The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16
Alabama Patronage Matters
 Are Not Settled
THOMPSON COMING HOME
Collector Has Been Working For Bowron But Nothing Definite Has Been Decided Upon In Bir-
 mineham Postmastership.
By wATTERsoN sTEALEY.

" w It00ts V '
 Washington, January i5-(special.)- The days developments in Alabama patronage matters seem to insure the reappointment of F. J. Parsons to the Montgomery district attorneyship. Sena- tors Bankhead and Johnston and Rep resentative Dent of Alabama were told by Attorney General Wickersham this morning that his policy is to reappoint good officials, his opinion being that ev- erything else being equal the incumbent would make the better officer.
 The Attorney General did not state pos itively that Parsons would be appointed, but the inference was plain that the Att torney General is strongly preiudiced in his behalf. The Alabama congressman called in behalf of the democratic candl- date, John B. Smith. Friends of Warren s. Reese, who is the candidate of the organization, have not given up the fight They, of course, depend upon the ad- mlnistration patronage distributor, MT. Hitchcock. There were no developments in the Montgomery marshalship, where Judge Jones Is insisting upon JudSin' s retention, with the chances in his favor.
 
 postoffice department today that the Bir- mingham postoffice case Is again in the air. James Bowrcn who was thought fo have the office nailed down, has run against & snag The report is that the adnlinistra tions. political advisers are fearful that Bowron Is not enough Of politician for the position. His ability md the fact that he would make ar excellent postmaster are unquestioned.
 mn 4 f~-tx. - l.. k~ fNn1 hs,xxr ever, that a situation may arise in ths republican party before the national con ventlcn Is hcl,: which would require tn, best organizers obtainable in Alabama and 1t would not do 10 put man in office who is O total stranger to politics as Bowron 's alleged to be.
 Collector Thompson hurriedy lsft Washington for Birmingham this after noon where, 1t is understood, he goes tc bolster up the Bowron candidacy. MT Thompson is said to believe that the hticf over Bowron is only temporary and tha, he VIII yet be appointed.
 The agricultural appropriation bill re- ported to the House today takes good care of the south.
 Two hundred and fifteen thousand dol lars is appropriated for the study and demonstration of the best method oi meeting the ravages of the boil weevil For the investigation of Insects affect ing southern field crops s4I 900 is given The bill also carries $12,900 for the con trol of diseases of cotton and truck crops.
 The secretary is authorized by the ex- isting law to fix the standards for cer- tain grades of cotton and to prepare sets of samples which will illustrate these standards. The work of standard ization has been completed and 1t Is believed that at least 1000 sets of sam ples will be called for during the com ing year. The law requires that these samples shall be paid for at the actual cost of preparation, but of course the expense must be first toured and the committee gives $25,00O for that purpose
 J. J. Speight of Eufaula, Ala, secre- tary to Representative Clayton of Ala bama, was tonight elected by the demo cratic caucus to one of the four minority places on the floor. He is to fill ths vacancy caused by the death of Billy Watson of New York. who was wei known by the democratic politicians o the country and a central figure at ma tional conventions. The place pays S1500
 Reports from agents of the depart ment of agriculture in Alabama place the following values on farm products on January 1: Corn. 85 cents bushel wheat. 31s0; oats, 6s cents, rye. $l.35 potatoes. $1.02; hay. $13 ton; cotton, Al cents per pound; butter 21 cents, eggs 25 cents chickens, 11.2 cents
 pension of s16 a month is recom- mended by the pension committee foI Thad Parrish of Birmingham He served as corporal in the First Alabama regi- ment in the Spanish war. He acted as company cook, the smoke affecting his eyes.