The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-12-26

of the Fifth district. when confronted
ty an opponent for his office, Wilbur f..
Foster declared he would support the
subtreasury If no better plan of relief
for hard times for the farmers should
be proposed.
Both senators and all representatives
III Congress were bitterly opposed to the
policies of the alliance and to its candi-
6ate.
According 10 party law, the chairman of
the state committee held the power to APP
point the temporary chairman of the con-
Nention, The temporary chairman must
exert a far-reaching influence upon GER
tain acts of the organized convention as
the proceedings advanced. 1t was known
that several close counties Shelby, emil
tor and Lee-would present contesting
delegations, The temporary chairman
would appoint the committee on creden-
tails.
Ir view of this situation there had been
a prior conference arranged between
friends of all the five candidates for the
nomination for governor, that they mishe
give their united consent to the tempo
rary chairman who would be named thus
by Tomplkins in perfunctory way, the
individual really having been selected by
the conference of candidates. through
their respective representatives.
A lawyer of distinction, sometime men,
bel of the Legislature from Chambers
county, a United States district attorney
under President Cleveland, Hon. William
II. benson, now of Gadsden, was select
cd for temporary chairman by the repre-
sentatives of the five candidates, was
named by Tompl1ins as he called the con-
yention to order and took the gavel.
No man In the state was better fitted
for the position than benson. Iie pos
sessed courage, self confidence, knowledge
of parliamentary law and singular
fuency OF language and visor of manner
The temporary chairman delivered an
eloquent but brief speech. He denounced
all attempt to infect the great party or
redemption with class measures He
warned the convention that white SUI
premacy was assured of preservation only
so long as the white people In their CO.
herence, might stand for white suprem-
acy as their paramount duty.
The state committee in order to arrest
friction between tho contrasting deega-
lions from Shelby, Chiffon and Lee, took
up those cases for investigation on Tues
day, the day prior to the meeting of the
convention. This was the system of party
organization. The committee was Well
within its jurisdiction. The finding of
the committee was that both delegations
from each county should occupy seats in
the convention until the committee on
credentials SHOULD report. and upon this
report the convention itself should pass
Judgment
The committee on credentials consisted
of IS members, two from each congress
sional district. OF the 10. six were Kolb
delegates. E. l.. Russell from Mobile
was chairman, and he was a Johnston
delegate. Temporary Chairman benson,
who appointed the committee, was a
James Crook delegate
When the committee on credentials
went out benson was chosen without OPP
position permanent chairman. Meantime
the situation developed--Kolb against the
field.
The first days session thus closed, the
committee on credentials yet out.
The summer night resounded with the
animated discussions of the great throngs
or the streets If Kolb should fail, his
partisans declared, it would be by the