The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-11

or acts. It must protect each citizen in every walk of life in the pursuit of hap piness. and guarantee to eacn citizen a just share of the product which he helps to bring into existence.
 Silver Should Not Be Scapegoat
 And what of finance? The gold demo- crats blame the silver plank for the de- feats of 1896 and 1900. I hope that no one will aim to make silver the scapegoat again. The platform adopted last July was wholly silent upon the money ques- ton. Judge Parker declared himself un- qualifledly for gold, and every silver dem ocrat promptly identified with recent af- fairs supported the ticket in order to se- cure the other reforms for which Judge Parker stood, and yet the party boiled a million and a quarter less votes than 1t did In either of the two preceding cam paigns. While the increased production of gold has increased the volume of money and brought in part the relief which bimetallism would-have brought to a large degree, yet some phase of the money question is always before the coun- try, and there Is a conflict between the money powers and the masses which can- not safely be ignored.
 Not only must the city own the nat ural monopolies of city, but the nation and the state must, for the same reason, follow the same course against The mo- nopolist within their sphere of opera ton.
 ."The party's position on imperialism has been stated in two national platforms, and I don't see how the party can recede from that position. Colonalism is step backward in progress.
 '"rhe party's position on the trust question is the only correct one. That a private monopoly is indefensible and in- tolerable, ought to be accepted as an automatic truth and belief in that truth will lead our party to favor. Then laws will be enacted, both civil and criminal. which will effectively prevent the pub lie from evils of private mononoly. The party's position in iavor of tariff re- form cannot be abandoned. It Is suggested that we are to have q tariff commission to investigate and report upon tariff re- vision, but as that commission will re- port in favor of protective tariff or a revenue tariff the question must at least ba fought out in Congress, and the com mission will simply delay action without materially affecting the result. The tariff question should be considered without considering the income tax, for no general reduction of tariff can be made without either a large increase In the expenses oS the government or the establishment of an income tax.
 Railroad Question Is Important.
 "The consolidation of railroads the giv- ing of rebates, the making of discrimina- tions, the watering of stock. the charg- ing of excessive rates, and corruption of public officials, all these are combined to force upon the public the consideration of the railroad question. President Roose- welt is just now entering upon a con test for the regulation of railroad rates srd the democrats ought to heartily sup rort him in the position he Is taking. While 1 am anxious that the virtue of f, vernment supervision and regulation S all be fully tried l find myself inclined to the belief that public ownership is tIe only permanent cure for the evils which have grown out of the manage ment of the great arteries of trade by a few individuals who have only their own pecuniary interests in view, and who ex- ploit the public to the extent that the traffic will bear it. I believe that fed eral ownership of the trunk lines and the state ownership of the net work of
 local railroads will furnish solution of the problem.
 "It Is for the members of the democra- tic party to deal with these and similar questions with the courage that Jackson displayed in dealing with the questions which confronted that generation. That democratic principles are sound, does not, among democrats at least, admit of dispute for they result upon the belief in the brotherhood of man."