The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-06-05
]. THOMAS HEFL|N
 DISCUSSES ISSUES Is in Favor of Railroad Rate
 Legislation WANTS A STATE PRIMARY Believes That Legislators and Judges Should Decline to Ride on Free
 Passes-He Is Making
 Many Speeches.
WANTS A STATE PRIMARY

"rhe supreme issue before the American people today is whether the government is to be controlled by the people and for the people, or whether it shall be con trolled by special interests for special in- terests," said Congressman J. Thomas Hefin, of La Fayette, as he sat in the office of the Drs. Hef1ins infirmary last night with J. Thomas Jr., a white headed young boy of six summers on his knee. T am in favor" said MT. Hefin, as he discussed the live questions of the day, ''of the regulation of railroad rates by legislation and a democratic primary to elect every national, state and county official
 Mot only will the railroad rate ques. ton be the paramount issue in Alabama next year, but the people of every state in the union will be called upon to decide whether the government is to have the regulation of the railroad rates or the monopolies are to have the power sanc- tioned by the government. to say to the people, they shalt, O. they shalt not
 Every fair citizen believes in giving the railroads a fair return for their in- NVotAiOhA anu II lAt COIpOTdllOHS WOulu apply the golden rule they would be in favor of giving the people value received for their money. The argument being ad- vanced by certain corporate interests that the government has no right to say what the railroads should or should not do, Is a fiimsy pretext on the face of things. The government has the power to regu- late every individual and every concern in this land.
 "There are certain rules that banks, in- surance companies and other enterprises are required to follow and why should not the government have the same right to fix regulations for the railroads and other common carriers?
 T have taken the postion,' continued the congressman, "hat no legislator nor judge should ride on complimentary pass. While in the constitutional conven- tion I fought for the adoption of a sec ton to prohibit the use of passes by legis- lators and judges and when I took my seat in congress I would have been untrue to my principles if I had accepted passes from the railroads.
 q trust and believe that the state
 
 primary next year to nominate all state officials. We have only had one general primary and it worked admirably and should the committee, for any reason, ignore the. voice of the people we would have political uprising the lack of which had never been seen before in Alabama" MT. Herin will leave today for Good water, where he has an engagement to deliver an address before religious body. The congressman from the Fifth is speud- ing the summer making speeches in va rious parts of his district in the interest of education and other reform move- ments inaugurated by the people. He is, however, spending his spare time in studying the railroad rate question and other national subjects. It seems to be the concensus of opinion among the poll tical observers of the Fifth that MT. lief lin will be unopposed for congress next year.