hundley. The senators have had very little to say for publication, so far as this fight Is concerned, at least they have refrained from expressing their opinion in print since the nomi- nation was sent back to the committee during the winter. It is evident though that they are. both pretty well satisfied now that President Taft Is not disposed to give Hundley another appointment. The senators are not in- clined either to say at this writing whether or not they will recommend anybody for judge. although the talk here is that they are mighty favor ably impressed with Ed Campbell, of Birmingham. and if they were asked to suggest a name to the President, he would probably rise up in their minds. But this is only gossip of the hour. the senators not having stated that they are going to recommend Mir. Campbell.
 The friends of W. H. Smith are not without hope that he will receive the appointment. They claim the President has not fully. made up his mind yet, and they seem to be relying upon some strong influence. outside of Alabama. as well as first class local advertisements to help their favorite.