The age-herald., 1902-03-16

iZed hypocrisy and that expression aptly fits the present Office Holders Trust in Alabama.
 Not content with taking more than fair compensation for public service dlsre- l garding the idea that public office Is public trust the office-holders have treat ed public office as their private property, and have proceeded to entrench them selves in the very foundations of the government, and turn the temple of lib- erty into den of iniquity.
 These are not mere rhetorical phrases, | for the truth will gradually dawn upon the good people of the state, ana they l will realize at last, that the real trouple l is that these are simple facts and are unfortunately true.
 The evils arising from combinations or capital, whereby the people are com l pelled to sell the products of their la l bor for less than a fair return, and in l turn are forced to purchase the neces- | saries of life at prices above their talr
 value, are so apparent, and have been so
 fully explained, and consistently dwelt
 upon. that they are generally under
 stood by the people. ,Aa
 Bad as these things confessedely are,
 they are only outside assaults upon our
 liberties but how much more grievous 1 it Is to find that our own public sery-
 ants have used the power which we con- 1 fided to them for our benefit. to enslave
 us, and not only that, but have put the strong bars of the constitution around
 us, so that we shall not only be deprived
 of our right to control our own affairs
 we shall not only be subject to the con- l trol of our own servants, but be helpless 1 to throw it off by legislation. 1 It may as well be understood that noth- l ing short of an amendment to the con-
 stitution will free us, and agitation to-
 wards that end cannot be begun too
 soon. or kept up too vigorously.
 I have already called attention to the
 two sections of the Constitution which
 were injected into it by the Office Hold
 CTS Trust, but for fear they may have | escaped some of you, I repeat them:
 Section 13S gives to each of the sixty
 six sheriffs of the state a gratuity of
 two years term. Section 2S1 says in effect l that no salary, fee, or compensation l shall be touched until after the expir-
 ation of the terms of the present office
 holders.
 These provisions were each inserted. not
 on the request, but at the insolent de-
 mand of the Office Holders Trust, for
 it's own selfish benefit. Long continued l control has emboldened these masters
 of the people until they honestly believe, | or appear to believe, that the govern
 ment is to be run solely for their bene-
 fit.
 It must not be assumed that this com | bination or trust is not without leader | ship, which represents talent and energy | I will repeat little piece of history l and the public may judge for itself. When
 I came to Alabama eighteen years ago, l 1 was informed by gentleman. we'll quail | flied to speak, that no measure could be passed through the legislature which was opposed by the nine solicitors of the ] state. For several years this was true, | but at last, largely through the efforts | of Messrs. Bush and S. W. John of this | city and others in the legislature, the
 solicitors were put on salaries but their 1 salaries were put at $500 a year more l than the salaries of the judges in whose 1 courts they prosecuted. Thereupon ap- l peared the solicitors assistants in every 1 county. who are. for the most part, paid l in fess. The solicitors, instead of losing l had gained in power. as the sequel will | prove.
 The late Constitutional Convention, af- | ter full discussion, decided by large l majority in favor of the election of soli- | citors by the several counties; day or 1 two afterwards, the solicitors In the | meantime having rallied their forces, the l convention reconsidered it's action and
 the system was left practically unchang- | ed.
 | iHe iruitS or tnlS lnnuence upon tn1S l county are shown in the fact that it costs 1 S72O0 Ner annum to run the county solici-
 tors office. $1200 of this amount was add
 ed by the last legislature, In the face of | the fact that the expenses of the coun- | ty were known to be in excess of its | revenue.
 I see but one way out of the trouble l we are in. Let the people take some in-
 terest in public affairs. and find out what
 the truth Is. Agitate, talk, create a | healthy public sentiment, and then ap-
 ply the reme edy. Work for those inter-
 ests which the divini lies honor and pro- | mote-justice, love. freedom, knowledge and utility" Truth and principle are in-
 vicinible, and the power rests with the
 people If they but knew 1t. Does anyone | suppose that a puny man could drive a
 horse If the horse but knew his strength? |?
 Has not history demonstrated that when
 ever courageous people have realized
 their strength and power, they have in-
 variably removed every obstacle which
 stood in their pathway?
 | I doubt if the same area in the world | contains so many and such varied ele- 1 ments of wealth as Alabama, and we
 all have cause for the just pride we | feel in our state.
 Our people are good and at heart right
 minded, but have been misled and inpos-
 ed upon.
 Enlighten them educate them, give | then, knowiedre of their power for good