The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-12-13
KOLB'S FARCE.
THE SECOND ACT INAUGURATED
YESTERDAY.
kolb Issues a Message to the Legislature
Which He Signs as Governor.
Recommendations as to
Tax Collectors.

Ala, says: r. f. KOlb, who claims to
be governor of Alabama, today completed
message to the legislature, which he
signed as governor, and which will be
transmitted to that body tomorrow. The
message is also addressed to the people of
Alabama and is long and in many re-
spects revolutionary document, as it
recommends that his followers do not
pay their taxes for awhile. He further
says
| 81 advise those tax collectors who value
the cause | represent, and which will
assuredly prevail in the end, to delay all
payments of state taxes into the state
treasury until an impartial hearing has
been made of our complaint under a fair
and honest contest law"
| When it is remembered that the tax
collectors in 30 out of 66 counties in the
state are Kolbites, it will be seen that if
they take his advice the Kolb govern
ment will find strong support and Ala
bama will be threatened with anarchy.
In this message Kolb further says
1.-The revolutionary condition of your
state government must become the sub
ject of your continued and most anxious
contemplation. The plans of usurpers,
SO alarming to you, are abating in moth
ing to reduce you to an abject and final
submission to their own unbridled will
and passions. You have seen your Just
demands for the full execution of the
election system of governor and other
state officers secured to you by sacred
constitutional guarantees deliberately set
aside by the legislature, itself only crea-
ture of the constitution. i declare to you
without fear of contradiction that II the
party now in control of your government
be not arrested in its mad career, no cleo
tons can be held in Alabama under the
law and the constitution. In the name Of
the great body of white men of Alabama
| have set in motion their solemn protest.
| have taken the oath of governor and l
intend to prosecute in your name my
right TO that office, solely upon the claim
that by your ballots, cast in the legiti-
mate way prescribed by the forms of law,
/ was elected on Aug q, 1894"
He then reviews the provisions of the
| constitution and says:
Because the legislature of 1928 did
expressly revoke the decisions of the civil
code until perfected, which seemed to al
low contest of election of governor and
other state officers, refusing on demand to
restore them or to submit others of rea-
sonable and practical nature, you are per-
fectly justified in declaring there can be
no election of governor or other state Off
GERS under the constitution of Alabama
binding on you which is tainted with fraud
at the ballot boxes"
He urges the legislature to enact con-
test laws and advises his friends to Or
ganize clubs to assist in the general object
of his appeal.
The message concludes:
IF Colonel Oates and his faction fear
not the truth, if they are not guilty and
ready to abide by justice they will hest
tate at nothing to remove the color of
honor from his right to the office he has
secured by fraud.
Again say my contention is alone for
the execution of the guarantees offered
by the constitution of my state of liberty
for ALL | demand of the legislature that ac-
tion which every member on oath bound
himself solemnly to take in the obsery-
ance of the constitution"
| PLAN OF THE KOLBITES.
Montgomery, Ala, Dec. Al. G. Man
ming member of the legislature, one of
the, most prominent Populists in the state
and Kolb's adviser, today gave out por-
ton of Kolb's program. Manning said
Kolb will issue certificates Of election as
governor de jure to Goodwin, Howard,
the two Aldrichs and Robinson, as con-
gressmen from this state Howard will
also have one from Oates. His seat is dis
puted The program is to have the Repub-
lican house first to decline to seat either
| set of representatives on the ground that
both sides are provided with credentials
signed by governor of Alabama. The
only way that either can be seated then is
by means of a resolution. 1t is proposed
that Howard shall offer resolution to
| to seat the anti-Democratic representa-
| tives, two of whom are Republicans, and
three Populists, and q Republican house
is expected to seat them pending the ter
mination Of the contest. This would make
the regularly elected congressman the con-
1 uNa Il a
| upon the Democratic side. This plan, it Is
| figured, will afford a temporary endorse
nent of Kolb as governor, and would
he source Of trouble to the Oates
administration. A petition will then be
circulated in every county of the state
calling upon congress TO investigate Ala
bama elections and begging for special
act to restore in Alabama a Republican
| form of government Numerous affidayits
affirming that Kolb was elected but de-
prived of his seat by force will also be
presented to congress. Reese will also
be given a certificate of election by Kolb
as United States senator and will contest
with Morgan.
LEGISLATIVE OPINIONS.
| Montgomery, tAla., Dec 4.-The adj
dress of Captain Kolb TO the legislature
and people signing himself governor was
received here tonight, but created very
| little talk, no surprise, but considerable
ridicule as to his advice TO the tax payers
of Alabama not to pay their taxes, ETC.,
and other such vaporiDgs as he once did
before under Governor Jones admins
tration. 1t will not be needed and lie
stillborn. Representative Knight OF
Hale, who introduced in the Legislature
the bill against usurpation in Alabama,
which will pass the house in the morning
and then promptly go to the senate, said
tonight, in reference to Captain Kolb's
so-called message: "As to Usurper Kolb's
message being presented to the legisla-
| ure is out Of the question and Is abs0
lutely too ridiculous to be seriously COM
mented upon. AS matter of course, it
will never be permitted TO be presented to
the legislature and any one possessing the
leffrontery to to attempt to present such
a document will, beyond question of
doubt, be arrested for contempt of that
body. As to his advice to his supporters,
lony those Of the tax collectors Of the state
who are strongly with his cause not to
Ipay in taxes until his cause is heard, IL
1.-THE vaporing of a maniac, for the laws of
the state of Alabama, relative to the col
lection and payment of state taxes into
1.-THE state treasury are too expressive and
mandatory. Furthermore, any officer vio-
Hating the statute in that respect will be
equally and summarily dealt with as the
Estate courts will doubtless deal with
lKolb Governor Oates is fully compe-
ltent and everybody who knows him knows