The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-22
A Ridiculous Statement.

Roanoke, Ala, Aug. u, 1902
Editor The Advertiser:
Congressman Thompson said in his
speech at Wedowee yesterday that The
Montgomery Advertiser had supported
Colonel Brewer for many years and up
to the time he made his Hayneville
speech in opposition to ratification OF the
Constitution. He quoted the report pub
lished in The Advertiser on October %,
1901, of Colonel Brewers speech and said
that notwithstanding The Advertiser had
opposed him CThompson) heretofore, it
was one of the most reliable newspapers
published in the South, for you always
knew where old Grandma stood on all
public questions
Solicitor S. l.. Brewer replied to Colo
mel Thompson and said The Advertiser
was opposing Colonel Brewer because he
took the State printing away from them
when he was Auditor and gave 1t to
another printing company at lower
rate.
l would like to know if Solicitor Brew
er's statement Is correct or not. l en-
close affidavit of several persons as to
what MIR. Brewer said.
CThe Advertiser regrets that so good
a man as Solicitor S. l.. Brewer, should
on false information be led into making
so unfounded an assertion as that shown
in the above communication.
In the campaign this year 1t is only
supporting Governor Jelks of all the
candidates, because by every rule OF
practice and precedent he is entitled to
the Democratic nomination and the cleo
tion and because /ex-GOVarnor Johnston
during his two terms developed himself
as the most perfect political Loss ana
machine builder ever known in the his
tory of the State. In 1901 The Advertiser
condemned Colonel Brewers utteranCes
against the new Constitution. tut there
was no other campaign On hand then.
than that for ratification or rejection of
the Constitution and he saw proper to
align himself in most violent manner
fv,gt EDf
Colonel Brewer while Auditor was one
of three State officials whose duty it was
to approve or reject contracts tor puDhc
printing, the others being the Governor
and the Secretary of State. The AdNer-
tiser never has had and never has sought
the public printing since the Constitution
of 1875 was adopted. Prlor TO that a
Public Printer was elected by the Legis-
lature and when the Democrats were in
control that honor was conferred upon
this paper. When the Constitution of 1878
went into effect the election system was
given up and all contracts had to be by
Advertiser never has put in bid for the
public printing. In 1876 commencing
January list Barrett & Brown became
public printers under the lowest bidder
system and The Advertiser did not put
in bid. The printing of the general
laws was given to The Advertiser by the
Secretary of State, the late Rufus *.
Boyd. The printing was again awarded
10 Barrett & Brown January l, 1873, The
Advertiser did not seek it.
The editor of The Advertiser was elected
Secretary of State in 1873 and for the
term beginning January !. 1850 the print
ing was awarded to Mr.. George Beers I'M
der the lowest bidder system and for the
time beginning Jan. 1, 1882 it was award
ed to Barrett n Brown and The Adver
tiscr made no bid for it either time. So
it has been every year since January l.
1876. The printing of the generll acts has
been awarded at different times to The
Advertiser, The Birmingham Age Herald
and The Birmingham Eews, in recent
years, but Colonel Willis Brewer never