The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-16
DEMOCRATS ISSUE ADDRESS
 TO THE VOTERS OF ALABAMA

the Constitution adopted and promulgated by the Republican party while in power. The same basis Is found in the Constitu- ton of the United States, and is the one on which the electoral college is based and the one upon which we elect Repre- sentives to Congress. The doctrine, as old as our Government, that there should be no taxation without representation must be ignored if any other basis be adopted. And 1t speaks we'll for the new Constitution and bad for the Republican party that the only provisions which they criticise are those which have been fin the old Constitution for years If the basis is wrong, why was not the wrong dis covered in 1875 or in 1888, or when the Constitution of the United States was adopted? From time to time. efforts have been made in Congress looking to the re- duction of the South's representation in Congress and the electoral college. This was notably true in the bill known as the Crumpacker resolution. And who knows but that the Republican attack on the representation basis in the new Consti- tuition is not another move in the direc- tion of accomplishing the nefarious pur- poses of the Crumpacker bill?
 The Republican party Is organized in this State. and is seeking the suffrages of our people. It's leaders have announced
  able" There is certainly room for i'm provement in Alabama over what 1t has been. for in the past 1t has been held to- gether by the cohesive power of public plunder." It had absolute control of the State government during the period elaps- ing between the end of the war and 1874 when an outraged people hurled it from power. Its acts during that period make the darkest pages in all our history. Cor ruption stalked in high places and venal- ity seems to have afforded a passport to political favor. When that party took charge of affairs in our State, 1t found a State debt of $35Oo,oOO. When 1t went out of power. and in less than ten years of it's administration, the State debt had increased to the enormous sum of over so. 900. The States credit was de- stroyed, and its revenues were sduan- dered. Whilst there was a public school system provided for in the law. it ex- fsted in name only because the appro- priation did not reach the teachers or the schools.
 Republican School Record.
 The records show that although the ap- propriations for schools for the year ending September 30, 1875, was $524, 452 40. only $6s.313.93 of this appropriation was drawn for school purposes. The reason
 
 of the treasury of the State. When that party went out of power there was due the public schools the sum of s1,36o,000. which had been appropriated by law. but which had been misappropriated or stolen by the officials of the party in power. They resorted to the issuance of treasury warrants, but as the time when these warrants would be paid was uncertain they could only be disposed of at heavy discount, which came out of the hard earnings of the poorly paid teach CTS. As a consequence there were no public schools in the State, save in local ities where they were sustained by pri- vate subscription. This utter disregard of the right to have public funds honestly and economically applied was ended more than twenty-five years ago and the conditions then prevailing will, it is to be hoped never be duplicated. but the Republican party still remains true to its record in extravagant expenditure of pub lie money It's policy is to raise all the money it can by iniquitous taxation and to spend 1t with reckless indifference to the burdens of the taxpayers. If the country was startled a few years ago by what was known as a billion dollar Con gress what is to be said and done when we have a billion dollar session of Con- gress? The last session of Congress ap- propriated the peoples money. including the appropriation for the isthmian canal ! and contracts authorized to be entered into in addition to specific appropriations) to an amount exceeding one billion of dollars.
 Contrast Between Parties.
 The difference between Democratic and Republican administration in this regard can best be shown by a comparison of ha fatI he ne 1896 when Democrats had control of the government with appropriations for the fiscal year 1903 while Republican are in power.
 The agricultural bill shows an increase of $1,905, ,210. The army bill shows an in- crease ot over $6S, 900 a sum four times greater than were the appropriations for the support of the military establishment for the year 1896.
 The diplomatic and consular act shows an increase of $3SS. 466. The District of Columbia act shows an increase of g, S00, 900. The fertilization bill shows an in crease of $5.3s4.OOO The Indian bill shows an increase of $3S1 .O0O The legislative, executive and judicial bill shows an in- crease of 8, 900. The Military Acad- emy bill shows an increase of $2163 900 The naval bill shows an increase of over &4s O00, 900. The postoffice bill shows an in- crease of nearly $49 100000. The sundry civil bill shows an increase of $13,55 900. For deficiences there is an increase of SIS 0O0, 900. Other increases were made and in short. comparing all appropriations under the last Democratic Congress with those during the late session of a Repub- lican Congress, we find that the latter exceed the former by over s500. .0O0, 000 And these appropriations and authorized con- tracts call for the expenditure of public moneys are in excess of the estimated revenues of the government to an amount approximating $f00.00O000.
 So 1t is we affirm that the record of the Republican party in its manipulation of public funds in Alabama finds it coun- terpart in the record of that same party in national affairs in 1902. Time has not abated it's ardor in that direction
 Where is this money to come from, ex cept from the pockets of the taxpayers?
 The Tariff Question.
 The Republican party still insists upon a high protective tariff. The intelligence of the people has long ago exploded the Republican theory that the foreigner pays the tax levied by the tariff. We all know the consumer pays 1t. The protected in- dustries reap the benefits and the people bear the burdens. We know also that the infant industries which were sup posed to need protection, have grown into mighty combines and powerful trusts that need restraint rather than protec- tion. We know also that these same trusts while IaVyinD trihute on fhe citi-