The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-03
CAMP |GN FOR TAFT
DELEGATES BEGUN
First Move Taken at Confer
ence Last Night
STATEMENT rs ISSUED
Followers of Mai. p. ID. Barker Are
Confident That He Has the Upper
Hand in Alabama Republic
can Politics

The first move to secure republican del
egates for President Taft in the conven-
ton next year was taken in Alabama
last night when Maj. P. D. Barker, desig-
mated as the sole" republican referee
in Alabama, met a large number of
prominent republicans in this city.
previous interview to the formal
meeting by Major Barker was to the eff
feet that nothing significant was attached
to his visit here. However, after meet
ing with his followers at the Morris
hotel statement was issued, sponsored
| by Postmaster Joseph H. Montgomery,
| in which 1t was stated that Major Barker
had delivered the goods for President
| Taft and was now cunning for delegates.
| The movement is in opposition to J.
| o. Thompson, the other referee. Between
Mr.. Thompson and Major Barker there
has occurred an open and seemingly
never ending breach.
1t was rumored at the meeting last
night that noses were being counted for
call of the republican state executive
committee at once at which 1t is SAID 10
be the intention of Major Barker ana MS
followers to displace Joseph .. Inomp-
son as state chairman.
The statement of Mr.. Montgomery Ioi-
lows:
"a conference of republicans was neld
| in the city yesterday, in when Major
Barker, the national committeeman par
ticipated 1t will be remembered that for
several weeks past the men who optalhso
Major Barker's Endorsement have re-
ceived appointment at the hands OF ine
administration and his friends point 10
this fact as proof that he now virtually
| adr ainiS
bama Those present number among
them the moving spirits of the party.
Those receiving favors upon MS lnoorse-
ment and SO recognized that We're pres
ent were c. G. O'Neal, postmaster at All.
dalusia: George Malone, postmaster at
Fort Payne; Felix o. Dudley OF Clanton'
n. C. Fuller of Centreville, Tom NC
Naron of Albertvlle. Charles W. Moore
of Florence, and l.. Chenault of Russell
Vile
Others present who are warm sup
porters of Mayor Barker We're warren
S. Reese, United States attorney a.
Montgomery; P NJ. Long. United states
marshal at Birmingham James II.
Montgomery postmaster at Birmlng-
ham: Thomas H. stephens, postmaster
at Gadsden; ]. J. Curtis, Judge OF the
Fourteenth circuit H. G. Ashfey, col
lector of the port az Mobile; c. b. Ken
nemer former assistant United States
nemer, office deputy in United states
marshaTs office w. C. Wilson, post
ma ster at Blocton; Prof James L.
Blakemore, Birmingham; W. W. SIM
mons, postmaster at Athens; Luclen }.
Campbell, CORTLAND. Ala; r. A. smith,
deputy United States marshal; Judge
r B. Morton, deputy United States
clerk Montgomery; Charles j. Allison,
clerk United States court; Judge Alex
| O. Birch referee in bankruptcy, BIZ
mingham; James T. McEniry, Besse-
mer; John Sufferer, chairman eXecu-
tive committee. Cullman county; r. r.
| McClesky, Boaz: j. o. Middleton Clan
| ton; John r. GUN. chairman Franklin
county executive committee; G. o.
Chenault, Moulton. and many others
who are supporters of Major Barker.
G.. B. Davis United States marshal
at Mobile; J. p. Dimmick postmaster
at Montgomery. and w. II. Armbrech.
United States attorney at Mobile, sent
greetings and assurance of their hearty
accord with Major Barker.
During the conference 1T developed
that every republican in the present
legislature had pledged his support
to the policies of Barker, and so far
as could be learned in the conference
every elective republican officer in the
various counties was in accord with
them.
| Besides being the acknowledged repre-
sentative of the administration in Ala
bama, 1t is the policy of Mr.. Barker
| to concentrate all the forces of the re-
publican party in close counties, and
| thereby elect more representatives and
more county officers and the claim Is
put forward that with this attention
many counties could be brought in the
republican column, and they point to
many counties where 100 votes would
| change the result. 1t was claimed in
the conference if this policy had been
carried out in the recent campaign, and
| the same means spent propagating real
republican doctrines that was spent for
| the state ticket for COVE nor that they
would have elected 10 to 20 representa-
| tives and corresponding county Off
GERS
| The followers of Major Barker, among
| whom are many former Thompson adj
| mirers, believe the sun is setting for Mr..
| Thompson in republican circles in Ala
bama. They point to Major BarSers re-
| cent victory in Washington as an indica-
| ton that he is now the favored one OF
the administration and in a position now
| to dish out federal patronage to those on
| his banG wagon.
| The campaign for delegates ITO the ma
| tional convention to be held next year,
at which time President Taft is to be in
| the running for the Presidential nomi-
nation, is said to have the sanction of
| Frank H Hitchcock, postmaster general
| CT the United States. If it is true that
| he has designated Major Barker to start
| the fight for the Alabama delegates, it
| indicates possibly that some favoritism
| has been replaced.
Although the Barkerites are exceeding
" active the friends of Mr. Thompson
| believe in him to the last, and II is
| believed he will throw off his cloak of