The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-12
OTHERS, HOWEVER, ALREADY TAKING
 ON WARM ASPECT
Committeeman and Delegates to St. Louis Expected to Add More Ginger This Week
By LEON c. BRADLEY


 lnnocuous desuetude, have suddenly gripped the popular attention
 The race for president of the pub lie service commission has held the boards for the past few days, but it is predicted that before the present week has closed, the Bankhead- -Hobson race for Congress in the Tenth will take on all the old time vigor which has characterized previous contests in this state participated in by the Hero of the Merrimac''
 The fight between F. D. Smith and Borden Burr for national committee man from Alabama and the struggle for positions as delegates to the con- vention from the state at large will be launched this week, and a fight which is expected to have a direct bearing on the state and senatorial two years hence will be put under way.
 It has been reported that Ray Rush. ton of Montgomery, candidate for del egate from the state at large, and one of the best known men in Alabama, W HI oOouo tAiO tNCy ilOtC OI tHC illCA W il') oppose the attack made on Senator Underwood recently by prominent Alabama politicians.
 ISSUE DISTINCTLY JOINED
 The issue has been distinctly joined in the race for the presidency of the public service commission during the past few days, and although the three candidates had been striking at each other since the race opened, they had failed to raise any real issues until the past week. With Merritt's viz orous reply to Kennedy and Carnleys charges that Kennedy was the will ing servant of the railroads, while Merritt was the candidate of the Ala bama Power company and certain pub- lie service corporations the campaign assumed a new turn. The demand of that Carniey retract and the reply of Carnley that heA would re-. tract if Kennedy would meet him on the stump and he failed to prove that was servant of the rail- roads, give some indications of the bitterness in the fight. Mer- ritt has not yet replied to the Carn ley charges, but a vigorous answer from him is expected without delay.
 The race for Congress in the Ninth district, in which Thomas J. Judge, state senator. is opposing Charles F.. Rice and George Huddleston, the in cumbent, has taken on new life dur ing the past 10 days because of the vigorous fight being waged by MT. Judge
 MT. Rice has not yet opened his cam paign, although he has begun to figure some in the race on account of the charge of J. A. Carnley that MT. Rice assisted in organizing the legislature in the interest of prohibition, but re- mained throughout the session to as- sist in securing important concessions wanted by certain powerful corpora tions MT. Huddlestotn has mailed out a. letter to all his constituents during the past week, pointing out the num- Der of garden and flower seeds he has secured for them as well as mention ing the great number of publications obtained for the people of the Ninth district. He incidentally made an ap- peal for the support of the people Of the district
 PYROTECHNICS IN TENTH
 Despite the announcement of Hob
  that he would inject no personalities into the race in the Tenth district, re- ports of his speeches tell of his at tack on the Bankheads, and the man : ner in which they are alleged to have created the Tenth district. From the way this fight is starting off, 1t is believed that before many days elapse, it will develop into one of the most spectacular ever staged in Alabama.
 Personalities rather than real issues may soon be the features of the speeches of the two opponents. Bank head is billed to speak at the open ing of court in Fayette Monday. Hob son has announced no engagement for that time. Political students in Bir- mineham are expecting the captain to go to Fayette, where a large crowd will be, and joint debate Is anticl- pated. Should such a meet occur. a forensic combat of the livest nature is believed certain It will be recalled that it was just at this time four years ago that Hobson and Moody met in joint denate at Fayette at the opening of court, and it was that debate which nlayed a large part in determining the result of the campalgn
 Oscar l.. Gray, who is serving his first time in Congress from the First district is opposed py otate senator Harry T. Hartwell of Mobile and w. Percy Roach of the same city. Indica- : toins are that Gray has the lead in the rural counties, while Hartwell is strong in Mobile. Both Hartwell and Roach have considerable following over the district and a lively fight is expected.
 Congressman $. H. Dent of the Second has strong opposition in Judge Michae Screws of Montgomery. Dr. w. B. San. ders of Troy is also candidate in this race and is expected to draw his strength largely from the smaller counties.
 OTHER DISTRICT FIGHTS
 Congressman H. B. Steagall of the Third who is serving his first term in the House escaped without opposite, despite the tall for some weeks prior to the closing O. the registration lists that J. J. Speigh of Eufaula would again make the fight The fight in the Fourth district will b, one of the most important in the state due to the fact that the charge will b' made against Congressman J. w. Aber crombie, now representing the state-at large, that he has only recently moved back to the district He is now residing in Anniston, where he lived prior to hi. acceptance of the presidency of the uni versity. and Congressman Fred l.. Black