The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-14
s MAN OF ABILITY
His Friends VIII RaIy to Support
 Him in the State.
r.Ees Action After Considering tAs sst.axssn h all Sections of Ala bama--Record an Senate fs Notable and Bril-
 liant One.

63u8tOL h. Ecfhy Anothoc VI AS0t ' bour, the leader of the resolute min ority of the Senate which in four ses- sions of the Alabama Legislature op- posed the extreme and drastic legis- lation of the past three years. will make the race for Lieutenant Cover nro. Mayor Charles s. McDcwell. IT,. of Eufauis, and other friends Mon- day, with the consent of Senator Thomas and at the request of many friends throughout the State. announc- ed his candidacy.
 Senator Thomas Is at present the only announced candidate for Lieu tenant Governor and political leaders in Montgomery say that regardless of whoever announces in the future the Barbour senator Is certain to be an important factor in the race. Under the political conditions now existing in Alabama, Senator Thomas is re- garded as a strong and formidable candidate representing as he does the active and vigorous protest that was unsuccesslly made in the last Les. islature against extrsmeism and rad icalism in Legislation.
 It was at one time thought that Senator Thomas would be a candidate for Circuit Judge in his judicial cir cult, but this involved the surrender of his law practice and he held off from making the race. Tn the mean while. after the overwhelming defeat Thomas strove with all his might and main to defeat in the Senate. he re- eeived many letters from various sec- lions of the State urging him to be- come candidate for Lieutenant Gov ernor.
 After advising with his Barpour county friends and after hearing from other friends in Alabama, Senator Thomas believes that his course in the Senate Is approved by a majority of the voters of Alabama and he will make the race for Lieutenant Cover nor.
 Senator Thomas has for eight years represented the Barbour district in the State Senate. a district which has been notable because of the able men 1t mas sent to the Senate, the list including such names of Edward c. Bullock I. L. Cato and William D. Jsiks. Tn his first term, the ability of Senator Thomas and his oratorical gifts gave him front rank in influence with his fellow Senator's. and at the beginning of his second term he was elected President pro tenn of the Senate.
 Tone Radical.
 Early in the session, Senator Thomas and his personal friends among the other Senators. became convinced that che tone of the Legislation was nasty ana radical. Under his leadership there was a division and the minority Senators voiced one protest after an- other to the extreme legislation which was proposed and carried through both houses. Senator Thomas and the minority, heartily supported the first
 
 the State Democratic platform, but af- ter awhile the so-mucn legislation un- der this name which they considered radical was proposed that the minority was constantly at warfare with the majority Senators.
 notable instance of this was the passage of the so-called penalty bills under which railroads in Alabama were practically put out of business if they sought to resist legislative made rates in courts. Senator Thomas protested in an able speech against this legisla. tion, assailing 1t not only for It's in- justice, but declaring that it was sc unfair that the courts would declare 1t unconstitutional, and thus extrem- ism would defeat reforms which might come with tudicious moderation.
 The majority passed the bills over the minority, and two months later the United States Supreme Court. in the famous Minnesota case. declared all such penalty legislation unconstitu- tional. And so. at the next extra ses- sion of the Legislature, nine admin istration measures" were introduced, repeating all the penalty bills so that the States case in the railroad litiga- tion would not be weakened by un- constitutional acts.
 The most spectacular fight made by the minority in the Senate was the notable struggle to prevent the pas- sage of the prohibition amendment to the constitution. and thus. to. avoid the cost and bitterness of the recent mem- orabIe campaign. Senator Thomas and nine other Senators fought this meas- ure to a finish and at one time had it defeated. but the resourcefulness of the State administration and the Rev. Brooks Lawrence in their control of the Legislature, robbed them Of the victory.
 Speech of Senator.
 The speech made by Senator Thom-