The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-05
who have Alabama's material welfare at

 heart;
 And whereas, Any radical action look ing toward re-adjustment of freight rates at this time, would inevitably Ie- suit in breaking down all existing trade arrangements, necessarily resulting in a retrograde movement and irreparable In- jury;
 Ard whereas, In our opinion. very seIt- ous wrong would be wrought to elect to quasi-Judicial position. one who has pre- Judged a case which will come be- fore him in his official capacity; or who is a partisan for or against the rail- roads of Alabama;
 And whereas, OuA sister State of Geor- gia is held up before us as a model, and we are asked to believe that Georgia has outstripped Alabama in the race for su- premacy:
 And whereas, The evidences manifest on every hand. demonstrate that Ala bama leads, but does not follow;
 Therefore be it resolved, That the Democratic voters here assembled here by form themSelvcs into Club, to be known as the Democratic Conservative Club" and that we hereby invite all fair-minded conservative Democrats to join us in our efforts to prevent the evils outlined in the prcambles to these resp lutions.
 Be 1t further resolved, That all mem- bers of this Club pledge themselves to use their vote and influence throughout the State of Alabama to defeat any can didate who comes within the objections her>in enumerated, and to exert theIr best energies toward electing as Presl- dent of the Alabama Railroad CommIs- sion a fair impartial. conservative man.
 Be 1t further resolved. That we endorse and approve the sentiments expressed in tho letter from our fellow citizen. Col. W. F. Vandlver. which appeared in the Montgomery daily papers of March lst, instant
 "In presenting these resolutions. which carry our purposes in their preamble, ' said MT. Maner 'it Is hardly necessary for us to say that we are not here as the par tisans of MT. Smith. Mfr. Lowe, Captain Kolb or any other one candidate. We are not here in the interest of any one man, but In the interest of the people of Alabama"
 Major German moved that the para graph beginning with amy radical action looking towards a readjustment of freight rates." be stricken out" His motion to strike that out was voted down.
 The resolutions were then adopterd.
 Mir. Maner suggested that the club should meet at least once a week. He did not think the purposes of the club would be accomplished with the mere adoption of resolutions.
 This suggestion was seconded by Mir. Conner and 1t was decided to hold the next meeting Tuesday night.
 Captain Forbes said some enthusiasm Should be raised in the crowd before adjournment and he proposed that Hon. Thomas H. Watts should be heard from.
 Tn short speech Mir. Watts stirred the crowd to several bursts of applause. He was not a railroad attorney, he said, and had no direct personal interest in the campaign which was on. 'I have convictions on these questions which are before the people," said Mir. Watts, land I have TO hesitancy in making these con victions known. am opposed to the election of any man to a quasi-judicial position where he will pass upon the property rights of others, when he has in advance pEejudged the case Who of you would select man to sit on a jury where your rights were at stake when he had in advance announced his judge ment?'
 The man who was quietly attending to his own business" said Mir. Watts, had no time for the candidate who went about with a sore toe.
 "Mr. Conner wants to be a member of the Railroad Commission for the purpose