The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-24
Hero of Merrimack
 Speaks for Conner.
JUDGE FOR DR. CUNNINGHAM
Montgomerian Pours Out Hot Shot
 and Spares Not.
Draws AppIause from Large Audiences As He AssaiIs the Record of MT. Comer--Hobson Pays Tribute
 to Character of Cunning

| Athens, Aug, 23.-(SpeciaI) )--Capt
 Y. F. Hobson of Merrimack fame and
 Judge Terry Richardson of Mont9orD-
 cry spoke to a large audience at the l court house here today. Captain Hob- son was advertised to speak in behalf or E. B. Conner. and the friends or pr. Cunningham sent Judge Richard
 son here and asked for a division of
 time. which was granted by Captain Hobson. Captain Hobson had the open ing and the closing of the debate. He opened in speech of forty-five min- ! utes, and while he made very im- presstve and interesting speech, he elicited only two little ripples of ap- plause. Had the people not known for | whom he appeared, his audience could not have told for whom he was fight
 ing except by his fierce onslaught on railroads and other corporations. He began his address by stating that he believed every candidate In the field is an honest and upright man. He did not believe the democracy of Alabama | would allow any other kind to aspire ! to office. He said he was here in the | interest of measure. not men. Men were not to be considered in this great fight of the people against monopolies. He said that in the outset of this cam paign all agreed on the issues. but in | their desperation. on one side lmean- ing Cunningham.) had injected Into the campaign. new Issues to hide from tho people the prominent and paramount issue-railroad Legislation. Captain Hobson said that the State had the right to control railroads. that it ia now conceded by the government and all the State. that regulation of rail- roads is right
 Is right.
 Hobson shucks His Coat. At this point he said he was getting hot in the collar. and asked permission l to lay his coat off. saying he could make better speech. He compared the railroads to the arteries and veins ! of the body. When the veins and art eies refuse to treat all of the body the same. disease and death reeult. If the railroads do not treat the country alike in the matter of rates. one town or city will ianguish and de while another will grow and thrive. It Is in the power of the railroads to kill community by unjust rates and to build up another by better rates and service. he said. Even if there were no discriminations. the roads ought to be controlled and regulated by law. Even if they were just. they ought to be hedged about by proper leEislation. Ask a merchant what you are pay Ing fin freight rates" he said. Ala bama pays s4.000.o0o more for the same service than Georgia does every year. The same tonnage over the same miles in Alabama cost $4,000.000 more than the same service in Georgia, and Geor- gia has decided her rates are double what they ought to be. Hence, Ala bama is paying into the coffers Of the railroads each year about $7.000.0o0 more than Is right"
 He charged that the roads. in mak- ing estimates on what they ought to be allowed. fixed their values to earn dividend, at $55.000 per mile. and when they went to the Board of Assessors, they put the price down to $S,000. The railroads. he said, favor corporations over individuals: corporations own railroad stock and railroads own cor poration stock; hence they work to each others advantage.
 The Southern Railway.
 The Southern Railroad comes from Washington through Virginia. the Carollnas and Georgia, he declared. and the minute 1t reaches the Alabama State line rates take a leap and go soaring high until the Mississippi line is reached. and then they tumble half. The farmer In Alabama who can stand and shake hands with his neighbor in Mississippi pays s1 ton more for guano than the Mississippi man. That Is the difference in freights.
 He told of a man living in Alabama who wanted to ship a COW to some point and the Alabama agent made him rate of $17. He went over into Mis- sissippi and shipped the animal for $3, difference of s14 for living in Ala bama. On the battle fields, he said, the brave men of Alabama had been the equal of any on earth. but that they are made slaves of by the railroads. He urged his hearers to be wise in the
 
 careful about selecting especially the Governor, Auditor and Treasurer, for these three men assess the railroad valuations, and 1t behooved the men of Alabama to be wise in the selection of these officers He said to watch the State Convention when it selects men- bers of the Supreme Court and Execu- tive Committeeman for the next two years. The convention ought to be composed of men who could not be in- fiuenced by railroads. Watch that convention, he said, and see who con- trolled it
 If the Railroad Commission were to make a rule that was not satisfactory to the railroads they will appeal to the courts. The railroads not alone try to control legislation and State of fcials but they are reaching out tG get our courts. Take the government in your hands, he said.
 Ought to be Crime to Lobby.
 Tt ought to be as great a crime to lobby as to brlbe a jury Corpora tlons rob you of your money. bribe your judges. temper with your Legia. latures ad human is a pigmy by the side of corporations Regulation for railroads would be helpful to the roads and to this State. They would spread out in their effort to get more business. They would seek more bus mess because 1t brought them greater return. They would have cara ready for shippers, would lend every facility for the successful operation Of business. but unhampered they are growing rich and do not care to aid and assist communities and countries
 Railroads are now threatening theif employees that if they vote for Conner their wages will be cut"
 CT nroDoaA-" aaId MT Hoheon st3n