The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-27
COMER AT BREWT0N
AGAIN MAKES AN ATTACK ON THE
 ADVERTISER.
Usual Argument for n Reduction of Freight Rates--Asi<s the Voters to Elect . s.People's
 LegisIafure.o

tendance was smaller than might have been expected. The candidate was in troduced by H. c. Rankin, editor of The Standard, and was well received, but during his talk, applause was m frequent and somewhat weak.
 Mir. Conner referred to his appearance here two years ago, at which time he addressed an audience of about twenty five people, but that talk" he declared, fell on fertile ground, because that talk spread over Escambia County and this county Joined hands with me in the light and we won a great victory for the people, The fight before, he said, was not between John V. Smith and B. E. Conner, but 1t was the people of the State against the railroads of the State. i~And it is the same flight today. This is not a Cunningham Conner fight. It isn't Comerism or Cunninghamism, but 1t is peopleism. The people are lined up on one side and the railroads on the other
 Before going into his talk, Mir. Conner as usual, introduced The Advertisers, correspondent. whom he said followed him closer than a brother. Not like the pillar of cloud that led the Israe- lites in their trouble; not like the pil- lar of fire that led them in their trouble. but 1t looks sometimes like 1t Is for the purpose of spreading a pitfall."
 He favored education and the estab- lishment of schools wherever there were children. Among his audience were several school boys and to those he appealed to help lift up the State from fts low place in the list of States and place it among the first.
 He also favored the care of the old soldier. It is well, he said, to place flowers upon the graves of theA dead and erect monuments to their memory, but we should not forget the living, but care for him as far as the economy of the State will admit.
 As to immigration, the candidate said that he was in favor nf immigra- tion of the proper kind. but was op- posed to coolie labor. T know that throughout this country and every other country there is a great demand for labor, but don't ever think you can found this great State of lours on low class labor. I favor immigration of the right kind, that builds up and don't build down.
 He announced his platform and advo- cated the prompt settlement of claims by the railroads. When you owe the railroads freight" he said, you pay 1t before you get it. But they go further than that: When you receive part of bill and part is lost, they require you to pay for aE of 1t. In other words they require you to pay for something you don't get" Some freight claims, he stated, are pigeon -holed by the rail- roads and remain there for months and even years.
 He also favored equitable car service rules. When your goods come. you have to move them in forty eight hours or pay demurrage, and that's right. You have got no right to keep their cars. But how about the other side? Those great representatives of the railroad won't turn aside enough money from the fioatation of watered from those Wall Street holes to take care of your business. You should have a law compelling them to do it. and that's right. That's not hardship on the railroads either. That is making them, instead of trying to support watered securities, to turn aside enough money to keep it here and build a better road bed, and build more rolling stock and give better service; and in the end, make them more money"
 MT. Conner made his usual argument for better freight rates using the same comparisons as in his other speeches. Speaking of cupidity, he said: 'I have said that you can measure anything on earth but a mans mind when 1t comes to his own idea Of what is his own share. You can measure from here to Jupiter, you can take his four moons and measure their orbit, you can go down in time forever and take those comets and take their measure but what man can go into a mans head and say what that man would want for his share If he had the power of naming it." We asked the railroads, What expertness goes into the making of your rate; how do you do it! how do you make a freight rate; how do you l xrYl,A fu fuf n1~ mt And they said, As long as d thing moves, the freight Is not too high"
 He made his customary reference to his associates on the commission, and said: 'T don't intend to impugn them. They may have been more honest than I was, but they were railroad environ ed men" Referring to the investiga- tion before the Commission, he said, Opposed to me were forty of the smartest men that money could hire and gentlemen, they went into the cap itol of the people, not as your ser wants, but as your masters, and I had to tell the president of this road here Louisville and NashVille) MT. Smith. you must not forget that you are not In your office talking to your porter. This Is the State house of Alabama. a court house of Alabama and you must not forget yourself when you come in here. He delivered me a hectoring lecture"
 Speaking of the relative rate condi- tlon ot Georgia and Alabama he said: And why is it2 Because you stand it and Georgia won't? Because in this great State of ours you have got the railroad lawyer mixed up in your Leg islature and you have got to take a broom and sweep him out of it if you expect to get what is reasonable and right to yourself How can any man, with railroad money in his pocket make a law to protect you? No man can serve two masters"
 He made his usual comparisons of the valuations of the roads as given to the auditor and the commission, the former being in the aggregate $S6,00o,- 900 as against the latter's $25O,000,O00.
 Holding up a copy of The Advertiser, he said: T had said that one paper had gotten $20,000--I had heard that from the railroads for the numerous advertisements and attacks made on me. l have got The Advertiser where they printed the statement that their pay was $1,340." Turning to the re- poFters table, he said, Ask Mir. Glass where he got that account. Ask him if he took all of the accounts and add ed them together. l would like to ask MT. Advertiser that you add all of the sums that you got in one item. Add up the Pro Bono Publicos," all the whole concern, and believe they would have a fit if it was published.
 T have said that the quickest way to get freight reduction and get good service for you is not through the Com mission, but through the Legislature, and I have been criticised very severe ly on that. Mir Glass's position on that reminds me of the class of little boys in Sunday School The Superin- tendent was showing a visitor around