The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-02
Says Henderson Made False Statement and Knew ItWas
 False When He Made It"
MANY OTHERS HAVE
 LOW RATES ON COAL
Citizens of Talladega, Anniston Gadsden, Sylacauga and Alabama City Speak Up to Show
 Henderson Wrong

l By documentary evidence, B. B. Conner in an address to the people. attempts |, prove false the contention of Charles Henderson that the former governor through his power of the legislature, se cured an individual coal rate which amounted to discrimination against the public
 "The charge is false and Mir Hender- Il" is the countercharge of Mr. Conner. feature of the reply of Mr. Conner Is | statement from Thomas F.. Kilby of Anniston, recently nominated to the of | flee of lieutenant governor, in which it | is stated that Mir Kilby initiated the suit which resulted in the establishment rf the 50-cent coal snte, and that this rate was secured before MT. Conner was governor, and that in the initiation of the suit. MT. Conner mad had nothing to dc Testifying in behalf of Mir Conner are city officials and business men of Syla- cauga manufacturers of Talladega. Sena- tor kilby, C. s. Williamson of Gadsden, D. C. Blackwell of Anniston and II. c. Selheimer. MT. Blackwelrs statement re- refers to sam P. Kennedy. Mr Hender- sons manager, and credit is given him for having aided in securing certain rights Tor Anniston people-before MT. Conner was governor.
 "Comer Is Warm"
 MT. Corners statement follows:
 The following false statements have been published by the Henderson cam n on aAtx ,r,.ft f1. the state:
 Special rates for Mir Conner MT. Co., mer had one of his special sessions of the legislature to pass an act authorizing the railroads to give him a special coal rate for his cotton mills at Sylacauga Of oo cents per ton, while the public pays 70 cents. Mir Conner now enjoys this discrimination
 "On the 29th we wired MT. Henderson. as president of the railroad commission, U correct this false statement and do justice to citizen of Alabama due him by public official of Alabama
 in his reply MT. Henderson persisted in the false statement
 MT. Henderson has also stated all over Alabama that I had my legisla ture exempt cotton mills, which was false, and he knew it.
 MT Henderson has also stated all over Alabama that l vetoed all child labor legislation while governor. This was false and he knew it.
 Tn fact. this sort of statements have characterized his campaign against me and he is still trying to cover up the cowardly surrender to the railroads $ by subterfuges and false statements
 Julian, associate railroad commis- sioner, although stating that this rate surrender was put over while he wasn't looking, met defeat together with his associate, McCord.
 You defeated them because it was a cowardly surrender and surely Hen derson, president of the commission, treason to the people is a thousand times more deserving of defeat than his associates.
 Wire to Henderson
 'On April 29 l wired Mir. Henderson as follows
 "'Your campaign committee adver- tises in many weekly papers as fol- lows
 '''"Special rates for Mir. Conner. MT. Conner had one of his special sessions of the legislature to pass an act au- thori2ing the railroads to give him a special coal rate for his cotton mills at sylacauga of 30 cents per ton. while the public pays 70 cents. Mr. Conner now enjoys this discrimination" You knew this was impossible and false. The Sylacausa coal rate was given years before l was governor in connection with Talladega, Anniston Alabama City and Attalla, with the | making of which I had nothing what ever to do.
 "'This rate applies equally to all the above points to anyone using steam coal. "'As president of the railroad com- mission, correct this injustice donesto a citizen and shipper of the state, "'B B. COMER' "Mr. Henderson. persisting in his eff forts to deceive. replied that his charges were true. The following evil dence bearing on the case is incon- . trovertible:
 Sylavauga Gives Testimony "Sylacauga, Ala April 30. 1914. Hon. B. B. Conner, Birmingham, Ala.
 we notice in the Montgomery Adver- tiser of this date an exchange of tele- grams between yourself and Honorable Charles Henderson. concerning the rate on steam coal to Sylacauga. Your con- tention is correct as the Sylacauga Fer tilizer company the Southern Cotton Oil company. the Sylacauga Lumber com pany. the Alabama High Grade Brick company. the Marble City Mills. the City of Sylacauga electric light and water plant as well as all other manufacture ing enterprises of this city using steam coal are not only now but have been since 1905 enjoying the rate of 50 cents per ton on steam coal, Mir. Henderson's statement in the Montgomery Advertiser of this date to the contrary notwith- standing.
 TT. P. JOHNSON.
 President City Commission.
 "J w BROWN. President Merchants & Planters Bank" !"
 ID. A. PARKER,
 Mgr. Sylacauga Fertilizer Go.
 IS. P. MDONALD,
 f"Pres. First National Bank.
 "E. ]. SMITH & SONS,
 Marble City Savings Bank"
 Senator kilby's Statement
 Tn the controversy between MT. Hem derson, president of the railroad ccnnis- sion, and Governor Conner, regarding the special coal rate to Sy1acauga, Senator Kilby. Calhoun county, Anniston. who is president of the Kilby Locomotive Ma chine works, Anniston advised that in 1902 knowing that his competitors had a 50-cent coal rate to Anniston. sued the Southern railroad for the same rate, and through decision of the court carried to the supreme court, secured 5O-cent coal rate to his plant, and has had this