The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-26
JOHNSTON DARES
NOT DENY IT
TOnfnson Was Invited Into Race
for Commissioner,
JOEY TOO BIG TO EXPLAIN
viii Not Answer to the People
for His Acts.
UTTER DECEIT OF THE MAN
Has Shocked Even His Most Intimate
Friends and Supporters.
THE OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENT
Has Shocked Even His Most Intimate
Friends and Supporters.
THE OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENT
Has Tried to Create False Impression
That Tomlinson Owned The Age
Herald-Legislature Ignored
Economic Ideas.

MONTGOMERY, February 25.-(Special)-
ton that he is not called upon to explain
to the people who made him why he saw fit
to do this and that thing.
The experience of politicians is that when
people approve no explanation is demanded
except by a few disappointed ones But
when a man commits an act or makes an
appointment which does not meet the ap-
state, it seems reasonable that he would
make some explanation to justify his act
If he has one that will hold water.
Governor Johnston appointed Osceola
Kyle over Hon. John w. Tomlinson as rail-
road commissioner in the face of a storm
of Kisses coming from every section of the
state. The Age-Herald exposed his trick
cry and how he traded Tomlinson's head
ers' court abolished. The governor has
not denied this.
The Age-Herald stated that Mr.. Tom =
lnson was invited into the race for =
railroad commissioner by man better
|qualfied to take the political tempera-
ture of the governor than any other .
man in the state. 1t added that the =
the proof was at hand in black and =
white The governor has not denied
this. Possibly he dare not do so, al .
though in several instances he has dis =
played monumental nerve.
=
The governor has answered nothing. He
is mad because anybody has dared question
his act. Yet so hopeless is his case that
the only attempt he has made to defend
himself is through an organ that under
present circumstances could at least say
nothing against him. Yet the head of
this organ said to an Age-Herald corre-
spondent that the governor should certain
ly have notified Mr.. Tomlnson of his in
tention, In order to allow him to avoid the
humiliation that refusal would bring.
The only other attempt at defense has
been through an administration newspaper
correspondent This correspondent only
attempted to create the impression that Mr..
Tomlinson controlled The Age-Herald be-
cause he was director in the company.
Not a representative daily newspaper In
the state has applauded his appointment
of
have condemned him.
Possibly the governor believes that the
governor can do no wrong. This brings
to mind an occurrence of some months back
when President Mckinley and party were
making a tour of the south.
At Tuskegee the governor had belittled
the office of president of the United States.
In the capitol at Montgomery he had said
that every county in the state could pro-
duce a thousand Wheelers and a thousand
Hobsons If only given an opportunity. At
ter the speaking was over in Montgomery
President Mckinley and party were being
shown through the historic capitol build
ing. The governor had the air of a man
who thought the people could not have Sc
looted governor half SO well qualified as
himself. He was telling the cabinet what
he had done and how the people believed
in him.
Secretary Long smiled at all this and
when he got an opportunity he said with a
dry grin:
"If every county in the state of Alabama
+, could produce thousand Wheelers and a
thousand Hobsons. possibly the entire
state might produce another Johnston"
Nearly every member of the legislature
has gone home. The expressions of indi-
gestion over Governor Johnston's railroad
commission appointments continud among
them as long as they were in the city. or
course. in such large body of men there
are found those who are impulsive and who
speak out at once. Others are conserva-
tive and to this latter class Is given the