The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-02
TART LETTERSARE
 COMING ID LIGHT
 ASRESULT 0F POLL
0'NeaI Makes Public His Poll of Candidates on Power Company
 Issue

The Muscle Shoals questionable sent out by President o'NeaI of the association to all candidates in the Iy stirred up some resentment judK- Ing by the various communication made public yesterday.
 Gov. O'Neal gave out his tabuIated list of the replies received which showed 1z0 in favor of the legisia- ton proposed against the Alabama Power company. Several indefinite, several explanatory and 55 had not been heard from
 Roy L. Nolen of Alexander City was the first to give out an express sion of disapproval of the effort to make candidates define themselves upon legislation which has not yet been drafted. Gov O'Eeal replied to him yesterday insisting that every candidate has the right to answer in his own way, but that the voters should know the candidates attitude.
 State Senator Jones of Montgom- cry county last night also made A spirited reply to the governors ques- tionnaire.
 Gov. O'Neai last night made public an open letter which he had ad- dressed to w. o. Mulkey of Geneva In this letter he incorporates the questions submitted and closes "by your silence the responsibility and consequences alone will be yours" Letter TO Mulkey.
 Important extracts from the for fr1a n h4s a., are as follows:
 You declined to answer the simple question contained in both my letter and telegram and on the remarkable ground that they have not been sub mitted to you in the form of bills. Out of several hundred replies to my letter and telegram you are among the very few refusing to answer. and accept responsibility on so untenable ground. The questions I asked in both my letter and telegram are simple and easily understood by any man of ordinary intelligence. I again repeat these questions:
 First: Would you favor a bill to repeal the tax exemption of the Alabama Power company?
 Second: Would you favor a bill to repeal their right to the exercise of the power of eminent domain?
 Third: Would you favor bill to reclaim for the use and benefit of the people of Alabama, by con demnation, after making due compen- sation, the undeveloped water power sites in Alabama, sites now claimed by the Alabama Power company, which they acquired practically with out expense and by methods which they have not even dared to defend
 These questions man of your in- telligence can readily understand without their submission in the form of bills. It is no answer to say that you will vote for such bills and those only in your Judgment would be of the greatest interest to the greatest number of people. That is an answer which any attorney, agent or officer of the Alabama Power company might make.
 Right to Vote.
 "If elected you would unquestion- ably have the right to vote as you please, provided the people who elected you had full knowledge of your position on important legisla- ton which you'd affect their inter ests. You are seeking election by the people and as president of the Muscle Shoals association of Ala bama I am only asking that you take the people into your confidence and frankly state your position on is- sues of such paramount importance The issue Is clear. understood by the man of ordinary intelligence and it cannot be lodged or evaded. {.
 You speak of my telegram con taining yelled threat. There ia nothing in my telegram which can be so construed, unless you take the position that my promise to advise the people of your position on these important issues. can be regarded as a threat. ..
 q have simply carried out the orders of the Muscle Shoals asso- citation of Alabama. By your silence the responsibility and consequences alone will be yours"
 Letter To NoIen.
 Gov. O'Neal also gave out his let ter to Roy L. Nolen of Alexander City. which reads;
 T am in receipt of your letter of March 30 and thank you for calling my attention to the statement attrib- uted to me in the Montgomery Ad- vertiser of March 29 The reporter does me a grave injustice. What I did say in the course of a social con- versation with several friends at the barbecue was that in my opinion tho sentiment was so overwhelming for the Ford offer that I believed the people would smash every man who did not answer Yes to my question naire.
 Even that remark was not in- tended for publication. as did not suppose that what a gentleman said in a private conversation at bar becue would be reported in the press.
 You do me an injustice in as- suming that my purpose was to coerce any candidate. The Muscle Shoals association grants to every candidate the unquestioned right 10 vote as he pleases on any bill that
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