Birmingham state herald., 1896-12-29
DECATUR EDITOR IN THE CAPITAL
 CITY


 Editor Grubbs, of the Decatur News has recently paid visit to the Capital City and in the following interesting manner tells of it in the last issue of his paper:
 We have been down to the capital of the state. Stayed there a whole day state house and went through nearly all of the departments. Saw the watchman and the capital keeper and Jim Simpson shook hands with many of the clerks and secretaries, chatted with the auditor talked to the treasurer smiled al the ser- retary who keeps the great seal of state conYersed with the chief justice and bowed to the Governor. Didn't See the superintendent of education, never did see him, and if the keeper of the gate at the main entrance of Paradise doesn' | recognize him when he presents his pas port for admission more readily than we could do if he was 10 break into this sauc- tum, John O. Turner will not soon walk the golden streets of the New Jerusa~ lem, nor the silver streets either though the silver be free and the streets be un- limited
 One can hear a great deal and see much at Montgomery if he be a good lis ener and keeps both eyes open, We did both of these things, but we are not going to tell all we heard or all We saw in this
 
 some things that are not lawful to be uttered" by everyman, and We heard some things, which if related even in our own feeble way, might stir up a rumpus But it is the province and duty of a country editor when he goes abroad and mixes with big folk, dignitalles and functionaries, to return and tell his read CTS what is being said and what is being done. But, as before said, We are not going to tell 1t all so the officials about the capitol building need not be alarmed.
 We have known Joseph Forney Johns ton since 1874 and have all the time es- teemed him al a genial. gentlemanly citi- zen. Elevated to the office of chief ma gis- trate, as he has been has not changed these eminent true characteristics of the man, so when he came into the front room of the executive chamber and saw us talking to his two bald headed secre- taries he quickened his steps towards us extended his hand and gave HIS a hearty grasp and vigorous shake, and. on leaving, said Come in and see me. ' We didn't go into his private apartment. l for the reason that we had no time. and l for the further reason that others all I Johnston men, We suppose, were wait 1 ing to catch his ear, and we having beeli | for Clarke had no right to precede them. We tried not to be flagrantly wanting in ! g. sense of propriety' J. Asa Rountree, who enjoys the reputation of having been | the governors "enginser" in Morgan county, used to say to us. Doe, the cap | tain is a campaign hustler" We'll, if what we heard is true, he is hustling governor. Like the lark he rises early and is at the capital by S;30 a m. and keeps office until D. m., and evidently | thinks the head of the departments | should conform to these hours. If it were possible for q religious governor to | raise old Nick, we might say that he l came near bringing his satanic majesty | to the front few mornings since when | Governor Johnston got to the state house and found all the offices, including his own. unlocked. Just as he was about to issue a general peremptory order, Secre- l tary Kirk Jackson came in the hall from behind the Confederate monument where | he had been pitching quoits with mule | shoe and joined the governor in deplor- | officials. all of whom, like the executive | and himself, had been elected by the bal 1 lots of the same people.
 The governor blessed be his thought | ful consideration in the matter, is mani | festing much care for the welfare of the | commonwealth by economiZine at every I point possible. steam heaters having | heen put in the various rooms of the | capital he has ordered that no more fires l are to be made in the grates and has | caused all the telephones but two re- moved. Other reforms will follow let us hone. There are some folks about Mont l gornery who don't think that Governor | Johnston is a wiser man than was George 1 Washington, nor a greater statesman | than is Grover Cleveland. and they may | bc right, but still he is governor all the | same, and they are beginning to find il out. As for this writer, we gre going | to whoop i'm up and endorse his policy | in apponting none to office except the l fellows who were for free silver unlDsit- l ed in quantity and quality, al lb to l.