The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-17

y ing the fight between Goodwin and y
y Stallings to be fought out on the y
| y convention floor. y
Montgomery, May 6--(Special.)-Mor
| than 1900 of the stanch democracy OF
Alabama are gathered in Montgomery for
the state convention. which will con-
vene tomorrow at noon ~in the Grand
Opera house Hardly prominent face
is missing. and but for the fight between
Jesse Stalings and Tyler Goodwin for
chairman of the democratic state COM
mittee, there is not single discordant
note.
This is indeed an ONeal convention.
Every action that it takes will be in ac-
cord with Colonel O'Nears views. and
every committee will be headed by one
| of his supporters One finds here the
same spirit that pervaded the famous
Montgomery conference which organized
| against the amendment, and largely the
| same men.
| Tt is a local option convention. and
will adopt a local option plank by a
vote of at least 4 to l. The statewide
| prohibitionists much heralded conference
was held by less than 20 men, somewhere
known only to themselves, but probably
| in corner of the Exchange hotel lobby
R. NJ. Goodall, Walter Sessions, Fred
Jackson and half dozen others were
seen in conference with Walter Seed.
nominee for lieutenant governor, but while
the lobby buzzed with the conversation
of several hundred men, their conference
| -.
Walter Seed, when asked wether he would
support a platform with a local option
plank, said "My friends advise me to
keep quiet"
Colonel O'NeaI Arrives
| When Colonel O'Neal arrived on the
noon train he Immediately became the
center of attraction. Plans had been
made but were all in the air. subject to-
his approval Colonel O'Neal was pleased
with the selection of Byrd Farmer for
| temporary chairman and James Wealth
erly for permanent chairman. but when
the friends of Tyler Goodwin and Jesse
Stallings. respectively. rushed upon him,
| he asked for time. At the earnest solici-
tatlon of Lee Cowart and a number of
other close friends, he refused to take ank
part in the contest between these two
candidates for the committee chairman-
| ship. both of whom were his warm sup-
| porters, and left it for them to fight IL
| out among themselves. And the battle
has been warm The Exchange lobby
was alive with it all afternoon and late
into the night. 1t has been the only
subject of dispute. The Jefferson dele.
cation is solid for Stallngs, while Good
| folI
seeking to make inroads into the others
| ranks. Jefferson holds the balance of
power, and there is a sentiment that JEFF
ferson should not act the hog by claim
| ing chairmen of both the convention and
the state committee Col. l.. e. JEFF
fries will get a good vote, but will have
| no chance of election.
| Colonel O'Neal spent the afternoon in
| his room, as he is suffering from indiges-
| tion. but it is believed he will be able to
| make his speech tomorrow
The convention will be called to order
at noon by w. D. Nesbitt. chairman Of
he old state committee, who will am
nounce the selection of Byrd Farmer for
temporary chairman and introduce him.
II Is said that had Henry b. Gray been
selected by the committee for this hon.
or the report of the old committee would
nave been rejected and Farmer elected
from the floor.
Committees will then be appointed. OF
the committee on permanent organization
and order of business either S. r. Prince
of Mobile or w. w. Callahan of Morgan
will be chairman, and John Pugh of JEFF
ferson will be member.
Lee Cowart of Jefferson will be chair
man of the committee to select an exec
utive. committee, and associated with
him will be Byrd Farmer Len Greer OF
Calhoun. Gardner Green of ST. Clair and
Joe Horton of Limestone.
stevens Gets Chnirmanship
Senator Stevens of Mobile will be chair
man of the committee on platform and
resolutions. with nine members from the
state at large and one from each district.
The committee will include r. h. Spra-
gins j. w. Tomlinson. c. B. Teasley W.
w. Screws and Ed DeGrafenreid from
the state at large; r. w. Walker, from
Huntsville w. P. Pincard, from Jeffer-
son: Frank V. Evans. from Walker, and
S. II. Dent. from Barbour. 1t is believed
| that w. p. G. Harding of Jefferson. who
is here with proxy. will be included in
the membership of the platform COM
mittee.
Everything will go through on creased
wheels, for nothing has been overlooked.
Early today a steering committee was
appointed, consisting of Lee Cowart,
chairman: T. G. Bush. Jr., of Mobile. Ty-
Ter GOODWIN of Montgomery. C. s. Nc
Dowell of Barbour. Lowndes McCaa OF
Anniston. Oscar Lewis of Tuskegee.
Frank " Evans of Walker W. NJ Cole
man of Marshall and H. C. Thach of
Limestone.
This committee held conferences with
Mr.. Farmer and Mr.. Weatherly, and az
a result most of the conventions pros.
pective committees are at work preparing
their reports In various rooms of the
hotel
Can't Agree On Chairman
Montgomery May 16.--tSpecial)-
All efforts to agree on a chairman for
the state democratic committee tonight
have failed. Neither Tyler Goodwin
nor Jesse Stallings can be persuaded