The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-02-16
COL. |, v. JOHNS
MAKES TART REPLY
Says Jackson and Babb Mis-
represented Him
HIS OFFER WAS SINCERE
viii Gladly Subscribe 5000, No Mat.
ter to Whom Vulcan Is Erected.
Public Deplores Exchange
of Personalities.
HIS OFFER WAS SINCERE

The statement made by F. NJ. Jackson
and Joseph b. Babb in yesterdays Age
Herald, in criticism of Col. L. w. Johns
action in Withdrawing his offer of $1,000
to pay the Vulcan debt, has drawn from
Colonel Johns a reply in which he defends
his conduct and condemns his critics.
Here is what Colonel johns said last
night in commenting on the subject:
Colonel Johns Talks.
yes, L have read what F. Nj. Jackson
and Joseph B. Babb, the president and
! secretary respectively of the Commercial
club, said regarding my action in with
drawing my offer concerning the Vulcan
statue
4 have no desire to become involved in
newspaper controversy with either of
these persons on this subject. AS a mem
Der of the Commercial club l have too
| dulge in any personal elimination with
any of its members.
Il note that Mr.. Babb says he and Mr..
Jackson were not speaking in their Off
cal capacity and yet in the opening
sentence of their statement they say
that as officers of the club they can
not view my action with complacency.
1t is clear, therefore, that though avoid
ing their official responsibility in the
matter. they nevertheless assume to
speak, to use their own words as Off
GERS of the club
This self-evident contradiction in their
opening sentence is characteristic of
their whole statement. If l am the kind
of man they represent me to be, and il
they are the high toned gentlemen they
evidently imagine themselves to be, they
should have, the moment l made my
proposition, protested against its accept
ance.
"Their statement is nothing more than
an attempt on their part to cloud the
point at issue and to throw upon me
the responsibility for their conduct. They
evidently suppose that l am guided by
the motives which they know rule their
own conduct.
Sense of Fitness.
DeBardeleben declined the honor, l was
required, by a sense of the fitness of
things, to withdraw my proposition. |
was, confess, chagrined by the turn
events had taken. 1 earnestly desired
to pay Mr.. DeBardeleben this compliment
and I believed that if persons in au-
thority had not haggled over the matter
as they did Mr.. DeBardeleben could
have been prevailed upon to accept the
honor.
"In my displeasure over the affair
did say that didn't care what be-
came of Vulcan. That remark was hasty
on my part, but my provoeation was
great. On reflection, l do care about the
Vulcan statue. I wish to see it returned
| Here and erected at some suitable place.
Willing to Contribute.
81 am quite willing now, as I was at
the first meeting, to contribute my share
to wipe out the Vulcan fund debt. And
l will gladly give now $500 for that pur-
POSE no matter TO whom or where tho
statue is erected. My check for that
amount will be given to any responsible
person in charge of the matter.
II sincerely deplore this incident, but
| am satisfied that the people of Bir-
mingham who know me will sustain me
in the way 1 have acted.
'As Mr.. Jemison said, money talks.
| Let us put up or shut up I was willing
| to put up $4,000 If the statue could be
erected to Mr.. DeBardeleben. am viii
ling to give $500 no matter what becomes
| of the statue. AS a citizen of Birming-
| ham | want to see the debt paid
Much Comment.
The Jackson Babb statement" was the
! subject of a great deal of comment in
| Birmingham yesterday At the city hall,
| in the restaurants at luncheon hour and
! in many places where business men met
throughout the day the matter was freely
discussed. The preponderating opinion
seemed to be that, regardless of the
merits of the controversy, the attempt
to thresh the subject out in the news
papers was ll-advised
One prominent city official in discuss
ing the question at the city hall, re-
marked to group of influential men that
no good purpose could be subserved by
such tactics and that no matter what
personal resentments might be felt, they
should not be permitted to intrude upon
public affairs. For this reason, he said,
he regretted that an exchange of I'M
pleasant personalities had begun. He said
| that every one should do all he can now
to dismiss the controversy and pay the
| Vulcan debt.
| This view of the case was expressed
generally throughout the day.
| 1t is expected that talk will now give
place to cash, and that instead of dis
cussing the subject persons will be eager
to work for the Vulcan fund cause.
| Already there are plentiful indications
that the unpleasant feelings will be
smoothed over and something practical be
done. In offering to give $500 to the fund,
/ Colonel Johns has indicated his desire
| to do his part as citizen and as a MEM
Der of the Commercial club. Secretary
Babb is also hard at work. and is meet
ing with some success. He has received
from H. X Milner a subscription Of 800
for himself and 800 for Mr. Miner s
father. Walter Moore has subscribed $40
for the Realty Investment company.