The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-16

startled a few years ago by what was known as a billion dollar congress. what is to be said and done when we have billion dollar session of congress2 The last session of congress appropriated the peoples money uncluding the appropria- tion for the isthmian canal and contracts authorized to be entered into In addition to specific appropriations) to an amount exceeding one billion of dollars
 A Contrast.
 The difference between democratic and republican administration in this regard can best be shown by a comparison of the appropriations for the fiscal year of 1896 when democrats had control of the government with appropriations for the fiscal year 1903 while republicans are in power.
 The agricultural bill shows an increase of sl,9o5 210. The army bill shows an in- crease of over s68, ,00O. 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 $3S3,466 The District of Columbia act shows an increase of B. sO0,OOO The fertilization bill shows an in crease of $5.394. 900. The Indian bill shows an increase of s.55lO00. The legislative ex ecutive and judicial bill shows an in- crease of SS,506.000 The military acade- ny Din SHOWS an increase or 9L,loofpUsf. The naval bill shows an increase of over s49, 000000. The postoffiee bill shows an increase of nearly S49 1000 The sundry civil bill shows an increase of s13.55O GOO. For deficiencies there Is an increase of $lSOO0,o0O. Other increases were made and in short, comparing all apprSpria tions under the last democratic congress with those during the last session of 2 republican congress. we find that the lat ter exceed the former by over fye hun dred millions of dollars. And these ap- propriations and authorized contracts call for the expenditure of public moneys in | excess of the estimated revenues of tho government to an amount approximating $4OO, GOO. .00O.
 So 1t is we affirm that the record of the republican party in it's manipulation of public funds in Alabama finds 1t coun- terpart in the record of that same par ty in national affairs in 1902. Time has not abated it's ardor in that direction.
 Where is this money to come from, except from the pockets of the tax-pay- CTS?
 The Tariff.
 The republican party still insists upon 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 it. The pro- tected industries reap the benefits and the people bear the burdens. We know also that the Infant industries which were supposed to need protection have grown into mighty combines and power full trusts that need restraint rather than protection. We know also that these same trusts while levying tribute on the citizenship of our country by means of the tariff, sell their products in foreign markets at less than they can sell them at home. The present high protective tariff fosters monopoly and unless a small market is better than large one, the restrictive policy of the republican party cannot be permanently beneficial to either the capitalists en- gagged in productive industries or to em- ployes or to the country at large. The democratic party favors that policy which encourages trade and open the markets of the world to our products as the best policy for all, and it favors a reform of the present tariff laws It has been well said, with over five hun dred millions of dollars in the treasury of the United States, 1t Is folly-aye it Is almost criminal to further resist a modi- l fication of the present exorbitant tariff rates. No good reason can be urged why i such revision should not be under l taken.
 l Our people should remember that in l this election they are to elect congress- men as well as state officers. and that every vote for a republican congressman Is vote to continue the burdens of taxation. to ratify the reckless use of public revenues and to help build up and sustain illegal and hurtful combinations and trusts.
 Schools.
 The democratic party favors and fos- ters the public schools of the state. It has, from the time it came into power, made the public school system an ob- | ject of jealous solieitude. It has gradu- ally and as the revenues of the state allowed increased the school appropria- tion, and the new constitution expressly requires that there shall be appropriated to public schools each year, an amount which on present property values ap- proximates 100000, and which must fn- crease as tax values increase More than this, the new constitution provides a method whereby local taxation for pub lie school purposes may be had And differing from the republican party and its method in this state. our party not only appropriates the money for the schools but sees to 1t that the funds reach their legitimate destination.
 Honest Elections.
 Our party favors honest elections and is solely responsible for the only legis- lation which insures them. That legisla- tion, the new constitution provided the plan which has been effectual in elimi- hating the vicious element from our elec- torate. Negro domination Is no longer to be feared and white supremacy is estab- ished by law. If there Is any virtue in having two white parties in Alabama be 1t said to the credit of the new constitu- ton that it has made 1t possible for two such parties to exist. But the work of the democracy Is not ended. The founda- ton has been laid by the new constitu- 1 tion The superstructure of statutory enactment must be reared upon that foundation. The democratic party asks l to be allowed to complete the good work 1t has begun and brought to it's present stage by its own efforts, unaided by the republican party and over the opposition of that party.
 The Future. Of our government cannot be safely left in the hands of the republican party, and our fight is, therefore, not only to elect our nominees in the coming election, but to establish our party for the future con- tests that may come. We have no fear of the result now because the people know that democracy has no other mis- sion than to serve them honestly and well. The man who shrnks on the day of battle, with democracy's enemy in the field, ought not to complain if he is not afterwards heard in party councils.
 Generalization.