The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-11
IfDemocrats Act With Sound
 Judgment.
ycrmer Secretary of the Navy De clare. That the Platform Is as Important as the
 Candidate.

..ss.,, ', Mnntromery and will leave this morning for Birmingham w he will spend a few Jnys with ms ter. Tn an interview last night he clared that with sound plattoIm anu a sound candidate. the Democrats nss a good chance to win the Nove .ns election; that more depenos on
 The ex-secretary of the Navy spent Thursdav in Greenville and Dunnam ,,,ith his reIatives and friends. He stop ned in Montgomery again to see ms friends. He always receives coruiai greeting when he comes to moh'- gomery. ,.
 colonel Herbert expressed himseif as wrssti,. ir,nressed with the wonderful imnrovements in Montgomery in recent x,.ar. He said that it was always dsIirhtful residential place. and that if seemed to be more so now than ever before. The splendid water or Mont romery. the drainage system ana 'the fine paving contributed to the good health conditions of the city. he said. and the people abroad were learning to anpreciate these advantages.
 ,ro hIs friends last night Colonei Ierbert expressed deep regret that he must leave Montgomery this morning, saving it was the dearest place on earth to him. While he resides in washington. Montgomery is his civil home, and his heart Is here in his daily life.
 His Political Views.
 Colonel Herbert having occupied the highest office of any Alabama Demo- crat in recent years. his political views are of great interest at this time.
 "what dn you think of the chances of the Democracy in the coming presi- fdential campaign?" Colonel Herbert fa Advertiser to whom he gave an inter- view.
 senator Quay was right if he sent a last message to the President" re- plied Colonel Herbert, ''as 1t is said he did, that the Republicans were to have one of the hardest fights ever set De- fore them. The Democracy is practic- ally united again. Nobody knows whether Bryan will bolt or not but he has now little influence. Hearst will support the ticket and we are likely to have a conservative nominee-one in whom the thoughtful people of the country may confide. Much depends, Of course, upon the ticket, but more on the platform"
 "who in your opinion will be the nominee?"
 Parker is now the strongest man and he is entirely unobjectionable. but the course of the Alabama Democracy was wise While expressing a prefer ence they have left their delegates free to look over the field, to consult with other delegations and then to act, ac- cording to the will or ma 1ortty of the delegation, as extgencies may dictate. That is what we did in our State convention in 1874. When we came to Montgomery no man knew who was to be chosen as our candidate for Governor. We all knew we must pick out our strongest man 1T we were to beat out the Radicals. We consulted together, chose Houston and swept the State. We have no lack of t, good men. Olney would make a first class. President, so would Harmon. Gray is strong with the labor vote. Mcclellan I have known for years, and he has been growing steadily all the time. He would, command strong vote from among the Democratic sol- diers of the Civil War. who have all ways believed that their idol. General Mcclellan, was removed from command because he was a Democrat. If George Mcclellan should be nominated the RepubIican press would teem with as- sauJts on the generalship of his father. That issue could not be put out of sight
 But I am not advocating any par ticular man. The assembled Democracy will be wiser than any one man. When they meet they will size up the situa- ton and make wise choice.
 What are your ideas about the plat form?'
 No Dead Timber in Platform.
 Tt shouldn't have a stick of dead timber in 1t. Free silver will certain ly be eliminated. The State conventions already held and the delegates already appointed assure us of that much, What the convention must see to is that no other obsolete question shall get into the canvass. We have one great live issue before us-already made to hand. MT. Roosevelt has made a feint at fighting the trusts through the courts. He got an injunc- ton against the beef trust of that pe- culiar character that did not stop them from doing business just as they had always done it.. Then as soon as an injunction was obtained that did stor the Northern Securities Company from doing business the administration be- came so frightened at the out-cry that the Attorney General at once announ- ced that he was not going to run amuck with the trusts and since tha; time Roosevelt has been standing pat. What has been done is considered enough for the purposes of this cam paign.
 But 1t is Congress. and not the courts, that lnc POWHT tO Uedl CT fectiyeIy with the trusts that most op, press us The Iowa Republican State convention twice declared that Con, Rress must not allow trusts, shelter ing themselves behind the tariff, tC rob our people by charging them high CT for the goods we need than they charge the foreignerl There can be nc doubt that that Is the sentiment of al overwhelming majority of our people But the Iowa idea has been suppress ed. Republican voters who believe fl It have now no resource but to vot, with us, for their party has decides t, stand pat on the tariff-pat with thu trusts.
 with those Republican voters wh, have been voted down in their owI party. but still have the Iowa idea. an, with the thousands of independent vot CTS. who are anxious to help us ol this great question, we can win if VI make this the controlling question Why drive away voters by Juggling il other questions; questions like tn Philippines? The country decided t. hold on to the Philippines years ago