The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-26

approval, of the disposition which
made OF the railroad by public meet
inss ana spec mes. 1T would be al :
cult to convince them that / had de-
livered them over to the spoilation OF
gigantic monopoly.
The third step in the process was
to pretend that the testimony given
by Alr. Pierce disclosed a secret en-
pioyment of me in. connection with
those, properties. Some of the very
men engaged In this movement have
peen complaining for months that ! was
and they knew all about 1t year ago.
The employment was a perfectly proper
one, and such~as any reputable lawyer
would have accepted without the slight
est hesitation. Not only that. but the
newspapers of this State, together with
those of St.. Louis and Nashville, con-
tanned repeated reference to those
/ properties and to my connection with
them.
When / first went to Nashville to
look over the properties. the newspa-
pers of that city contained extended
notices of my presence there and of
the purpose which had brought me.
During that summer and fall / was
called to St. Louis four or i've differ
ent times and on each occasion the st !.
Louis papers made mention of the fact
that was there to confer with those
interested in the Tennessee properties.
The Texas papers contained state
| ments of the same kind. as appears by
the following item printed in The Dali
las News of July 8, 1905:
Nashville, Tenn, July 7.--Senator j.
w. Bailey of Texas Is spending q few
days in Nashville and today stated that
he was here representing the syndicate
of St. Louis and New York capitalists
which owns the Tennessee Central Rail-
| road The st. Louis parties interested
in the syndicate are HI. Clay Pierce of
the Waters-Pi Oil Company; d. r.
Francis. Adolphus Busch, j. C.. Van
Blarcdna and other members of the st.
Louis Log Cabin Club. Senator Bailey
stated tonight that he was represent
ing the syndicate in a legal capacity
ard was here to make Recommended
tions on things necessary in the Ten
nessee Central.
NHe is in company with President
j. C. Van Blarcom and announced
that the Tennessee Central would
fiquldates all it's Indebtedness. rebuild
Its present lines, of which there are
365 miles, and extend the several
branches to about 500 miles of new
road. .,.s.... ..-.a
Senator Bailsa6 win ia. fsssn..Asips
to New York to attend a meeting OF
the stockholders, at which money wall
be appropriated for the iInprov ements
he recommends"
There was never the least attempt
to conceal my, attorneyship for those
properties, nor was there the least
reason why it should be concealed. The
objection to my employment as the
attorney of those properties must pro-
coed upon the theory that a man in
public Office has no right to pursue
any private business; ana such a doc
trine, If applied to all men and all Of
fees would reduce the public life of
this country to a point where only
rich men or rascals could afford to
accept an Office.
If 1 had found that my time and
strength would not permit mS to serve
as a Senator and to practice law at
the same time, would have abandoned
the law without the slightest hesita-
ton, because have always believed,
and acted upon the belief, that the
public service holds the highest claim
upon every man who undertakes IT.;
or, If I had found that there was any
conflict between my duty to my clients
and my duty to my constituents, l
would have declined All employment
as a lawyer, because / would not suf-
fer myself placed in ~ position where
my duties might draw me in different
directions. But neither has been true
to my experience.
The Congressional Record will show
that 1 have been as constant in my
attendance upon the sessions of the
House and Senate during my fifteen
years in Congress as any man who
has served with me through that Pc
4 riod. Certainly that establishes be-
yond the shadow of a coubt that 1
have not neglected my public duties
in the pursuit of my private business.
The Congressional Record will also
show that during my fifteen years
first in the House and then In the Sem
ate-I have spoken and voted on ev-
cry important question. and my most
malignant enemy cannon point to
single speech or wore IN the interest
of my clients and against the interest
of my constituents.
Certainly no man could ask for a
higher proof than this that my prl-
vate business has not influenced my Of
fetal conduct.
Although have been pursued with
a bitterness unparalleled in the polit-
zeal history of this State. the most reck-
less and malicious of my enemies has
never yet ventured to tell the people
of Texas where ] have betrayed their
intarest nv sneech or vote nor instanced