The age-herald., 1900-03-18
TOMLINSON SPOKE
 ON BOOK TRUST
Combinations Severely Scored by
 the Speaker at Brookside.
GIVEN A CORDIAL RECEPTION
The Lobbyists Who Have Prevented Legislation Against Book Trusts mother States Also Received
 Stinging Rebuke

Brookside, March 17.-CSpecial.) )-Hon. John w. TomIinson, candidate for gov ernor, was given an enthusiastic reception here last night. A large crowd turned out to hear him discuss the issues of the cam palgn. He scored the school book trust, which, he said, was standing at the door elf every school house in Alabama, exact- ing tribute from parents able to respond to its eXtortions and shutting out thous- ands of children whose parents could not pay the exorbitant prices. What is the use," he asked, 'of taxing the people for free schools when, by an unlawful com bine, tine price of school books is hfted be- yond the reach of many, parents? A teacher in Jefferson county told me the other day." he said, "that children came to hts school without books, and he had to teach them the best he could"
 MT. Tomhnson denounced the lobbyists. GIe said the lobbyist had prevented legisla- tion against the school book trust in Ken- lucky and in many other states; that other states had been more Fortunate and had escaped the coils of the school book trust. The effort of the lobbyist is, first, to de- feat those advocating relief; second, to
  legisla ture; thirdly, by fighting in the courts to have the law when passed to be declared unconstitutional.
 MT. TOmlinson denounced in unmeasured terms corrupt politics. He said that direct efforts to bllbe some of his supporters had been made; that there were those organ ized for no other purpose than to black mall candidates, but they could do but little harm, because the people were very generally on to them.
 Mir. Tominson Interrupted
 During MT. Tomlnsonfs speech he was interrupted several times by a man from another beat, who seemed to be somewhat under the Influence of liquor, and who per- sisted in holering for anether candidate. MT. Tomlinson finally singled him out, and charged that he was sent here for that purpose, because there could not be found a man at Brookside to holler for the man he was hollering for.
 Mr. Tomlinson said that his record was too well known among the 1aboring classes of Jefferson county for any schemers to undertake to direct that vote to epy other candidate; that he had assurances from the rank and file of the laborinG people, and with their assurances he was satisfied.
 Mir. Tomlinson furthermore said that General Shelley had at one time with drawn from the race, and had re-entered it because he said certain 'friction had been removed" but he would not explain what friction he referred to. MT. Tomlin- son further said that General Shelley had advised him to run, and that he had charged this in speeches which had been published some even before the beginning of the present year, and that General Shell ley had never denied the fact. MT. Tomlin- son said he had the proof that General Shelley had admitted that he said to him that he ought to run, that this was the opportunity of his life. The question nat urally arises, observed MT. Tomlinson, why did General Shelley re-enter the race?
 MT. Tomlinson closed his speech with an able discussion of the questions now in- volved in national politics.