The age-herald., 1898-07-09
COY. JOHNSTON
 AT OPELIKA Large Crowd of Lee Democrats Heard Him Yesterday OUR INDUSTRIAL GROWTH Is the Subject of Some Very Interesting Comment The Good Effect of Some Work of the
 Last Legislature Age
 of Steel Begun.

Special Dispatch to The Age-Herald.
 Opelika, July S.-Today was a gala day for the democracy of Lee county. Hupd- reds of the sturdy sons of all degrees gath cred to hear the address of Hon. Joseph F. Johnston, our gallant governor. Governor Johnston was introduced in very appro7 priate manner by Mayor R. B. Barnes and made an address of two hours, which was one of the finest, most thorough and con- else ever heard in 'Opelika.
 In his speech the governor gave an inter- esting report of the states experiences in an industrial way, under his direction Among other things, he said:
 'I am glad to be able to give convincing facts in answer to prophecies of disaster to our industrial development should those whose policies I represent be successful at the polls. It would be sufficient answer to again call your attention to the increased price of Alabama bonds in the markets of the world. But more than that, during the year and half of your present admin istration more industrial deve,opment has taken place in Alabama and on larger scale than during any three years since the boom period of 1885 to 1SSS It has certainly been the policy and purpose of my administration and of all those cannected
 
 industrial progress Of the state, to promote the investment of capital ana to deal jIst- ly and fairly by those large enterprises whose prosperity and success mean so much to our wage earners and to the value of every citizens property. The conserva- tive common sense and wisdom of the pee pie of Alabama are their own answer to those who accuse them of purpose to war on investment, and the planting of large enterprises at this very time is the best proof that men with capital to invest have confidence in it's security and fSir treatment under our laws and in our courts.
 Exemption of Cotton Mills
 The general assembly at it's last session passed an act eXemptIng cotton mills from taxation for ten years after erection, ant this encouragement to such investment met my hearty approval. Already in scarcely sixteen months we have a half million dollar mill in operation at Birmingham and another of the same size at Cordova. The latter is doubling it's capacity, and the great mill at Ta'lassee, the largest in the state, is also more tlan doubling and preparing to utilize the wrole power Of the Tallapoosa river in spinniG cotton and in other ways.
 Other mills and fertilizer factories at Florence Birmingham and other places have added thousands and hundreds of thousands to our pi J?erfy values.
 Era of Steel Making
 "It is a source of qualification to me that during my term of office the long hoped for era of steelniaking in Alabama has at last arrived. One mill was built last year and proving d success, a great mill with over million dollars of capital is being erected which will afford employ fn ndc f,f hoc given new life 10 the whole mineral re- zion of the state.
 Progress of Railroads
 'No enterprise can mean so much to a country the construction of a great through line of railroad. It is a great thing for all our people that within the year the Mobile and Ohio has constructed such at a cost of some s4,O0O, 900, such a line cutting directly through over half the width of state with it's ITO miles of track. Other shorter lines have been built and the total added to the roads of the state since your victory at the polls in 1896, is nearly 250 miles. The acquisition of the Memphis and Charleston railroad by the Southern system shows further con fidence of capital in our state, it's laws and resources.
 Not an Assault on Investment
 Evidently capital does not interpret your revenue laws assault on invest ment, mistrust the purposes and fair ness of the people of Alabama. Many of you will remember the gloomy predictions made prior to my nomination, that if I should win, paralysis would fall upon all our industries then in operation. that the wages of labor would decline and money would shrink away from our state.
 'The smoke from these factories and manufactures rising to heaven and the whistle of the locomotives on these new