The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-07-30

td1nei tHdu your great Ilnanclai Skiif Yet.
 'I said the sparrow,
 With my bow and arrow
 l killed Cock Robin"
 Governor, you stated in your speech that when you entered upon your duties as governor that you took out of the capitol three or four telephones that ordered struck down. I found out that they had a telephone in nearly every of- fee there. These gentlemen. who had been aspiring to office, could run very nimbly while seeking 1t. but could not get up and walk into another room to telephone. I found out that they were largely used by the young men, clerks in the office, in telephoning the girls down town, etc. I thought we might strike these down and save this money and 1t would teach some public school in the country for three or four months, and that was more important than to enter tain the girls" This was charge against my administration of extravaganza and useless expenses. From your statement one would conclude that the capitol was full of telephones which were used for private purposes and not officially. What are the facts? There were but five tele- phones in the capitol one in the gov- ernor's office. which remained there; one in the secretary of states office, which ! you had taken out; one in the office of the commissioner of agriculture, which you had taken out; but year later you saw your mistake and had that one re- stored. There was one in the office of the clerk of the supreme court, which re- mained. You saiu there were three or four telephones that I ordered struck down." I can prove that you had but two 'struck down." one of which you finally restored. Now when thus throwing mud at my administration, why did you not tell the truth about it and say lone 1 or two telephones instead Of three or four?" How much was your boasted savings? These telephones cost the state s45 each year. You therefore saved 1 $45 and some portion of that amount while the machine was out which you re- stored.
 The law allowed the governors office messenger at S25 per month or $500 per year. I had as messenger during my 1 term Michael Screws, as intelligent, bright and reliable boy as there was in the state of Alabama, who was very glad to get the office at that salary and performed the duties of this office well.
 When you came in as governor you appointed another boy as messenger, no better qualified than Screws, and got | the legislature to double the salary and make 1t $50 per month, or $500 per year. You desired this done; you could have vetoed the bill, but you approved it. Now | while you were on your small economies why did you not save that $500 which might run a school longer than the $45 you saved on the telephones?
 There are other things of which you boast to which I could reply but deem the foregoing sufficient. Governor, had | hoped that you would not revive or ridiculously revamp these old erroneous claims of your great @ achievements. had no inclination to appear in print, but | I feel it due to myself and to the truth | of history to make this reply against l your mud-slinging and damning of my | administration as governor to magnify | your own. Mine was at least, as hon. l est, faithful and capable as yours. 1 While Jelks may not be so wonderful l a financier as you claim yourself to be, 1 yet he is honest, capable and is making 1 good governor and not boosting about l 1t. He has never become an adept in the maxim of the demagogue, that ''E1e who bloweth not his own horn, by man shall his horn never be blown." I shall there 1 fore, vote for him, believing it to be to | the best interest of the state
 l WILLIAM c. OATES.