The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-09-04
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

mingham have been moving swiftly in the last few days, and although the po- litical future Is yet a mystic maze, the veil has been pulled aside so that the public can see at least three candidates being groomed for the chairmanship of the city commission.
 never have been content to sit idly by and drink in as gospel the wisdom of political sharks who make out sheets on the municipal race. If I had paid any attention to them I would have had my eyes so full of dust that I couldn't have watched the new entries, for they told me that one man was going to run around the track against time. that the judges had ruled all others of.
 There are already three warming up good and strong and some talk yet about dark horse now regard any political tips from a certain set of bookmakers in this village as sign posts to the wrong road and select path of my own choos- ing, for I want to be in at the finish and not side-tracked.
 Of course. politicians occupying points of vantage in picking winners do not always give a rank outsider the right steer. and at times are known to utter the thing that Is not so; but upon occa- sions they actually try to tell the truth, knowing full well that its the easiest way to deceive the public.
 When I am touted to put all my coin on certain nag by men who have been known to throw a race they need not expect me to sell the shirt off my back and make & run for the betting stand to use their tip. Several visits to my dear 'uncle' have cured me of being so precipitate. It's hard to even keep my best poker face from showing that am on, for it's the greatest temptation to give them knowing wink.
 am sorry to confess that have never been able to overcome my love of a horse race. I always have liked to see the ponies run. I remember hearing an old friend of mine, rich but nearly blind, la menting the fact that life held few pleas " distinguish the colors of the jockeys and therefore had given up the turf.
 I long ago was partially weaned from the race track by transferring my inter- ests to political races. and some are as exciting and about as tricky as any horse race ever pulled off at a county fair, where no racing association's au- thority reached, but everything went even to ringers. There was, however, one satisfaction even then, for if there was the tall timber and owners light a rag, or the infuriated public would manhan- dle them.
 I have read much to prove that the racing of the Jockey clubs members of the big associations were fair, and that selling pools on such races was legiti- mate gamble, but then I have perused much to the effect that it was all a rot ten game and the men higher up were in the rake off. Be this true or not, they were outlawed in nearly every state and even in New sJiieans oniy few months back it was a brave and fearless woman against the town in closing down race meet, and when I was there she had drawn first blood.
 About IS years ago when came to Bir- mingham, open betting on racing was a stench in the nostrils of the people and running the fair, and yet when the peo- ~>Ix cry to try and put a stop to it big busi- ness and crooked politics were present blocking every effort, and now I am get ting down to my knitting. for political races have been staged here in Birming- ham that would not bear the light of day, and want the present one to be in the open without trading or trafficking, race in which the people can pick the winner without outside help.
 I am set to see that the people are not cheated by politicians running in a ringer, and I hope as many others as want free and open race will stand with me and help break any frame-up slate to defeat the voter who is not wise to their game. I want the people to do the se- lecting of the entrants and then 1t will be up to them to see that their man isn't unfairly pocketed or crowded off the track by anybody or clique.
 believe the people are the best judges of political race and that the farther away they keep those who would come in and arrange it for them the ikelier they are to get man of their own lik- ing.
 When any man or any set of men mis- trusts the people then they are poor dem orats and do not believe in safeguarding the thing for which President Wilson says we are fighting.
 I am looking over the field doing my best to size up the best man, but have my ear to the ground. A man needs both to look and listen, or the political ma chine will run over him before he can say scat,
 F sas.ItzIsMl@asxM ONE RAILROAD IS SAVING FOOD