The age-herald., 1899-07-12
THE GOVERNOR
 ADMITS IT ALL Says He Wrote Letter and Did It As Chief Executive. CLAIMS IT WAS NUT A NOTE But Holds It Up As An Official
 Document. ECONOMY AT THE BOTTOM OF IT He Was Guarding Against a Deficit and Yet He Does Not Attempt
 to Discuss the Plowman
 Incid lent.
ECONOMY AT THE BOTTOM OF IT

Montgomery, July n.-(Special) 1.-The in- terview with Captain II. C. Reynolds, of Montevallo, in reference to the governors s letter theatening, in effect, to veto school appropriations unless the constitutional convention bill was defeated, has created a great political sensation.
 1t is held that if Governor Johnston's note to Captain Reynolds meant anything, it's meaning was that the governor was op- posed to the constitutional convention and to increased appropriation. In this con- neetion it is interesting to note current gos- sip to the effect that the famous resolution making the constitutional convention a party question was submitted to Governor Johnston by a member of the state demo- cratic executive committee and by the governor formerly approved. The gover- nor's own statement is that he was op posed to increased appropriations for schools and that he threatened the conven- ton bill. The following interview with the governor, printed in his personal organ, the Montgomery Journal, and evidently written by himself is so amazing that the public would doubt it's authority if it were not clear that his excellency himself was speaking through his chosen medium. Here is this most astonishing interview:
 The Astounsiin. Interview
 "All that l have to say about the Reynolds interview is this: His origi- nal charge was that wrote him note saying, that if the constitutional con vention bill was allowed to pass l would not consent to an appropriation for the school
 The letter he publishes says, Tt looks as if the constitutional convention will Ee called, and that will cost us next year something like s75.0O0 and unless the general assembly shall provide addi- tional revenue 1t will be impossible to mee. any new appropriation. l cannot consent to legislation that will create another deficit
 'The original charge by Reynolds was in substance that if he did not help kill the convention bill I would veto the school appropriation.
 ''The letter published shows that I recognized that the bill would pass that it would tax the treasury about $750O0 and unless additional revenue was pro- vided l could not consent to appropra- tions that would create a deficit As matter of fact, the convention bill passed the senate December 10, was read in the house the same day, referred to a committee, reported favorably on the l2th and passer the 18th, the very day the letter was written.
 My letter to Reynolds was public and official, signed by me as governor, and was in no sense a private one
 AS to the school appropriation 1t was well known that l did actively oppose the appropriation as the bill first passed taxing the treasury $250GOO additional without providing any way to meet the appropriation. l so informed MT Bulger the author, and he then introduced a new bill levying a special tax to meet tn appropriations and l promptly ap- proved the same"
 It would seem that conviction of the gov ernor was written on the very walls of tho capitol.
 striking phase of the governors state- m mt Is that he does not refer to the Flow man incident.
 In respect to the governors letter the Montgomery Journal thus begs the oues- tion:
 "Instead of using the threat of a veto to put Reynolds at work against the con- vention he simply announced to him that he is on guard against a deficit. If the let ter has meaning beyond this, it was due notice that the people who wanted special appropriations had better get to work and help pass revenue bills that would provide a way to pay them.''