The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-16
HOPE IS HIGH FOR HUNDLEY
 .-----s----- Opponents Continue Their
 Activity. JUDGE STILL AT CAPITAL Feels Encouraged by Action oi
 Hitchcock.
  nven if ceasress Fails to Act Aiabam- San and HI. Friends Believe Taft win save
BY ALFRED D. sroFER.

Washington, Feb. 15.--(Special.)- )-- Oscar R Hundley evidently is going to remain here some time. for the under standing is his quarters at the hotel at which he is stopping have been en- gagged until after the inauguration Of President Taft.
 Hundiey's actions, coupled with re- ports that are floating around. indi- eate that neither he nor his closest friends see any chance of his confirm alton this session to be judge of the Northern District of Alabama But. of course they do not admit this. On the contrary they publicly try to create the impression that he is going to get through before the present Congress expires by constitutional limitation. That. however. is mere whistling to keep up courage.
 The acting judge stated about ten days ago nth hotel lobby, according to the gossip going the rounds. that he did not intend to leave Washing ton untii he was confirmed. This re- mark caused one of his opponents to say that he had then better make ar engagements to build q residence here.
 It will be recalled that about the time the Birmingham Bar AssociatPn took It's action against Judge Hundiey In December and subsequently, when the bar associations one after another began to fall into line so far as ma 3ority of its members were concerned. and things got to look 90 alarming for the judge, his friends pooh-hooed the mvement by asserting that even IT Hundley's guns were spiked this ses- sion 1t made no difference. as he com z fidently expected to be promptly re- appointed by Judge Taft when he be-, comes President.
 Hitchcock and HundIey.
 For appearance sake Hundley and his friends try to create the impress sion that he is confident of his com firrnation before the end of this ses sion. But their movements are calcu- lated to remove that impressions even though they may not think they do.
 It is q pretty well known fact in Washington just now that Hundley is cuitfvating Frank Hitchcock. chair man of the National Republican Com mittee. the manager of the Taft cam paiRn in the contest of last year, and thought to be slated for Postmaster General if the Cabinet of President Taft. It is said that Mir. Hitchcock has invited Judge Hundley to view the which he and his friends will be slated.
 MT. Hitchcock ig 8 very nice, ana i, ble young man. and is noted for his < Necretiveness. In spirit Of poiiteness he may have invited the judge to see Rhe parade with him, but this little act on his part has created great ; Hutter among Hund1ey's packers, some pf whom at least are whispering around, 'oh, we've got lem. Of eourse they mean by this that Hitch cock will be a power with President Taft, and they take for granted that because Hundley will see the soldiers march bv and hear the bands toot in fbe company of the next Postmaster- General 1t can't mean anything else but another appointment as judge by President Taft.
 And 60 these supporters of Hundiey extract lots of comfort from this Thinxs are gloomy for them in other rasnects and doubtless all their hopes would be dashed to the ground if they 2 did not, have this contingency to look
 word comes from the district that Judge Hundleyt has called special term of the court to meet at Birming- ham. March g. From what can be wIeaned at this end of the line, his friends will try to impress upon Pres ident Taft that owing to the large amount of business Before the court he ought to be reappointed Judge as soon as possible after MT. Taft be- comes President But Judge Jones IS going to open court at Birmingham on March A. That is expected to re- lieve the pressure there, even if 1t will . he mighty disappointing to the back nrs of Hundley, for they realize thai with Judge Jones actively attending to business, things will not be in such straits as the Eundleyites would like to make 1t appear for the enect Il might have in Washington.
 That last hearing cooked Hundley's goose" so far as this session is con- cerned, unless those who have been watching the progress of the case art mistaken. Several Republicans who formerly cared nothing about Ehe fight that has been waged are now knowr to be openly opposed to his conflrma' ton.
 Johnston Stands Pat.
 The opponents of Hundley have aban doned all hope. apparently. of inducing Senator Johnston as one of the rep ]. resentatives in the upper branch iron Alabama to ask that his nomination be adversely reported by the Judici ary Committee. If that were done, i would end the contention at once. They rather fear that Senator John ston, for reasons of his own. will con tsnue to stand by Hundley.
 As to Senator Bankh cad, there is ( different feeling. Tn ose who are fight ing Hundley with might and main who have laid before the Senate facti to prove what deplorable condition would be created in the district fl Eundley still retained the hope tha' before many days roll by Senator Bankhead will go to Senator Knox anC other Republicans and say to then that in view of the upheaval and bit. terness of the controversy, HundleJ ought to be rejected.
 As Attorney General, Mir. Knox Ie z 1t be known that he thought HundIey was unworthy and unfit to be Dis trict Attorney. MT. Knox, during tn, Hundley hearings last year, attended them only for a few hours. This year