The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-03
E. F. JOHNSON GIVES OUT STATEMENT ON |. & N. ADVERTISING Says Misleading and Untrue Reports Were Sent Out
 of Nashville
EXPLAINS HOW THE
 MONEY WAS SPENT
Was Used to Advertise Alabama $ Rich Resources and Had No Con-
 nection Whatever With Conner Campaign

Montgomery, May 2.-(Special. )-Positive denial that he gave testimony before the interstate commerce commission at Nash vile in the investigation of the Louis vile and Nashville Railroad company, to the effect that that road spent be- tween s3O,0OO and s4O,OO in Alabama during the Conner Henderson race two years ago, was made in a public statement given out by Edwin F. Johnson, an advertising agent of Atlanta, while in Montgomery today.
 No such testimony was given by me, said MT. Johnson, land the official stem ographers transcript of the evidence will refute the truth of such publication. No such sum of money was spent in the state of Alabama through the advertising agency of which I am president, in the interest of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad company during ,ne campaign of Conner for governor of Alabama"
 Mr. Johnson declared that during the course of the entire advertising campaign, extending from August, 1912, to January g. 1916 total of $35,000 was spent by the Louisville and Nashville flor the purpose of advertising the rich, natural resources of the state; of attracting peo- pie and industries to Alabama; for the purpose of disseminating information of educational value to the farmers, truck growers, cattle raisers, fruit growers, and those engaged in the mining and manu- featuring industries.
 Following is MT. Johnsons s statement
 ''To the People of Alabama: In justice to myself, and to the business interest or the advertising agency of which I am president, I wish to correct the follow inc nd TlaiS statement widely circulated, evidently for political purposes, throughout the state of Ala bama:
 I" Nashville, Tenn, April 29.-Sensa- tional testimony to the effect that the Louisville and Nashville railroad spent between $30,O00 and $40 GOO in Alabama dur ing the Conner race two years ago, was brought out in the investigation of the interstate commerce commission of charges against the Louisville and Nash vile Railroad company. The evidence was furnished by Edwin F. Johnson, an advertising agent of Atlanta, Ga.
 'No such testimony was given by me, but the official stenographer's transcript of the evidence will refute the truth of such publication. No such sum of money was spent in the state of Alabama. through the advertising agency of which I am president. in the interest of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad com pany during the cdHlpdiSu Ol Souict loi governor of Alabama |,
 '"The advertising campaign conducted by the Johnson-Dallis Advertising agency in the interest of the Louisville and Nash vile Railroad company was inaugurated in August, 1912, or nearly two years before the date of the 1914 gubernatorial primary in Alabama, and long before the an- nouncement of any candidate. The adver- Using was not discontinued until the week of January 5, 1916, or a year and half after the date of the gubernatorial pri- many in the state of Alabama.
 During the course of this entire adver- tising a total of approximately s35,000 was spent by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad company through our advertis- ing agency for the purpose of advertis- ing the rich, natural resources of the state of Alabama; of attracting people and industries to Alabama; for the pur- pose of disseminating. information of edu- cational value to the farmers, truck grow CTS, cattle raisers, fruit growers, and those engaged in the mining and manu- facturing industries.
 NO REFERENCE TO CAMPAIGN
 None of the advertisements prepared in my office and sent to the papers in Ala bama made any reference directly or in directly to the political campaign con. ducted by MT. Conner in his unsuccessful effort to become governor of Alabama.
 q was never instructed by any officia or >empoye of the Louisville and Nash. vile Railroad company, directly or in directly. to conduct this advertising witf any reference to MT. Conner, or to his political aspirations. The people of Ala bama who read these advertisements dur. ing the three and half years they were