The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-19

ply us with all the transportation that is
| needed for the purpose of getting our
crops and productions to market. We are
not In a hurry to realize upon our crops,
because we can cash our crops where
ever presented ON the face of the earth.
If you get a little village or farm fifty
miles away from the railroad, you can
sell cotton at the full market price right
at the door without reference to trans
porta ton. So through the beneficence of
Providence in giving us these monopolis-
tic advantages. and also In the trans
portation of our products to market. we
are placed in a condition where we are
not necessarily dependent upon the for
bearance or the good treatment of the
railroad companies. They come to us
| eagerly seeking our patronage
1.-THE governor of Alabama. Mr.. Presi-
dent. If he finds that any part of this
measure which you are about to enact
| is injurious to the people of my state,
! can go into the supreme court and file
| his petition. his application, his bill in
! equity his suit at law, setting forth his
ground of complaint; and then 1t is with
that court to determine whether 1t VIII
entertain jurisdiction. They surely will
do 1t If this law or the law of any other
state operates to the injury of the peo-
pie of Alabama in respect OF their COM
mon or other individual rights or general
public business.
The Tribunal.
There is the tribunal, Mr.. President.
which is still open to us, thank God, of
which the Senate of the United States and
the republican party cannot close the
door-it is still open to us. We will be
in that tribunal, we will be there making
| the demand upon the court for a rectifi-
cation of the wrongs, the injustices and
the evils of this bill. We know where to
appeal; we know that the state of Ala
bama. represented by her governor. can
go into that court of original Jurisdiction
and make a demand for a right that you
cannot resist"
1.-THE people of Alabama on very re-
cent occasion have adopted a constitution
which the senator from Pennsylvania re-
ferred to In the early part of the session.
and he had document printed here in
which the constitution and the statutes of
Alabama were embraced. The Senat or
from Pennsylvania was evidently very
| much impressed with the soundness of the
doctrines and Of the proprety of the pro-
vision of law that were ordained in the
constitution of Alabama and have been
| enacted by its legislature; otherwise he
would not have introduced those papers
to the Senate of the United States wit h
his approval
They provide a system, Mr.. President,
that is perfectly just and right and in
can people since the first railroad was
ever chartered in the United States, an
experience under which we have lived and
under which we have prospered, perhaps
| might properly say. as no nation on the
| earth has prospered In any other time
or under any other circumstances. The
railroad system chartered by the state.
| sustained by the states by grant of land
and money. and sustained by the genera
lions that have passed away now, by sub
scriptions Of stock that have been paid
! into their treasuries-railroads thus char
tered and thus supported by the states and
the people of the states have been prime
factors in this wonderful progress in our
prosperity.
Roads Have Combined.
During that period of time some Of the
roads have been combined together in
such a way by the righteousness of great
capitalists so that their operations have
been a serious injustice TO the people
os the United States at large. But not
withstanding that infirmity which Is easy
enough to correct, If we chose to correct
| IT, they have been not only the principal
| factors In our rapid and great progress.
but they are today the most influential
| of any other class Of men in the United
States.
"These railroad corporations have
drawn into their service more talent than
! the American government has been able
] to draw to its service In the same length
! of time In the Congress of the United
| States-more skill. more ability, and as
! much of the elements of honorable sue
) cess. So In launching a measure against
! the railroads of this country we ought
, to be considerable of their rights as well
| as Of the rights of the people. Some re-
! cent events have so impressed me with