The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-23
THREE-CORNERED : FIGHT TOBE WAGED FOR SPEAKERSH|P Four Announce Thus Far for President Pro Tenn pore of the Senate HARD FIGHT WILL BE
 MADE IN CONTESTS E. D. Johnston of Madison Candidate for Speaker On Independent Plat
 form-Merritt and Carmichael
 Prohibition Candidates
 
By l.. S. BETTY

Montgomery August 22.-tSpecial) Notwithstanding the next regular session of the legislature does not convene for nearly five months, considerable specula- ton is being heard on all sides concerning the races for speaker of the house and president pro-tempore of the senate. As Is we'll known, there are several candi- dates for each office, the place in the sen ate furnishing greater number of aspir- ants than the speakershp.
 At this time there is no way of telling which contest will prove the more inter- esting. The various candidates are all possessed of prominence and ability, and 1t is certain that each will have some strong adherents. It is equally evident that a vigorous fight will develop in each contest, with indications that the race for the speakershjp will be the more spectac- ular.
 Johnston On Independent Platform
 The candidates for this office are Ed ward D. Johnston of Madison, A. H. Car michael of Tuscumba. and Henry P. Merritt of Tuskegee, thus making the race three-cornered one. Whether the contest will develop any factional align ments is not known, though it is expected that at least two of the candidates will rely largely upon their prohibition predi- lections to give them the office.
 It is announced that MT Johnston will make the race for speaker on an inde- pendent platform, and this announcement has been received with more or less grati- ficaton by large number of the legisla- tors, particularly by those who do not wish to see, at the offset of the session.
 G.fl.k k4&x f1.x,. <.i..E. option forces. MT. Johnston is recognized as able and capable lawyer, and his friends believe that he is peculiarly quail fled to discharge the duties of speaker. He is the son of the late Senator Joseph Forney Johnston, and the brother of For ney Johnston of Birmingham who so ably managed Oscar Underwood's campaign in the recent senatorial contest MT Johnston will prove a strong and formi- dable candidate for the speakership.
 Prohibition Candidates
 Both MT. Merritt and MT. Carmichael will seek the prohibition vote in their race for the speakership, and it is ex- pected that each will draw largely upon the adhearents of that cause. Moreover, each has right to expect support from that quarter, for it is we'll known that the last two legislative bodies have known no stronger opponents of prohi- btion than the two gentlemen who will make the race for speaker under that banner.
 Probably MT. Carmichaels greatest claim for the speakership, in his own estimation, is the fact that he has worn the mantle of that office before, and hence is familiar with the various de- tails with which a parliamentarian is expected to be acquainted. On the other hand. MT. Merritt believes that the cir l. 1t. IL. II bases his claims should really initiate against his chances, inasmuch as the gentleman from Macon-nguratively speaking-holds to the, time honored theory of passing the bottle around However, the race for speaker will