The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-17

letter in my behalf. He had no more agency or influence in my appointment than Governor Conner himself.
 When I became . candidate for Gov- ernor there was no reason why the l.. and N. Railroad should feel yny interest in me as against my distin- suished competitor In that campaign. He, believe. advocated the aboiish. ment of the Railroad Commission at one time. and I had voted against an effort 10 accomplish that indirectly. by repeating tho act which put the expense of the salaries of the members of the Railroad Commission upon the raii- road. there being no other provision for their payment. Mir. E. B. Stahi- man, one of the vice. presidents of the company. favored Captain Kolb. The L. and N. Railroad. though partfsans sometimes said to the contrary. so far as know or can learn or believe. tcok no part whatever in the campaign.
 never severed my connection with the law department of the r. and N. Railroad Company but twice, and never with any understanding with any of It's managers as to returning. Once left the law department in conse- quence of @ disagreement during pr. Standiford's presidency of the road, be- cause while an attorney of the road, and at the same time member of the City Council. persisted in compelling the South and North Alabama Railroad Company, which the L.. and N. vas then financing. to remove It's derot and passenger station from its situa. ton near the Western Road to the place 1t now occupies, in pursuance of . contract with the city In which 1t agreed to do 50, and expend about t100.o00 in that behalf. I remained out of Its employment until change in the administration sometimes after. wards, when Mir. Newcomb succeeded to the presidency. and my friend Judge Houston again rendered me . position in its law department. The other fn. stance was when became Governos. My services in the Constitutional Con- vention. and in the Legislature. were railroad company were not interfvpt- ed by those honors: yet the Governor in his language implies that left it and returned after accepting those hon. ors, and that there was some sort of special concession in these respects which created some sort of special tb- ligation upon me as . judge to ravor it.
 Instances Where Environment Haa No
 AnAh0GnC
 There are some things about my environment" which the Governor knew and yet studiously seeks to keep out of public view. He knew that at a time when I was a strug- gling young lawyer, I had given up the roads practice for nearly two years. because I insisted upon the performance of contract with the city of which I was a representative in legislative capacity, and at the same time a lawyer of the road in the courts. In searching my record he must have found that while I had not favored Capt Bragg's legislation, that I did favor his retention at the head of the railroad commission, and part ed from warm personal and political friends, and supported and largely carried through the house joint bal lot bill. which. had it not been de- feated by the Senate would have re- suited in his retention: and that by reason of a controversy growing out of 1t with my fathers friend and my friend, Col. James w. Sloss, who had some of the ideas of environment" that the Governor has, I Indignantly rendered my resignation and parted for time with a salary of several thousand dollars. because I advocated what he insisted my client desired to prevent. Our mutual friend, Col S. W. John, would have told the Governor that during our service in the legisla- ture. while on a committee in 1884, by which the Employers Liability Act was being considered and which was advsrsed by tie vote, my vote car ried a favorable vote though my Fail- road client opposed it.
 was the first Governor to endeav- or to break up the pass evil and was persistent in my efforts to do so in the Constitutional convention though at the time a sraifrosd attorney"
 I forbear to mention numerous oth- CT instances which prove. even if I had been subject to suspicion under the Governors standard of honesty, that "environment" never controlled me in the discharge of public duty.
 ProuA of His Service to the State.
 may say 1t. for have 8 right to be proud of 1t, though I may incur the Governors charge of "egotism," that as a boy I rendered faithful serv- ice to my country, and had the ad- miration and friendship of Gordon and won the thanks of Robert F. Lee. For nearly twenty years I headed the citizens soldiery of our State. endeav- bring to inculcate in them high ideals of citizenship, and love of State, and repeatedly received the thanks of Gov ernors Houston. Cobb, O'Neal and Seay, for services, done under trying cir cumstances. when formidable commo- tions were quelled by the soldiery un- der my command. without the she'd ding of drop of blood.
 The members of my profession hon.