The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-11-02

from the assured triumphs which a pop
ular system-familar as household words
has brought to us and to adopt methods
which. opposed to all other traditions,
have not even the merit of success or OF
bringing self government, happiness ana
contentment to a single people thus far
subjected to them, we may well enter
our protest against such policy. We
feel and know that the chart of liberty
by which our people have guided their
course for more than a century and a
quarter, has not Jeen lost. If under a
government of constitutional restraints
and regard for law we have been able
through peace and war; foreign and inter-
state to grow from population of three
million to one of eighty million, why
may we not go on until we have doubled
that number? Why we should now con-
sent to take even the first step which, ac-
cording to it's advocates Is certain TO
lead us to what they call empire
1T is within the recollection of the
great masses of our population, as 1t Is
within the knowledge of all, that the SYM
pathies of our people formerly went out
, to the small countries of the old world
which were struggling for recognition or
| independence. We had only fairly emerged
! into independence ourselves when the
cause of Greece excited the interest OF our
statesmen and commanded the support of
our people. In their turn the warmest
welcome was given to the friends of lib
| erty from Poland and Hungary that ac-
| corded to Louis Kossuth being an eX-
ample which has become both historic and
| pathetic We were not then afraid to-
avow sympathy with the aspirations OF
Ireland nor to give the strongest APP
prevail to the continental struggles for
| freedom. France as republic always ex-
| cited the highest interest, and every
L - ~fav1n
areas of popular government with an
| elected head, commanded the national ad-
miration.
Reports of Alliances.
! but now a different story is told. We
| hear strange reports of alliances, but
they are with those governments in which
the strength of their armies and navies Is
more in evidence than their devotion to
| popular rule We hear utteranceS or see
acts in which contempt Is shown for small
countries Instead of treasuring Washing
tons admonition to be friendly to all ma
tions, but to form alliances with none,
| the idea now uppermost in some OF our
| diplomacy seems to be that this doctrine
! is outworn and obsolete, and that because
we are eighty millions instead or ten we
! should change our political habits and
adopt methods and manners long since re-
| jected.
| But there are other directions IN winch
we have departed widely from our early
/ traditions and which now menace our
people industrially. We all know that dur
| ing the last quarter of a century vast
| changes have taken place IN our indus
trial eonditions-changes that have tend
! ed to do away with competition and have
placed the leading industries of the coun-
! try in the control Of a few men. We
have been warned against this tendency
! from time to time by thoughtful and far-
seeing men, but the warning has not
been needed. Today, however, most men
are able to appreciate that it would have
been wise to heed the warning earlier. Now
the task of checking the evil is greater.
| Those who have enjoyed special priv
ieges, enabling them indirectly to tax the
people, together with those who have by
combinations obtained practically the con-
troll of certain kinds OF business, have
| grown so strong that they feel able to
/ control elections, thus preventing inter-
! ference with the power they enjoy. The
| effect of that power as welded has been
| to increase the cost of living to all, to
| add to the burdens of every one without
correspondent benefit, or any benefit
Increase in Cost of Living.
ct is conceded that during the last
| three or four years the increase in the
| cost of living has amounted to one-sixth.
! Secretary Shaw rejoices in it. And he
| saws the wages of the working men and
the income of our people are greater in
| proportion. Now if that is true, the house
holders of this country know 1t. They
! know whether the income of the bread