The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-16

- T is possible that there are some
 who entertain the opinion that
 we are In certain sense under
 obligations to that much-con-
 demned class of individual known as Carpet Beggers. Human na- nature is prone to shift responsibility The characteristic is developed in the child and win be found to exist during every period of life. The indisposition to bear responsibility by the individual citizen is found in those who occupy official and public positions. The late Julius c. Alfard, who was once a dis- tinguished member of Congress from Georgia and afterwards became a can- didate from this Congressional district against the late Eli s. Shorter. In a speech in this city taunted his oppon- ent for unwillingness to assume a re- sponsibility which justly belonged on his shoulders. In a vehement manner, Colonel Afford exclaimed, s"rhe way to meet a responsibility is to bulge at it and not to dodge it." Where you find one Afford who will bulge at a re- sponsibility, you will find a hundred who will avoid 1t.
 For >over a quarter of a century, 1t was industriously charged in the press and on the stump in Alabama that we were indebted to carpet-baggers for our present State debt, and that we are struggling under a load which they created and which we have been forced to bear. Here is an example of unwil- lingness of whole people to bear the responsibility for condition original ly created by their own blood and kin and which would have existed to a large extent if there had never been a carpetbag regime in this State. Let no one suppose for one instant, that there has been any overdrawing of the venality and corruption which prevail nd ha f1d fhn baggers were in the ascendant. It was a high carnival of bribery. The selling of votes was as open as the sale< of produce in the regular markets of the day. It did not concern that set of men to what extent debt and future woe were piled on the backs of a people whom they regarded as conquered sub iects to be stripped of all they pos sessed. I heard leading negro mem ber of the House in a speech advocat- ing tax rate that would have amount ed to confiscation, declare that his pur- pose was to run up taxes to such an extent that the land owners could not pay and that the negroes, through outside aid, would be able to get land at tax sales. There were white men in that sedy who approved his senti- ments and voted in that way.
 It was a sad day for Alabama when. on the 18th day of July, 1868, an admin
 
 of Federal law. military occupation and an election extending over five days, at which only negroes voted, was inaugurated at the Capitol. It was strange, sight to those accustomed to other scenes, when the declared Cover nor-elect, and hi whole retinue were escorted into the hall of the House, with a Major General of the, United States army and all his staff accom- panying, their swords rattling and cIanking as they walked down the aisle Nearby and in supporting distance, was a detachment of United States soldiers and a few of them with guns loaded and bayonets fixed, occupied conspicu- ous positions inside the hall Referring to the Legislature put into power under such circumstances, Brewer, in his Ala bama, says: "A majority of the mem bers we're men of doubtful character, and wholly devoid of experience in. able and incongrous assemblage ever clothed with such powers, outside of bodies similarly constituted in other. of the conquered States. Besett by greedy railroad monopolists theg voted subsidies from a State treasufy they had never contributed to maintain and prodigally pledged a credit they had not aided to establish. Exercising powers delegated for partisian aims, their legislation was inspired by a like. ignoble purpose. As they were not elect ed by the people of the State, they failed to feel that accountability which attaches to the functions of a repres- entative" Every word of this indict-' ment is true, and could have, been drawn in more severe terms and then failed to do the subject justice.
 How, then, Is it possible to relieve these people of the odium of creating and placing upon the people of Alaba~ ma the debt for which, in popular estimation, they are held responsible? Let the facts of history speak. Alaba- ma was admitted into the Union as a State Dec. IA, 1919, and it's constitution contained authority for the State to ex- gage in the banking business. Provis- ion was made for one State bank and such branches as might be established by law Two-fifths of the stock was to be reserved for the State. Individ- uaI stockholders and the State were to control the bank and be responsible for it's debts in. proportion to amount of stock each held. Other provisions were made not necessary to here enum- crate, except that 1t was provided that banks then existing could become branches of a general State bank. This provision for State bank undoubted-