The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-21
Letters to the Editor.
SAME OLD SPEECH.
Conner Exploiting Same old Dema
 goey of Past Two Years.

gesy of Past Two Years. Eclectic. Ala, July IS. 1906
 Editor Advertiser:
 The citizens of our town and country round about here had the satisfaction of seeing and hearing the much talked of B. B. Conner deliver himself of one of his characteristic speeches on the rate rcfor mquestion. 1 use the term characteristic, because his speech here this evening was about equally divid- ed between argument and adroit dem- agogic appeal to the prejudice and pas stons or ms hearers as is his custom elsewhere.
 It was quite amusing to me. to see him trying to make an intelligent au- diance believe that these sacrifices of time, money and neglect of business interests which he was subjecting himself to by going to and fro all over the State. was wholly and solely in be- half of the dear people whom he de- sired to awaken to sense of the ap- preaching railroad monster that was, seeking to destroy them financially and politically. But the serious part Of this demagogic play before ,he pco- pie Is 1t induces even intelligent, we'll informed good citizens to swallow this adroit fisherman's shambate. Again he told us in substance. that we, the dear beloved people, were in the will derness. full of sorrow and travail and menaced on all sides by railroad mo- nopoly. and If we would escape from these great and threatened dangers we had but to select q true and faithful Moses and follow his lead, and he would dellver us safe, sound and happy over Into that blessed land of promise, of figs and grapes, of milk and honey. over whose boundary no devouring railroad can ever pass to oppresss or make us afraid. Having warmed us up to what he thought was about welding heat he shouted at the top of his voice, it's up to you now, it's your fight. not mine,its for you. interests that I am going all over the country against railroad domination and op- jression. Yes. I repeat, it's your fight, not mine, but my dear friends while am voluntarily spending and being spent in your interest. I will make yet Another and still greater sacrifice; yes If you desire it will be your Moses; seine of you perhaps would prefer pr. Cunningham, but I tell you. though he Is good, able, patriotic man. he can not lead you successfully, his friends some of them, are your enemies. and they will control him If you make him your Moses: no my friends. you cant afford to take any chances In this fight. I tell you that I, B. B Conner. am the leader, the indomitabfe Moses that you need in this tremendous crisis in your affairs; yes. ny friends. if you the Governor of this great State I promise you that I will dehorn this railroad beast so that ever hereafter that even IT ne DelfOW ever so tOuQ1y you will not tremble for fear of being gored. Yes. friends, with me in the Executive chair. your fight will be all but won, and the watchman onthe wall may safely cry all Is well
 Mir. Conner discussed the railroad rate question. the greater part of the time. In the beginning he threw out a little sop to us old soldiers, then in- duiged in a few remarks on education. its importance and so on. At this stage of his speech, ' thought he might touch on the child labor question, but not word from him on this impor tant subject.
 pause long enough to give she old Ad- vertiser a drubbing. At last 1t came. and ge whiz. how he did lay 1t on fo her poor old back. He told us how our old Grand Ma had savageiy fought Koib, Johnston. Bryan and others that the masses loved and honored and now that he is making the fight of his life in behalf of the people, she as savage lv attacks him, Because he is with the people in this campaign. From the way he squirms and howls you must be hit ting him where his cuticle Is the thin nest and most sensitive. sam Jones says It's the hit dog that hnlIers; He admitted that Dr. Cunninghan's votes in the Legislature showed that he was with the peepieL but claimed that nc ought to have had oft his coat and in as against railroad domination; but he didn't admit that all these years he claimed that Cunningham should have been actively at work. rnai ne. Conner. was quietly but none the less surely, engaged in looking after his various business interests that have yielded hlm almost a princely fortune. Nor dld he tell theS this same railroad en- yironed man while president of the Senate cast a vote that gave Conner himself the chnace to catch the of flee bee that had for sometime buzzed around his hat.
 And now that he has caught it and found 1t not as big as he imagined if, he wants to turn it loose, if he can get the people to help him catch the bigger bee that is at present so sweet, ly buzzing in his ear. As I have said to you before this, helped him in an humble way to catch the first bee and don't think 1t right or fair for him to go and turn the poor thing loose, even before he has got any good for the people out fit, and go trotting through and all over the State in pur- suit of a larger and more slightly bee. Yes, sir, I want him to hold on to his office and try, in the years to come, to make good his promises tI Us two years ago.
 P. w Knox.