The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-21
Cetters to tOs Gdftor
A NotnhIe speech.

Editor The Advertiser:
 The speech delivered in Congress by our immediate representative Hon. A. A. Wiley, on the 8th inst, deserves more than a passing notice. It was a notable effort and shows from the research and Investigating 1t displays that Colonel Wiley has bestowed much time and labor in probing to the bot tom, the great questions under discus sion.
 Moreover, 1t has the true Democratic ring-attacking the evils of the day the legislation by the Republican party that has enriched the many at the expense of the few, placing con trol of the products practically of the people of the country in a dozen or so plutocratic corporations and individ- uals. It is so seldom in these days that we hear the "old time religion that is good enough for us," preached from the floors of Congress, that this bold denunciation of Republican policies of the people. is positive relief.
 The House had under consideration the pet measure of President Roose- welt known as the "Esch-Townsand bill' to amend the interstate commerce law, so as to more effectually prevent railroad companies from giving re- bates to favored shippers and to estab- fish a tribunal to enforce the law.
 Colonel Wiley begins by showing that the Democratic party has long contended for the very reform sought by the bill, and had inserted a plank in it's national platform directly iu line with the present policy of the Repub- lican President. He shows that the Democracy. led by that great commoner William Jennings Bryan, had been criticized if not denounced as advocat- Ing anarchistic doctrines when it in- sisted upon the very measure which the President was now seeking to have placed on the statute book In short that the Republican party, with as It, tie regard for consistency as 1t has shown for the masses. were trying to get credit for policies which the Demo- cratic party had long advocated
 Colonel Wiley then reviewed the his- tory of the Republican party and show. ed that the effect of its legislation had been sueh that the greater part of the wealth of the country had become cen tered in the hands of few plutocratic individuals and corporations and drew a striking analogy between our own Re- existed and had crumbled into decay as the Assyrian, the Persian. the Egyptian, the Grecian and the Roman empires. When Egypt went down. he said, two per cent of her population owned all the wealth. Her people starved.
 Tn Babylon. two per cont of the pop- ulation owned all the wealth; in Per sla. one per cent owned all the land and that when Rome went down. eigh- teen hundred men owned all her wealth.
 The conditions as respects this eouu- try, are rather under stated than ex- aggerated, and Colonel Wiley eloquent ly warned the House of the inevitable and disastrous consequences that must ensue from continuance of the policies that have brought the country to this deplorable state.
 It is certainly discouraging to every lover of his country. that with the bal lot in the hands of the people. a trust should be permitted to live within the limits of this Union: and he does a service to his country who calls the attention of the people to the great danger that confronts them The able speech of Colonel Wiley is calculated to do, great good in this respect and will doubtless be used as a campaign document when a united Democracy again crosses swords with the enemy. No real reform can he expected from the Republicans, no matter what theIr professions. Men do not voluntarily relinquish wealth and power or the means of acquiring it and If the trusts are ever dissolved, it must be under leadership opposed to the Republican party. Constituent.