The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-02
A Ch.nplon at Last.

Selma Journal
 The members of the last constitu- tsna @ t,s are Se eo dsae s eass sss0o Of all their number has been found wh9 will come into the open and defend them against charges which nave out the state for the last year. It has been charged openly and speclc fically that the convention was abso- lutely dominated by railroad interest reference to railroad lawyers ruled the convention and ran 1t in the m terest of railroads. These charges, # true, reflect somewhat upon every iy reflect upon each member of com mittees dealing with these subJects unless the committeeman can snow Una. he fought the sections both in com vention. And yet, these charges have been made and members have failed to speak out either in denial or anrm- ance. They have seen 1t to remain
 At last Judge Coleman of Eutaw, has come to the front and made a re- ply to these charges, He defends the members of the convention @ ners ner' cites his authorities. The judge is evidently familiar with the pro. ceedings of the convention to the last detail of work and he analyses num-
 
 shows that the convention can nara. Iy be to blame If railroads are not properly regulated in this state.
 We are glad that q man oi Juas ,sr has written such yigorous protesss against this wholesale charging ,r,I oI public men with faithlessness;. s Lns euphemistic term "envlronmeht es u and 1t remains a fact that the young men of this country are being sent absolutely to sea by the reckless cnaas es which are being made agalnst sses aa man who happens to have any connec ton, however remote, with a raliroaas; You men are beginning to wonder II their fathers friends were all so en. vironed in days gone by that tney sora ra beginning to wonder what the future offers to young men who take an in- terest in matters of government, IT public men are to be attacked "no,eg ,a, gain impetus and single issue be kspt before the people. It would be netreI for Alabama to suner present raIlIuaa rates many years than TOT IT, ner yTuns yehars of the great constiturronal convention of 1901 were all dominated py one corporate influence and that environ ment' or any otnes S,,a cause swung 'n''''
 Judge Coleman has spoken at an opportune time and other members or the convention would do well to toiiom his lead. Every public man who IS swayed by self-interest and environ mert should be called to account put wholesale charges are caicutated 10 blunt the edge of patriotism. render cynical and indifferent the young men of the state and lower the tone Of po- litical purity and honesty. We have al ways believed that the last constitu- tional convention was composed or men the peers of any who ever sat in such an assembly,; that they were there mov, ed by one high and pure incentive ana looking carefully and honestly. upon every question before them and that they acted we'll their parts ana de- serve the lasting gratitude Of fhis peo- He. No citizen of Alabama need ever be ashamed of the printed record or that body. There may have oeen m stances of selfishness of placing otner Interests above the common good, TOT in nearly every assembly some Judas may be found but certainly there was little of it apparent or discovered. We are glad Judge Coleman has spoken in his usual rugged and vigorous style. It strengthens faith, increases nope and confirms confidence In the integ- rity and manhood of the men who nave served the people in days gone by and many of whom are still serving them honorably and faithfully.