The age-herald., 1898-01-23
Many Needed Reforms Carrid to Success
 full Termination.
THE TREASTRY IN FINE CONDITION
State Made Many Thousand Dollars the Richer by the Examination of Officers Ac- counts, Especially the Tax
 Collectors.
Special to The Age-Herald.

Montgomery Jan. 22-It is not strange that Gov. Johnstons administration is steadily becoming more popular when it's achievements are recounted and properly c 'dered.
 governor has commended himself to sht thinking people by his efforts
 b Judge Lynch. There have been i've lynchngs since he was inaugur- and during the last eight months l. has stained the reputation of the $ e.
 he long standing abuses in the appor- comment Of the school fund have been overhauled, and many of them done away with.
 The steady pressure of the executive office has been exerted against unfaithful officials. some of whom have been removed or suspended compelled to resign.
 The first quarter of the fiscal year, be- ginning Oct. 1, 1897, shows collections about S1l50 in excess of the first quarter of last year, and more than s270,0O0 in excess of the first quarter two years ago.
 The law designed to secure fair valua- tions and assessments of persons and prop erty has been so enforced that an increase of nearly s10,0 900 in assessed values has been secured without adding a dollar to the burden of those making fair returns. From escaped licenses alone more than $3O.OOO has been paid into the treasury, and over $2O,- 900 of escaped taxes has been collected by the collectors.
 Tine vigorous business management which pervades all departments, together with small economies and the correction of small abuses, has resulted in a illumination of the expenses of administration In the matter of temporary loans alone the cost has been reduced from 8, ,7S6.6S last year to $564.52 this year, the saving effected in this one matter alone being sS,22216 or $222 IS more than the governors salary
 The credit of the state was never better, and the interest cost of temporary loans has been reduced from to per cent.
 In the direction of economy, this admin istration has reduced the cost of insurance the capitol furniture from $500 to $533, the same amount of insurance being car ried. It procures coal at s2.70 ton, in stead of $5.O9, and the capital is well warmed.
 In the convict department expenses have been largely reduced. the death rate low cred and more attention given to the gen. eral health and moral training of the con- victs On Jan. 1, 1S97 the department had a little over e13,OO0 in the treasury On Jan. l, 1898 there was a balance of over 60,0OO to the credit of that department. The following statement speaks for itself: By cash balance in treasury Jan.
 l, 1897 ...............S13,27 ,27S 9i By cash balance in treasury Jan.
 l, 1898 ..... 60,342 10 To convict hire due Jan. l. 1S97... 2S,069 10 To convict hire due Jan. 1. 1S9S ..... IA, Ar 72 Bills due on Jan. l, 1897 ,059 64 Bills due on Jan l, 1898 ............. 1.050 %
 Aggregating these items show that the convict department had on hand or due it Jan l. 1898 $74,759S2, and owed only s1 050, leaving net credit of s7s,7O9.S2, against a net credit Jan. l. 1897, of $14 ,3SS.40, or a gain of nearly $60,00O.
 The system of examining the books and accounts of public officials has especially commended itself to the people who pay taxes. It has been in operation about nine months, and the examiners have already reported over $45,OOO due the public. treas- uries from various officials either through errors or defaults, and most of this amount has been paid up. This does not include the default of the tax collector of Mobile, which Is by itself nearly as much more. The whole cost of these examinations has not been 10 per cent of the amount brought in.
 The parole law, enacted at the last ses- sion of the legislature, on the earnest rec cmmendation of the governor, has proven wise and beneficial. Under it's provisions the governor can suspend the sentence, and have a convict discharged from cus- tody. upon such conditions as he may pre- scribe. Some sixty paroles have been granted, many requiring that these persons shall abstain from all intoxicating liquors, and other conditions have been imposed to