The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-11
CROWD EVENLY DIVIDED
 IN THEIR PREFERENCES
Lusk Says Railroads Have String Tied to Burnett, and the Congressman Comes Back With a Retort
 Equally Severe.
BY H. s. RYALL.

BY n. .. HIAII.
 Ashville, March 10-(Specia1 )-Congress- man J. L. Burnett and the Hon. J. A. Lusk, candidates for congress from the Seventh Alabama district, again drew swords today and for two hours thrust and slashed and parried with blades of Toledo fneness. Lusk spoke first. and there was no fencing for an opening. He went straight for his adversary, and though there was no dramatic exclama- ton of Lay on Macdun" the spirit of the expression was evident and actuated the fight of the combatants.
 Fully 250 people were present in the cir cult court room here today, and while there was not much doing in the way of applause at the beginning, the audience warmed as the fight grew hotter and cheersd their respective champions as each thrust was driven home or sIdlfully parried
 Judge Inzer Presides.
 The meeting was presided over by Judge Inzer. chairman of the county democratic executive committee. He introduced each speaker briefly and impartially
 Mir Lusk at once went into the issues of the campaign. He called attention to the great railroad interests and their con- duct in Alabama; spoke of the unjust freight rates assessed against state ship pers, asserting that as long as congress was dominated by railroad attorneys the people would have or could have no re- dress. He produced statistics showing that a shipment from Rome, Ga, to point just inside the Georgia line was out of all proportion to the rate on the same shipment just irside the A. bama line.
 Attorney for Railroads.
 John Burnett Is the attorney of that road, and has been ever since he mas been in congress He has got pass over that roads and has had 1t ever since he has been a member of congress" exclaimed MT. Lusk He cited an instance of another shipment from Pell City to Raleigh, N. c. alleging freight rates extortion
 Johns got pass over the road, too. Haven't you, John?' he asked
 Yep. replied MT. Burnett.
 He told of still another shipment or cattle from Attala with a competing line. to Chattanooga where the rates were eight dollars a car less than from Fort Payne with no competing line, al though Fort Payns was thirty miles nearer Chattanooga And" he contin- ued, Johns got a pass over that road too"
 .'Now," MT Lusk said, 'I am going to ask MT. Burnett some questions and he is going to answer them for you at once or in his speech later.
 Are you in the employ of any rail- road?"
 "Yes. sir"
 Pocket Full of Passes.
 "He is in the employ of two. I am go- ing to tell you all about it. He is in the employ of the Southern railway and the Chattanooga Southern. He has been on the pay roll of these two railroads ever since he has been a member of congress. He has a pocket full of passes and he Is going to show them to you, as 1t is our agreement that when I speak first he shows them and when he speaks first show them to you. He has a pass over the entire Southern system-can ride as far north as he wants to and then turn back and ride south again.
 "He Is also well acquainted with the Western Union Telegraph company. Has had franking book ever since he has been in congress. He is going to take 1t out and show 1t to you.
 "The railroads have got a string tied to John, too. He leaves his duties in con- gress and comes down to Cherokee county and stays there weeks at time I caught him in the act. He tries railroad COW cases down there. and draws $16 day out of the public treasury for it. And that Is not all. He draws in addition to this, s370 a round trip. He is allowed 20 cents a mile and travels on free pass.
 You pay Burnett 20 cents a mile and he puts 1t in his pocket. The railroad com
 1 l.. freight bills and Burnett costs you 40 cents a mile"
 Produces Famous Letter.
 MT. Lusk here produced and read the now famous Andrews and Henderson let ters.
 MT. Burnett says this letter to MT. An drews was written as a joke I say that MT. Andrews hasn't got time to joke. He's the busiest man in this cuntry."
 MT. Lusk spoke of the private secretary matter alleging that Congressman Bur nett only paid his secretary $50 month out of the sf0O allowed and put the re- mander in his pocket.
 And when he draws that s100 a month, he signs the following said MT. Lusk:
 " hereby certify that have paid or promised to pay for clerical help the sum of $1O0 for the preceding month, so help me God
 Continuing he accused Burnett of hav- ing neglected his duties and failed in his promises to his constituents; that by being on the salary list of railroads. he could not be faithful to his people. He accused him of voting against an appro- priation of 5000 for confederate monu- ment and closed his address with a mag nificent peroration to the confederate sol dier.
 Burnett Reviews Record.
 Congressman Burnett followed in a re- ply of an hour. He reviewed his record in congress and said that his public duties were an open book that he had served his constituents without fear or favor and was willing to stand on the record he had made at the national capital
 He accused Mir. Lusk of being insincere in his charges relating to railroad passes. why Is he raising such howl about this matter now. when he has known 1t for six years and has voted for me every