The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-08
FIGHT FOR STATE OFFICES

The past two or three days have seer unexampled activity on the part of al the various candidates for state. of fee. Their work is expected to be con tinued during the day, but the former activity at the polling places Is cut off by the new election law.
 The county races, which for time were marked by apathy on the part, o1 the voters, have developed Into live 1y fights in so far as the circuit judge ships, tax collector. the treasurer race, the contests for board of reve. nue and coroner are concerned.
 Three of the candidates for circuit judge, William E. Ford, c. B. Smith ant H. A. Sharpe have no opposition. Ol the other seven occupants of the bench all of whom are candidates to sue ceed themselves with from one to SlA opponents. five considered sure winners: one is considered a probable winner and one is expected to be de feated by considerable vote, accord ing to the best political opinion of the county. The race for county treasurer has three possible winners, Scott, Rog CTS and Henry, with Gillespy making an active fight. The other two candi- dates for this office are not looked up on as being serious factors. In the matter of coroner and board of reve- nue there are so many candidates with so many varied interests taking part that it is difficult to pick the winners
 Judge Alfred H. Benners of the first division of the circuit court is con sidered a probable winner for re-elec- tion. He has considerable opposition in the persons of Judge R. B. Kelly J. B. Aird and Hugh A. Locke.
 One of the warmest fights in. the judgeship races is in the second d- vision where Judge H. P. Heflin is a candidate to succeed himself. Judge Heflin has made a very active cam paign and has had strong support all over the county from men who believed that he had made good and was entitled to another term. David J. Davis has made hard fight against Judge lief lin as have also A. l.. Arnold and Richard l.. Williams.
 BOYD AND CROW
 Probably no fight for judgeship has attracted the attention of the voters to the extent of that in the fourth di vision, where Capt Romaine Boyd is seeking election to the place now held by Judge E, c. Crow. Captain Boyd has been strong contender for this place since his announcement, due to his record as city attorney and as a practicing lawyer, and his friends con- tend that during the past 10 days he has gained much strength. He has pitched his campaign upon high plane, contending that the records of the various candidates for this judge ship were the guide which should be considered by the voters. The fight made by Captain Boyd as city attorney for cheaper water rates and the sue cess which attended his efforts in this regard have made him a strong fac- tor and the fact that Judge Crow has been reversed by the supreme court in more than half his cases taken to the higher tribunal has served to place him on the defensive. Horace c. Wilkin- son and Palmer P. Daugette. the other two contestants for this honor, have made active races.
 The race for judge of the Bessemer, or Fifth division of the court. in which J. c. B. Gwin is opposed for reelection by William Jackson, has attracted consid- erable attention. A hard fight is being waged by both contestants, although the
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