The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-09

was the only hope of local self govern. , ment, and that radicalism being tn, party of centra1ization was an enemy to free government and tee rights oi the people. It behooves the people to be watchful of the movements oi this dangerous, enemy. It may appear to sleep but 1t Is the treacherous sleer of the tiger He referred to the fac, of his being a native of Virginia, but said that virginians and Alabamians were bound together by the memories of the past and the hopes of the fu- ture; that he had come to Alabama tc cast his destiny with hers, that her people were his people. her God his God. her destiny his destiny.
 Senator Little of Sumter was called on ani taking the stand said he did not come to make speech but to join them ia a ratification of the nominations made by the Convention. Look at the past and the present and there is no reason, he continued, why every man who loves good government can not endorse the nominees. When the Democratic party came into power everything was confus- for and the State burdened with debt. Law and order have been restored. the Geb. has been reduced and now can be managed by the State. All these bene- fits have been derived from the Demo- cratic and Conservative party; peace, happiness and confidence Is the condition of the people. The question having been discussed recently is that of the rate of taxation is high in this State Look at the average value of the lands. on which the assessment Is made in Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana. and the rate of taxation in comparison with the value of lar ds and the rate of taxation in this State, and you find that the tax in this State is not onorous. The interest in the Stats of Georgia is $71s.o0o and in this Gate s2S0o00. So we have a good and economical government In this State, through and by the Democratic party Our object, therefore, should be to con tinue the same party in power, and let us all unite in ratifying the nominations ou the first Monday in August. Colonel Beck of Oxford also addressed the meet ing, making many happy hits.
 The above account of the public meet ing Is published here to give the young men an idea of how the meetings were conducted in those days and the speeches gwen So fully in order to show the true condition of party affairs in the State at that time. The Democrats had just come serenely into the control of the State government and were birding them- ScNes oH the spteuulQ record they Hau made. and they had good cause to, for they had brought order out of confus- fen. compromised and arranged the State debt and brought 1t down to just and reasonable and something like an honest basis, to figure where 1t could be han died and the interest promptly paid when 1t should fall due. Honor and respect for the laws had again become estab- lished and security and contentment were again pervacing the minds of our people. The freedom and liberties of the people were being again respected and the good and friendly relations which had former ly existed between masters and slaves were being restored between the two in their new relations. and the negroes were coming to fully realize, what they had always known. that the whites of the South were their best and only friends.
 The State Committee.
 The State Democratic Executive Com n.ittee was organized by the election of Captain Joseph F. Johnston of Dallas as chairman. Other engagements would not allow Colonel M. D. Graham to continue at the head of the party organization and in the name of the Democratic and Conservative party of Alabama the com mittee thanked him for the sacrifices and lahors which he had undergone for the party. Captain E. A. Graham of Mont gomery was selected as secretary and Montgomery made the headquarters of the committee.