The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-04

the service of detectives and by which S25Oo was recovered and turned into the | state treasury.
 Another item for which am criticised | is $S4 for publishing a speech This speech was delivered by me, as governor on 6 | question of great interest, and subse- | quently the Senate of the United States | printed 10000 for distribution over the l United States as a public document at the expense of the United States.
 "The above items of disbursement to which have alluded in detail are typical | of all other disbursements which were criticised at this meeting. In each in- stance where money has been paid to me | from the contingent fund it has been for necessary expenses actually Incurred while engaged in official duties and OH the states business, and each of these disbursements are supported by an item ized statement which is on file in the auditors office.
 q have thus answered the criticisms on the expenditure by me of the conting- ent fund. I had the right to expect. especially from those who had claimed to be my friends, that they before as- suming or attempting to create the inn pression that I had misused the public moneys would do me the ordinary Justice to ask an explanation of or to examine the itemized accounts which were filed in the auditors office. have no desire to engage in personal controversy with any private citizen. l shall leave the matter of the assessment of taxes in Montgomery county for orderly adjudica- ton by the state tax commission, which is court created by the legislature, and for any other court to which an appeal may be taken from its judgment. and whatever may be the final verdict I shall l. .t..T9 ture as l have in the past to enforce the laws of the state regardless of criticism, denunciation or abuse. Those who under take such methods have not read my character alright if they think that by following such a course they can intlmi- date me or prevent me from dscharglng my duty as God gives me to see it.
 T was also criticised for the employ ment of special counsel in enforcng the laws of the state. The constitution im- poses upon the governor the duty to see 10 it that all laws are faithfully executed. That my course in this matter has re- ceived the approval of the thinking peo- pe take the liberty of quoting from letter from one of the most eminent law yers in the state as follows:
 feel 1t in the nature of duty to express to you my cordial approval of the stand which you took In the state Bar as-
 
 procedure and for better enforcement of the laws. I wish to include in this my hearty sympathy with you in your ef- fort throughout the state to prosecute and bring to conviction all murderers and to check to some extent the carnival of crime which has affected and disgraced our state. You have been the first gov ernor of this state within my memory who seemed to have had a correct comprehen- fba constitutional ma dat m
 take care that the laws be faithfully ex- ecuted.'"
 With further reference to the employ ment of special counsel, 1t is proper to say that each of the gentlemen whom I have so employed is of the highest profess sional and personal standing. Each per- formed the services for which he was em- ployed with fidelity and efficiency Not one of them is in the most remote degree connected with me, and some were not my political supporters. As q result of their employment 1ynchings have practically ceased in Alabama, and life is no longer more unsafe in Jefferson and Montgom- cry counties than 1t was in Breathitt county, Kentucky.
 "The majesty of law has been upheld and the peace and dignity of the state maintained. The enactments of the legis- lature have been in, the main upheld by the supreme court instead of being struck down, as heretofore. In all these cases the compensation paid has been reason able and in each case the matters in which special counsel was employed were those in which the attorney general had no authority to appear, or at a time when the exigencies of his office were such that assistance was required. The attorney general is not authorized to ap- pear in criminal case except on an appeal in the supreme court, and 1t is common knowledge that the duties and burdens of his office have been many times multiplied in recent years I do not believe that any fair-minded citizen of the state will feel that I have been unmindful of my duty in paying a req sonable compensation to put an end to the reign of terror in Lewisburg beat in Jefferson county, where there had been more than 20 assassinations with out one single arrest, nor in removing from office a shern who stood idly by while armed men took from the custody of the law a prisoner and put 4him to death. nor in subjecting the enactments of the legislature to that examination which saves the state the embarrassment and loss of money which has followed in many instances where from want of such examination they have been held viola tive of the constitution.
 -'Tt is claimed that the three richest and most populous counties in the state are being discriminated against unfairly than their just share of taxes. It is admitted that there Is ,a great lack ot