The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-11
wno.rsALE pErAnArIox.

Governor whose chief platform is an in. dictmeht of incompetency and domina. tion by railroads of every administra. tion since Alabama has been State.
 We will not say that the indictmen, embraces charge of dishonesty. be. cause Mr. Conner explains that the 'en- vfronments" of the Democratic Party have made it, not dishonest. but moral iy weak and incompetent. He openly charges that the Legislatures. Cover nors and State ofiiciais and Constitu- tional Conventions have been dominated and controlled by the railroads.
 What are the Senate and House of Representatives and State officials? Are they eorporated bodies, or are they men elected by the people? If the first, then the people might. by repeating their charters, abolish the morally weak and incompetent thing. but if the latter then what are those men who have held the office of Governor and other State officers. Senators and Represent atfves going to do about 1t? If Mir. Corners charges are true and the Dem ocratic Party in Alabama has been so morally weak and incompetent as he claims, then indeed is Alabama in sad state and the time has come when there should be cleaning ef the eAugean sta- bles.
 , The press of Alabama has been open ly charged not only with being for sale, but of actually being bought by the railroads and used as subserv- tent tools. Agafh--is the press some corporate body or Is it composed of men2 If the first, the people can abol- ish it. If the latter then what are the men who compose the press going to do about 1t?
 Mir Conner in his Tuscaloesa speech charges that the late Constitutional Convention was morally weak, incom- potent and the subservient tool of the railroads by reason of the environ ments' of the men who composed 1t. Is this true? If not, what are the men who composed the Convention going to do about 1t? Mfr. Conner sprang int political prominence two years ago by his fight on the railroads. Has any man during that entire time ever heard him refer to but ono man, and that man himself. who is now. or ever has been, in. public office whose environ ments" Hdid not render him morally weak and incompetent? If so The Ad- vertiser would be glad to know the name of this remarkable prodigy of goodness and morality. Because from his own standpoint MT. Conner is the only man in Alabama without environ ments is that the reason he wants all State officers and the Legislature to be is 1t because that if so elected. he could decline to qualify as Governor and or- der the Legislature to elect him Sem ator?
 If Mir. Corners charges went no fur ther than that the railroads had always attempted to control and dominate Ala bama affairs. then only the railroads would be concerned and the Democratic Party as whole would have no cause of complaint, but when he charges that the railroads have controlled and dom- mated our State administrations, for which the Democratic Party is respon- sibie, then it behooves those who con- stituts the Democratic. Partye and who are loyal to its principles to defend against this unwarranted, uncalled-for and. as every one knows unfounded at- tack.
 Formerly when the fair name and re- cord of the Democratic Party was as- sailed, eithsr from within or without, there were those whose clarion voices rang out in no uncertain tones and who stood boldly the sponsors for the re- cord the party has made. Now it seems that this man, dominated by one idea, foanded originally in personal griev- ances. cultivated through long period of years, culminating in bitter personal warfare upon the railNads is permitted practically unchallenged to roam over the State denouncing the press and the Democratic Party along with the rail roads.
 In Mir Corners war upon the rail- roads the Democratic Party has no in- terest. save to see that justice Is done, but it has a deep and vital interest in the charges which he makes against the Party itself. Where are those rep resentatives of Democracy. Oates, Knox, Clarke. Mallory, Johnston. Jelks, Coleman, Harrison, Lowe and numerous others. many of whom took part in framing our Constitution, and whose wisdom In the counsels of our Party has always been needed? Where are the old war horses of the press whose thunders have always been heard when the Party was assailed? Surely these men and the press are not afraid-they must simply be sleeping, and need only to be aroused to be put into action Why should not the ex-Governors and our present Governor. all present and ex- State officials. and all present and ex- members of the Legislature and mem- bers of the recent Constitutional Con- vention who feel that these charges of railroad domination and environments" are an injustice, make known their feelings in order that the facts may he given to the public. and that the guilty may be whipped out of the ranks of the Democratic Party with the lash of public scorn and indignation. Let the press speak out and let the guilty among them also be known in order