The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-17
GOES INTO DETAILS
Gives His Account of Events of 1892 94 and His Connection With Them-Interesting Period
 in States History

spicuous figure.
 He goes into details regarding that eventful campaign and the statement Will no doubt be read with great interest by all those interested in the states political history.
 Regarding Governor Corners personal allusions to himself Judge Jones says he will reply to them in letter written to Governor Conner personally, which Gov ernor Conner can make public or not as he chooses.
 The full statement of Judge Jones is as follows:
 have been providentially hindered from earlier giving attention to former Governor Comer's communication of June Il. when nrofesses to be a reply to the "Observa- tions" put upon the minutes about nis last official message. The message was a privileged communication. Its truth could not be made the subject of investl- aetion even by a suit for libel, though judge were minded to engage Tn Itisd- tion of that sort. Consistent with a ue cent respect to the opinions of mankind there was no way left open to ludse to deal with islanders imbedded in state paper except to place a memorial on the
 
 records of the court, challenging the un- truths placed in the archives of the state
 The Impropriety of the Message
 The inDropriety to use the very mildest term of a man using the office of gov ernor to malign a judge, in a message TO the legislature, about his official acts ana motives. and attempting to brow beat and intimidate him in the exercise of his judi cial functions, in pending case. is so of fensive to the commonest traditions or the executive office that no companion piece to this vindicative message dealing not only with the acts, but the motives or 2 judge and seeking a controversy with him about a pending case, can be founc in the annals of America. The formcr governor is. perhaps, the only person Tn Alabama who does not realize, now that his words are no longer privileged. that his further attacks, so far as they relate to the pending cases. are continued at the sufferance of the official whom he thus maligns, who will not and does not in- tend to take official cognizance of them, lest in using the ample power of otrice to deal with such Instructions to the ld- minstration of justice he might seem to follow the evil example of prostituting of- ficial power to personal ends.
 Will Not Inflict Personalities Upon
 The Public
 The author of the message is no longer in office and ought to know that judge cannot engage in a controversy of any sort with him now. regarding any matte-, past or present, concerning a case still pending. I will not here say a word about these cases, or publicly notice his latest communication, except In so far as it purports to give the political history If the state in 1Se2-94 and my connection with 1 fl, and the deductions he seeks 10 draw | therefrom. Obviously. these things. trans | piring many years ago, have no bearing | on official acts performed years after | wards in discharge of official duties. con | corning different matters It is well, how l ever, to discuss them now. since they have | been brought forward and profess to ,lell | with the truth of history At more con venient season I will write him direct such thoughts as apepar to me to be due him | and his personalities The general public | have little sympathy with such con;en- | tions. l will not, therefore, publish he | letter. though he may, if he cares 10 have | the public know the nature of its con | tents.
 A Pitiful Confession The latest utterances of the former gov ernor, who can no longer speak in the name of the state, do not touch upon the exposure of the assertions of the nes- sage. The tales T have heard" in which il abounded, are no longer repeated, but are abandoned without even mention of them or suggestion of their truth He nt- tempts to draw attention from the docu- ment by political attack upon me- and seeks to have people forget it's character In a pompous parade of ponderous thoughts about Governor Wilson and MT. Bryan, and Madison and Jefferson. and chatter about Madero and Ballinger the Sanscullottes and Roundheads. and the battle royal" in the Senate whether Tor liner shall be white washed" again. and this is the sole excuse he can plead for the assertions and tone of a state paper which escaped the ill repute of being ex- punged from the legislative journals. be- cause committee of the senate charged with the duty of considering the question. reached the conclusion that the prot sr- Mon of his constitutional prerogatfve In 1ommunicate with the legislature forbade G1at mode of censure.
 Why His Lavish Expenditure of
 Money
 The motive and purpose of his last com munieation are not far to seek He had been assailng me as far back as 19e5 and whenever he deemed it might heln he failing political fortunes he has freouent ly slandered me in subsequent years. unort the stump and in the neWspapers He would not have expended thousands of dollars for advertising his old views in the leading dailies. paying for printing and circulating patent outsides. and for postage on papers addressed to hundreds sof individuals whose names he found in Directories, merely to vent his hatred or me, or come to the defense of his mes sage His words, though nominaIly dire it. ed to me. are aimed at other men. prom 1nent in political affairs in the past whom, ne now regards obstacles in #le Da.h ol ms ambition This money spent in his advertisement is an investment as unon margin. in a speculation in the passions of The past. hoping that he may reap po,,t,- cal profit by stirring them anew in he future. II is his formal annonncement under the thin disguise of a defense of his message. of his candidacy for governor or senator as at the time for the election may seem to him most propitous. where by he hopes to regain justly forfeited power and public esteem. With a passion eurpassing that of the fallen Arch Angels after Paradise Lost. he yearns to regain his lost estate. Absorbing as his passion Is. 1t is amazing alike to friend and foe that he should seek to gratifv 1t by at tempting to write down in shame and dis honor the good name of his state, and CT nearly every man. living or dead, whom Alabama has honored for more than 4 quarter of a century past.
 The Great Slanderer
 The first railroad commission law, mod elled upon the Massachusetts statute, was enacted in 1881, and Governor Conner was inaugurated in January, 1907. It is of this period of many years''-"30 years of contest as he described it in a special nessag age--in which seven governors swors with unlfted hands, m the presence of