The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-05-28
MI, ", Andrew SpTueI Wins
 Medal as the Best Orator
CROWD SEES MILITARY DRILL
Alumni Meeting Held at Nieht-Ad- dress On Trust Question Made By Mir. Joseph T.
 Collins.

The juniors held their oratorical con- test at Howard College yesterday morn- ing Eight young men contested for medal. The decision was given in favor or MT. Andrew Spruell, whose oration was Yet On." In the afternoon the battalion and individual drills took place, Company c. under Captain Thompson, winning the battalion prize, while MT. Fred Greenhill won the individual medal. Last night the Alumni Society was addressed by Mir. Joseph T. Collins of Birmingham
 Tho trustees of the college met yester- day afternoon, but no report will be made until this morning, when the last exer- cises take place.
 The board is composed of James Ellis of Orrville, J. ". Minor of Ensley, J. H. Eubank of Ensiey, E. H. Cabaniss of this city, Judge of Probate J. P. Stiles, Capt Frank s. White Eugene F. Enslen, the Rev. A. C. Davidson, pastor of the South side Baptist church; J. c. Lowery of Warrior, D. L. Lewis of Sycamore, Henry R. Dill of East Lake; the Rev. J. H. Curry of Livingston.
 Junior Oratlons.
 The programme for the junior orations was as follows:
 "southern Chivalry," Herman Ross Ar hold.
 ITO the Southern Youth" Erastus Puckett.
 Moral Courage" Benjamin Harrison.
 I William Thomas Davis.
 Character Is King" William LaGree Crawford.
 Yet On," William Andrew Spruell.
 Liberty" John Taylor Smith Wade, Jr.
 fThe Fruits of Adverslty," Percy Cal win Barkley.
 The battalion and individual prize drills were conducted yesterday afternoon. The judges were Capt. Hughes B. Kennedy, Lieut.. John Yeatman and Lieut.. Lucien Brown. Three companies of twenty men each participated in the exercises, the award going to Company c. which was commanded by Captain Thompson. The individual prize was won by MT. Fred Greenhil. In this contest the four best men of each company participated in the final work, and when Sergeant Greenhill was left standing the crowd applauded wildly.
 Meeting of Alumni.
 At night the meeting of the Howard College alumni was held and an address was made by MT Joseph T. Collins, prominent attorney of Birmingham. The address was upon the subject of Trusts" and an able argument against them was made by the speaker Part of his speech follows:
 'There is my friends, a question for solution before the American people to- day, which demands the attention of ev- cry thinking soul in this nation. It is question which, in its importance, in its significance in it's magnitude, in it's direct effect upon the people, is of greater mo- ment than any question that has arisen in the history of this people since the civil war: the question of what to do with the Philippines; what shall be our relationship with Cuba; whether or not we shall form an alliance with England, all pale into insignifcance when compared with the great question of what, if any thing, shall be done to prevent the forma- tion of commercial trusts or monopolies'
 Evils of Trusts.
 'The direct evils of trust or monopoly are: First-Conpetition will be driven out and the price of the commodity will be raised, for he who has the sole selling of any commodity may and will make the price as he pleases. Second-After the monoply Is once obtained, the com- modity is not so good and merchantable as It was before; for the monopolist hav- ing the sole trade, regards only his private benefit and not the commonwealth. And third-It drives out of commercial life the small independent producer, trader and manufacturer.
 "The present proceedings instituted against the beef trust are nothing more than play on the part of the Republi- cans for votes in Congressional elections this fall. They could not have been brought in good faith, for the facts and the law are the same as they were In the sugar trust case the personnel of the court is practically the same today as 1t was at the time that decision was rem dered therefore, the result must De the
 
 same.
 There Is a Remedy.
 My fellow country men, there is a remedy. and like the origin of all other remedies for wrongs. 1t Is to be found in the law. There should be an amend ment to the constitution of the United States, comforting the right upon Con- gress to pass laws suppressing monopolies wherever they may be found. whether they operate solely within one state or in several states-as to when trust or would be a monopoly, should be a question of fact, to be determined by the circumst ances in each particular case. The people should demand this at once. for longer the delay less is the of obtaining it. For immediate relief. Alabama, and all the other states should pass carefully prepared anti trust laws. 'Monopolies. crazed with financial | greed, are now stalking through our | land, sneering at the unsuccessful at | tempts of tho law to check them, laying l hold with their blood money, tentacles, | upon the nccessarles of lifc and extortng | money from the people for the food | nIA nA |