The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-09
Mr.. Conner SPEAKS
AT THE CAPITAL
Is Beginning TO Talk Schools
and immigration
SEAT IN CONGRESS IS HIGH
Colonel Wiley viii Have to Defray All
the Expenses of the Primary,
Amounting to About
$1,000.
SEAT IN CONGRESS is HIGH

Montgomery, March S.-(Special)-Thc
speech of B. B. Conner. president of the
state railroad commission, and candidate
for governor, at the hands of the DEM
ocratic party in the state, attracted a
goodly sized audience to the county court
house this evening. He has been making
speeches all over the state, betting the
territory this week, coming from the
northern part to the central at one
jump.
At his Moulton speech on Tuesday Mr.
Conner got away from the robbery of
the railroads by rate excuses to ques-
lions that are now taking the time of
the citizens as a whole, notably schools
and the old soldiers. He said he was in
favor of the greatest attention to both
of them and all other lines of best in
terests for the state. However, he did
not agree with the talk of securing inn
migrants, now quite general. saying that
the people who will be induced to come
are often of a class that we do not care
to have. "A great many people talk about
immigration and are advocating immi-
grafton even to the coolie list" said Mr.
Conner at Moulton. THAT means immigra-
ton of the cheapest labor on the face
of the earth. / do not favor that-I believe
in immigration that builds up and doesn t
tear down, but cheap labor is destructive.
In this labor question you find an oppor-
tunity of diversifying your crops 1t takes
more labor to work cotton than any
crop on earth so instead of demanding
cheap labor, why don't you carry out
your resolution and diversity your crops
and make of yourselves an independent
people?'
interesting Coloquy.
An interesting colloquy took place in
the meeting of the railroad commission
yesterday with President Conner on the
one side and Associate commissioners
Tunstall and Sanders on the other. The
new tariffs of the Atlantic and Birming-
ham railroad were under discussion. This
line parallels the Southern from Birming-
ham to Atlanta and is the property of the
Seaboard Air line.
1t was urged that the new tariffs We're
exactly the same as those approved by
the commission for the Southern, COM
petitors In the same territory. Mr.. San
ders said that the situation was one out
of the ordinary and he was not ready
TO say off hand what to do about it,
Mr. Conner was asked what he thought
ought to be done. Jumping to his feet
and caroming off his own desk to that
of the secretary, he exclaimed; Il VIII
never agree to any rate that is an ad-
vance over any now in force. Let us
build down instead of up in the rate
business any way. In the meantime Mr..
Sanders had looked at the papers and
spoke up. 81 agree with you, and will
vote to refuse to endorse the schedules"
so will l." chimed in Colonel Tunstall.
"Thank YOU, gentlemen came from the
president with wreath of smiles all
over his face. "'Twas not for you but the
people of the state" quickly retorted both
the other gentlemen.
Capitol County Contest.
There is going to be a neat little contest
for soffice in this county, the fight rum
ming largely to the election of members
of the general assembly. This is of rare
iunortance because the two city court
Judges are named by the legislative body
of the state and the fact that at the next
session there will be asked very liberal
concentrations for the erection of such
additions as will give to the state
capitol adequate to the needs of so rich
n commonwealth. 1t has been decided
TO 90 ahead with the erection of an addi-
tional wing to the present building, which
definitely settles the shape OF the capitol
of the future It means that a build
ing like it Will have TO pc put on the
north side and from time to time others
set in proper place to meet the archi-
tectural requirements of the whole
Il will be one of these days in the future.
If was hoped by many that the plan to
erect side wings would be abandoned and
a structure in every way modern set NJ
at a cost of at least a million dollars.
Montgomery is especially interested in
the new building. of course, and the dele
CATION from here will have much to do
with securing money enough to mako
the new ediflce all 1t should be in beauty
and excellence.
Congress Comes High.
Another feature OF the situation is the
race for Congress. r. j. Hall failed to
announce to the district democratic COM