The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-02

the knowledge of the OK and It's every member in congress is as hungry as the jackass, who delights to hear the rustic of the fodder.
 The President suggested publicity and @ constitutional amendment, as a rem edy for the trusts. The latter Is not worthy of consideration. It was fully ex- posed in the Fifty-sixth congress and has not since been revived until the adjourn ment of the long session of the Fifty seventh congress. The crements of the grave are now stripped from it and it is made to do duty for campaign purposes. Publicity would do no good to consumers of articles controlled by the trusts. It might be of some benefit to investors and gamblers in industrial stocks.
 Democrats Seek Reform.
 The democrats in the Fifty-fifth, Fifty sixth and Fifty-seventh congress have introduced many measures to combat the trust evil. The plenary and exclusive power of congress over interstate and foreign commerce has been suggested as one source of authority to deal with the question. The taxing power of the fed eral government limited to the apportion- ment of direct taxes among the states, according to population, and denied pow CT to tax exports Is otherwise so unlirn- lIeu ana ample IndL dn OCcupdllOn LAX can be laid. It has been said that the power to tax is the power to destroy. This taxing power did destroy state bank notes. It has destroyed the colored oleo- margarine industry. The control of the federal government over the mails broke up the lottery.
 Wickersham Speaks.
 When MT. Clayton concluded a recess was announced for thirty minutes, and upon reassembling Col M. D. Wicker sham was introduced. His speech was cool and free from passion and he stated at the beginning that he would not un- dertake to initiate MT. Clayton, whom he thought had attempted to appeal to the passions of the people, that his con- ception of a joint debate was the stating of the platforms of the two parties, and a strict adherence thereto. He said that the democrats were without a platform, but in lieu thereof the state campaign chairman had issued an address to the democrats, and this would be treated as a platform. He said that there were in- accuracies in this address relative to dates and bond issues in the late sixties, and the speaker then thrashed over the famous bond issues for railroad build ing in the state. He claimed that the democratic party was responsible TOT
 
 they were issued for fraudulent pur- poses He sought to defend his party against the charges of fraudulent bond issues, saying that the democrats had passed the original bill for state aid to railroads but this the republicans had amended the law, increasing the amount per mile for building the roads.
 Heflin Made Hit.
 The speech of J. Thomas Hefiin, can didate on the democratic ticket for sec retary of state, was the decided hit of the day. He concluded the debate. The speaker was in fine fettle and he kept his audience at high pitch of enthus- iasm, and struck his opponents some sledge-hammer blows. His jokes were humorous and pointed and his style and manner inimitable He said in part:
 There is no longer occasion for re- maining out of the democratic party. The party stands for and has recently had fair democratic primary. The democratic party has disfranchised the negro, and has thrown safe guards around the bal lot box, that insures fair elections in Alabama. It has reduced the tax limit In the new constitution and has provided for large appropriations to the common schools. It has put the power of distribut- ing the school funds in the hands of the township trustees-that is, they can give to Wnlte cnlluren the IunuS that come from the white mans taxes, and to the negro children funds that come from ne- gro taxes.
 "The party Is responsible for the clean condition of things that exists in the state and 1t stands today for the rule of the white man in Alabama.
 'T do not believe that the honest popu- list will suffer himself to be delivered bodily by Street and Spears into the re- publican party. What is MT. Street, pop ulst or republican? We have been taught of old that a man cannot serve two masters. The populist platform de- mands pure democracy and denounces trusts and combines. MT. Street is now herding with a gang who stand for high protective tariff, trusts and combines, and everything antagonistic to a pure de- mocracy."
 MT. Hehin's oratorical flights were brilliant, and he kept his audience in continuous applause and laughter.