The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-02

make them the subject of an extended
recall, for the purpose of wondering how
the people could have gone through that
turbulent period and still survive to re-
call IL in a peaceful state of mind. The
governor himself. I must say, is an ex-
eeption to those who hesitate to uncur-
tain this frenzied epoch and lay bare
what 1t contains in the nature of facts
and history. He is forever revealing the
things that most of us would willingly
forget. The many, many thousands OF
hard earned dollars of the tax payers of
Alabama that he frittered away in use
less legal employment to aid in needless
litigation into which he plunged the peo-
pie to serve his hobbies, is to this stren-
uous man but simple act of admins-
trative pride, which he is fond of recall
Ing TO demonstrate how freely he could
convert the states strong box into a hth-
erto unheard of function of the executive
will. To the people of Alabama, this
reckless raid upon the treasury is some
thing made solemn and profound; and
the guilty author of it will be remem-
bered by them in this present effort of
his to again be measured to an opportun-
ity to repeat his reign of administrative
prodigalty. An inexcusab1e squandering
of the peoples money to futile purposes
and ends, Is among the least of the Of
fenses that the candidacy of Governor
Conner represents for his defense [
charge him with treachery to his party
platform In repudiating local option in
order to ride the prohibition band wagon
at time when that crowded vehicle
seemed the only safe conveyance to the
goal of his ambitious ends. In the an
before has it been known in Alabama,
1t is the first and only instance that
can recall of a party leader deliberately
violating solemn pledge which he was
elected to carry out and respect. Never
before hsa it been known in Alabama,
when a party leader was wise enough to
his own conceit to proclaim himself big
ger than the democratic party and to
make party law subservient to his per-
sona1 will and individual interest. | claim
that man who would scruple not to be-
tray his party when its mandates stood
In the way Of his personal aims, would
not hesitate to violate the confidence of
the people when their interest conflicted
with his own selfish ends.
"A Business Governor"
MIR. Conner in his platform stresses
the necessity for a business adminstra-
ton and outlines a seductive theory of
how the affairs of the state should be
run to the ends of material progress and
prosperity. They are nice terms he en-
ploys to express what kind of business
L
to measure his acts as an official, against
his word as a candidate; and accordingly
L appeal to the records of Mr.. Comer's
four years of administration to disclose
the absurdty of his hollow claims. An
examination of the reports of the state
treasury shows that when Mr.. Conner
was inaugurated governor in 1907 there
was a balance left in the treasury by
the splendid business administration of
Governor ia
nest egg for a business governor to begin
with, in laying the foundation for a sound
fiscal policy of state. For the four years
of Governor Comer's administration, the
colossal sum of 1890 1903 was piled up
in the state treasury to swell this volume
of revenue into avails for meeting the
legitimate state demands. The dsburse-
ments against the receipts of the Conner
administration were $40 233, ,S54. %. The
governor came into office with treasury
at his command of over $1,000, 900. He left
office with the credit of the state serious
ly imperiled and a paltry balance in the
state treasury of s315, ,o5S.36 as a legacy to
his successor. This is Governor Comer's
real claim to the distinction of business
governor
'An evidence of his genius for con-
structive craftsmanship is given us in
his. officious medling with a convict law
that had been proven good enough for
Governor Jelks to make under it's terms
this department one of the most powerful
feeders of the state treasury. With no
stronger reason for bringing about the
change in this law, that has made the
shortage of Theodore Lacy a disastrous
fact, than to accede to a wish of his SON
in-law. then pesident of the state con-
Wet board, Governor Conner encouraged
the enactment, and approved the passage
of a measure changing the method of pay
ing convict funds into the state treasury;
and we have the result of his official stu
pidity exemplified in the scandal of which
the people of Alabama are the trustful
victims, and Theodore Lacy the abscond-
ing hero.
Conner Should Refund
Il claim. in view of his responsibility