The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-03
MIR. COMER SUSTA|NS AGE-HERALD REPORT
Says This Papers Report of
 His Speech Was Correct
QUESTION OF CANDIDATES
President of State Railroad Commis- sion Repeats That He Will Not Designate Any Nominee.
 It's Peoples Business.

In a letter addressed to the editor of The Age-Herald, B. B. Conner, the presi- dent of the state railroad commission stated yesterday. that, inasmuch as a controversy had sprung up in the news papers regarding the accuracy of reports of his Talladega speech that were printed in the Montgomery Advertiser and the Age-Herald, he wished to say that the report in The Age-Herald was correct. Here is Mir. Corners letter:
 Birmingham Nov. ?, 1905. To the Editor of The Age-Hefald:
 My attention has just been drawn to the controversy going on in the newspapers regarding the correctness of the reports of my Talladega speech printed on the same day. October 22, in the Montgomery Ad- vertiser and in the Birmingham Age Herald.
 The report made by the representatives of these two newspapers differ radically respecting at least one essential point of my speech. That point was my attitude toward nominations of other officers on the state ticket next year.
 The Montgomery Advertisers report represented me as desiring to assume the role of political dictator in the state. The Age-Herald represented me as adopting a policy of non-interference, and of leav-
 
 people.
 On this point The Montgomery Adver- tiser's report said:
 Tt was not this announcement which has been assured for many weeks, that had so much of surprise and interest in it as was MT. Corners declaration that he must have an auditor, he must have treasurer and he must have an attor= ney general and must have legislature in hearty accord with him and his ideas. "But the campaign today assumed a shape in which MT. Conner is not only himself candidate, but in which he proposes to examine the credentials and pronounce the verdict upon every other candidate for state office. This was the natural inference from MT. Corners decla- ration that he must have those offices filled with men who stood with him."
 The Age-H -Herald's report. in touching upon the same subject. said:
 Yes we're going to make the fight all along the line. l shall attempt to name no candidate for any office. The people will do that. 1 shall keep a1oof from all entanglements. I'm not going to designate any candidate in any way, shape manner or form. That's the peo- ple's business. Name your own candi- dates It's your fight, my friends All I ask is that I may do what may be most helpful to you and your cause"
 
 The Age-Herald was correct when it was made and Is correct now made the same statement at Dothan that The Age-Herald says l made at Talladega, and l shall repeat it from every platform on which speak in the campaign.
 regard it of the utmost importance for the people to nominate and elect the officers mentioned. It would be barren victory, indeed, if the people did not have all these places filled by officers friendly to them and determined to carry out the necessary reforms to secure their civic liberty and freedom from the dominating power of the forces that have controlled them so long.
 I repeat that my alignment is with the people I shall keep aloof from all en- tanglements. am not going to designate and candidate in any way. shape, man ner or form. That's the peoples business. They will name their own candidates. It is their fight: and. as I said at Talladega. all I ask is that I may do that which will be most helpful to them and their cause. B. B. coMbh.