The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-19
TWENTY REASONS" ANSWERED;
 JOHNSTON'S CLAIMS EXPOSED
Friends of Governor JelkS Reply to Ridiculous Statements Published in the Organ Of the
 Birmingham Candidate.

The Campaign Committee of Governor Jelks furnishes a statement for publica- tion in reply to twenty reasons why he should not be elected Governor of Ala bama, which reasons were printed in Governor Johnston's own paper The Ala baman as they come.
 "First-He killed a bill allowing the people of Barbour County to elect their County Commissioners"
 Governor Johnston killed a whole Com missioner's Court in Jefferson County, convicted all of its members of crime without allowing them to go before the courts in their own defense. The whole State rang with the infamy of 1t. The people, when they got an opportunity. re- buked him. However, he never has car ried Jefferson County.
 ''Second-He attempted to raise the age for the payment of road tax of fifty years; and when this created an angry furor, he had it repealed"
 Governor Johnston, in a deliberate mes sage to the General Assembly (see Acts 9S and 9O, advised an amendment to the Constitution which would require poll tax to be paid at any age, and the poll tax, in the language of his message, was to be a substantial one" which he alter wards defined to be g 50.
 lHIu-I1c at thc " fayoring a bill which would have requir- ed them to use wide-tired wagons"
 No such bill as ofie providing for wide tire was introduced by him or voted for No such bill appears in the Senate at all during the Governors service in that body. (See Senate Journal, 1SS6 and lS97 and 1898 and 1S99O
 "Fourth-His brother-in-law admits that he offered MT. Muir, editor of The Eu- faula Times, a consideration for his friendly assistance"
 This is cheeky. The eX-Governor pays for every type set in The Alabamian and every editorial written for it. When an editor does not boost him in every line he falls out with him and out he goes. Judge Caffee, who was responsible for ex- plotting the ex-Governor, writes from North Carolina, under a late date, that he hopes ito God for the sake of de- cency" that the present Governor will be his own successor. More than 90 per cent. of the press of Alabama, without dollar for 1t, is supporting the administra- tion.
 "Fifth-He opposed vigorously the re- duction of the tax rate in the new Con- stitution from 75 cents to 65 cents"
 Governor Johnston got on the stump and abused the new Constitution because or this reQuctlOn. Tie pldyS uol oi Soi" Governor Jelks did not oppose a reduction of the tax rate, but the tax limit.
 "Sixth-He hastily called special term of the Circuit Court, urged the convlc- ton of alleged lynchers in Fillmore Coun' ty, and then pardoned them"
 He did not call special session Of the court, He had no authority to do 1t, as the ex- knows. The lynchers convicted served a year in the penitentiary.
 "Seventh-He called a court marial al great expense to try Lieutenant Colonel Kyle, then set aside the Judgment of the court and suspended the Colonel and Majors of the 3rd regiment without trial, and in the absence of any charges against them"
 He will say that the taxpayers of Ala bama do not pay regimental expenses in order that military folks may have an opportunity to scrap and quarrel. He dld right, and everybody but Governor Jonn- ston and Colonel Higdon are pleased at it.
 "Eighth-The expenses of the State GOV ernment were increased more than S7Oo,OW' during his first year as acting Governor
 There was paid out during the year the above amount in excess of disbursements of the Johnston administration. It IS improper as the Governor knows. to call the amount expenses" There was paid out for schol and old soldiers alone about $6O0 900 more than Johnston olsDurseo' S90 900 for a Constitution which was worth all 1t cost, and $50000 for licenses re- funded under an unconstitutional act