The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-27
JUDGE GRAY SAYS
 IT IS IMPOSSIBLE
APPRECIATES COMPLIMENT PAID HIM BY HIS FRIENDS, BUT HAS NO THOUGHTS OF THE PREsI- DENcY.

New York, August 26.-Judge Gray has returped from Birmingham, where he acted as chairman of the arbitration board which settled the coal strike. says a dispatch from Wilmington, Del. to the Tribune.
 Regarding the action of the Lackawan- ma county Pennsylvania democrats in launching a presidential boom for him. he said
 T have read the stories mentioning my name as a presidential candidate, but do not take any of them seriously. l do not think there is anything in them. know that it cannot be, and for that req son I give the matter no thought. 1t is not even possibility. The so-called boom will amount to nothing, and for that req son 1 don't care to discuss it. Of course l am pleased to think my friends think so highly of me, and l appreciate their com pliment.'
 
 can managers of Ohio treacherous alike to the rank and file of their own party and to the rest of the people, have made with privileged corporations. Is shown by the recent history of Ohio taxation.
 Shot at Wayward Democrats.
 That alliance of republican leaders in Ohio with the privileged corporations has the aid of some Ohio democrats, we free ly concede. But these democrats are not in control of the democratic party of the state; and that party, as now or ganized, Is rebuklng and disowning them fast as 1t finds them out. While con- ceding that some Ohio democrats are corruptly allied with the privileged cor porations, we ask the people of the state to observe an important fact in that con nection In the democratic party as now organized democrats who serve such al- dances, are punished; whereas, In the re- publican party as now controlled, re- publicans make such alliances are re- warded.
 ''The present laws for assessing the property of all public service corpora tions should be so changed as to compel the assessment of those properties at not less than their assessable value, and to prevent their evasion of just taxation"
 Favors Home Rule.
 The platform favors home rule for counties and cities, assessing boards, the constitutional amendments for classifi- cation of property for taxation and sin gle liability of stockholders. laws for pub lie reports of corporations and auditing of same, various reforms in school laws, abolishing the fee system in county off, cers, the improvement of the Ohio river, maintenance of Ohio canals and a unl- form rate of two cents per mile on steam railways.
 "The municipal code should be so amended as to require that all ordinances granting. renewing, extending or modi- flying franchises shall be imperative un- til confirmed by a majority vote of the people of the municipality and to pro- hibit perpetual franchises altogether.
 Insurance Discussed.
 Whereas, railroad and mining corpo- rations have gone into the business of insuring against accidents and death among their employees. fixing the rates of insurance arbitrarily, and compelling employees, as condition of employment not only to invest in such insurance, but also to waive all claims for injury sus- tained in the course of their employment, both in their own behalf and in that of their dependents; and whereas, such con- tracts of waiver are opposed to public policy; therefore. we favor the enact ments of laws making null and void all contracts by employees of railroads and mining corporations and of other em- ployers for the waiver or forfeiture of claims for injuries sustained in such em- ployment. We also favor the enactment of laws abolishing the defense of fellow servants negligence in actions against employers for injuries sustained by work men in the course of their employment" Until United States senators are re- quired by amendment of the federal con- stitution to be elected by popular vote, States senator should be made by state conventions.
 William Jennings Bryan by special res olution Is invited to speak in Ohio in support of these declarations of princi- pies.