The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-12
INTEREST SHOWN N PRESIDING OFFICERS
 NEXT LEGISLATURE
Much Speculation Over Se- lection of Speaker Felt. Lewis Would Be Sen
 ate Leader

Montgomery. October 11.--(Special.)-In terest in the selection of the presiding officers of the House and Senate of the
 next legislature Is now invoking general discussion in official circles at Montgom-
 cry owing to the fact that the new legis- lature may be convened in extraordinary | session before the next regular term. The present members of the legislature will cease to hold office after the Mo- vember election, and should a special ses- sion be called any time thereafter the new members will compose the general assem-
 bly,
 There is more speculation concerning the speakership than the office of presi- dent pro tenn, for it is generally believed that the race for the rormer office will
 present a greater contest than the fight
 foi theNposition in the senate. Tho can didates for the speakership are Edward D. Johnston of Huntsville. a brother of Forney Johnston of Birmingham, A. II. Carmichael of Tuscumbia and Henry Merritt of Tuskegee.
 Support of Local Optionists Mir. Johnston will have the active sup
 port of the local option element of the
 House, and it is the opinion of his friends
 that he stands an excellent chance of
 securing the speakership. These advo-
 eating his claims for the office assert
 that he is man of splendid ability as a parliamentarian capable of dscharging the duties of the office to the highest possible degree of efficiency. and an un- tiring and indefatigable worker. IA*l .t..t..s .44 have strong followings The former was speaker of the house during MT. Corners aoministration and successfully engi- neered the passage of much of the prohi- bitson legislation that was enacted during his term of office.
 MT. Merritt was leading co-worker of MT. Carmichael on the prohibition side, and he is certain to have strong backing for the office to which he aspires. There have been few men in the Ala bama legislature in recent years who have taken more conspicuous part in that body than has MT. Merritt, and he is certain to prove a strong factor in the
 contest for the speakership..
 Oscar Lewis Confident of Success Oscar Lewis of Tuskegee. senator-elec, from the Twenty sixth senatorial dis trict is confident of success in his face for president pro tenn of the senate. MT l.eWfS has made a thorough canvass of the members of the senate, and he de-
 clares that he has already received suf- ficient assurance of his election. Ac- cording to reports. he will be opposed by
 Ernest G. Jones of Clio, Col R. l.. Bulger of Dadeville and II. K. Milncr of Lamar county.
 The race for the senate office is not likely to arouse the general interest that the contest in the house will afford. since reports indicate that the latter fight will he a one-sided affair, with chances greatly favoring MT. Lewis election. However, there may be no new devel- opments in either the house or the senate contest before the legislature actually assemblies in regular session, for a special session of either the old or the new leg islature is now, as in the past, purely problematical. In the event of certain contingencies, the governor will call a
 special session, and should he do so the
 chances are that the new legislature will be convened.
 AS indicated in today's Age-H the
 governor may call special session to investigate the charges that state banks are charging the farmers an exorbitant rate of interest Or he may call special session If he is convinced that he has some practicable plan for the relief of the farmers of the state, and again, if the other states of the south will agree to follow Alabama's lead and decide upon some uniform plan of action.