The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-23
J. LEE LONG HERE;;
 SURE HE WILL WIN
Says Next Speaker Is From
 Butler County
COUNTS ON FRIENDS
Enough Members to Give Him the PIace-Wiu Open Head-
 quarters January

The genial countenance of J. Lee Long of Butler county. a round, radiant harvest moon. burst into the lobby of the Nor ris hotel last night and dispelled all the little fears which might have been worry ing his ardent friends and admirers in Birmingham who are intent upon seating him in the chair of the speaker of the house in the Alabama legislature.
 A dozen or more of the friends of the Butler county farmer had gathered at the Morris hotel and were talking over the reports and interviews which had been handed out recently by Colonel Long's S opponent. Judge D. B. Almon of Colbert, and Frank Julian, former secretary of state, when the original J. Lee Long, 42 years old, and weighing 210 pounds, ap- peared around the corner in the flesh, much to the surprise and delight of them all.
 '.Ha, hai he said; cant a farmer give his friends a Christmas week surprise? :? I've been working so hard down at Greenville that I just couldn't find time before to come up to Birmingham. It takes lots of hustling to get ready to spend three months in Montgomery, for thaEs practically what 1t means for an active member of the legislature"
 One of his friends, who had been mak- ing merry over recent reports, said: "Did you know that Henry Pitts has s5 votes in the house and 25 of them in his vest pocket which he can throw either way whenever he gets ready, and Judge AL mon has enough votes in his vest pocket to put him in the speakers chair7"
 Well" replied MT Long, 'I'll have to admit that I have no votes in my vest pocket which I can throw one way or another, but you can put 1t your pipe and smoke it that the next speaker of the house will come from Butler county. I have enough confidence in the promises of the members-elect to believe that they will carry out their pledges. don't have to ask anyone. I know from actual facts in black and white that will be elected.''
 When asked what he thought of the re- cent utterances of Frank Julian. general manager of the Alabama Fidelity and Casualty Insurance company, MT. Long said: "The people of Alabama may rest assured that if I am elected speaker l will show no partiality to the insurance companies, but that every branch of bushes will get square deal so far as 1 am concerned.
 Their publicity campaign Is all right, ' laughingly declared Colonel Long. T like 1t, for 1t is doing me good. During the last ten days have received letters from over 20 men who had formerly been quiet, stating that they are absolutely for me, first, last and all the time.''
 MT Long will be remembered in Bir- mingham as the man who so successfully managed the campaign of Col. Emmet ONeal in the recent primary, and who steered the conservatives of the state in the campaiesn against the amendment to a. triumphant victory, but he has been in state politics for many years. He was member of the constitutional convention in 1901, a member of the state executive committee for 10 years, beginning in 1S93 chairman of the Second district congress sional committee for six years. chairman of the county committee four years, served as alderman of Greenville four years, was president of the board of reve- nue of Butler county, served on Joseph Johnston's staff when Senator Johnston was governor, and none of the offices which he has held have been remuner- ative.
 His term during the last legislature was his first in that body, but he imme- 01atelY became Cndlr1nau Ol tHe iioot iih- portant committee, that on commerce and common carriers, and was also a member of the committee on rules, and Is now chairman of the democratic caucus in the le gislature.
 But Colonel Long is essentially farm CT, and is never at home so much as be- hind his favorite steer In the cotton patch He has always delighted in the political game. but never sought salaried office. And one thing particularly is true of him he has never been defeated.
 Mir. Long has. according to the general impression, the support of Jefferson s seven delegates, and his strength is ad- mittedly great in many other sections. The man who defeats him has fight on his hands. Colonel Long will open head quarters in the Exchange hotel on Janu- ary and will spend a few days in the capital before the legislature convenes. meeting his friends from over the state.