The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-09
stick to the country you'll be foolish and vou haven't that reputation.
 Fresahf Rate Adjustment

Ha then told of how the present idea of freight rate adjustment had always heen foremost In his politics and as usual referred to his being the cham pion of the people, and what glorious victory for the people It was when he into his usual speech. comparing Ala bama's rates with the rates of other states and alleged that unjust discrln- ination was being heaped on Alabama just because the people were standing for it.
 True to hls past record in speech making he took up the different meth ods of making freight rates and de- clared that as long as present condi' tions were in vogue there would be no relief for the people. He said tha. the railroads were charging exorbitant prices because the people had not ceas- ed to move their fright. and would do so until the people elected a Legisla- ture that would give them laws to compel the railroads to reduce rates.
 He did not hesitate to say that John V. Smith was on the Railroad C ennis sion for the railroads and tho same he declared was true of Commissioners TunstaI and Sanders. He did not ques- tion their inegrity, but got off the usual "envirUnment" charge.
 He pleaded with the voters to choose legislators who would see that local freight rates were reduced. and said that a Birmingham paper contained the statement that the railroads had given up the fight for Governor and were now endeavoring to elect mem- bers of the Legislature.
 And the papers are so completely muzzled that no protest has been raised against this declaration" he added.
 Attacks the Newspapers. MT. Conner then went after the news papers He did not take the position formerly taken that the policy of the papers was controlled by the railroads, but based his argument on the state- ment that newspapers print what he | terms libelous matter for money In reference to the newspapers he said: T have said that the press oi | Alabama in that great race in 1904 re- ceived something like $75,O00. One oi | my friends says they received $1,344 from the railroads and SIT from me | That Is a strange proposition. I have | got d copy here of The Montgomery i Advertiser issued on the 10th day O. | April, the day before the election. Nov there may not be $1,300 worth in that I but they charged me 17 cents u line. went down to the office today to see MT | Glass. You know MT. Glass and I art | d6hCo iOA h SOPS Ol Nh l paper, commencing on the 18th of Apri and going back ten days.
 If I had had time I would go int the stories that were told on me am the one I sued on.
 Story of His oC0usIn.''
 Tn great big headlines the day be fore the election they published hoy B. B Conner tried to get his frs cousin to take money belonging to tn I Is aCfN faI oy,I1 all over the State. I went to The Birm ingham Ledger office and I said to Jir Smith, Where did you get this?' H said. I got it from MT. E. A. DeFun iak.' who was at that time Trafi Manager and also the gentleman of tn Jim Dandy meal Gffidavits. He shoul be very careful how he makes affi davits because his memory or some thing else is very treacherous. I wen to The Age-HeraId to see Ross Smith l and asked Where did you get thisi He said From Mir. Jones Moore an' E. A. DeFuniak.' Mir. Jones Moore | | President of the Birmingham Southern and he is also a member of the Ala bama Executive Committee and he | one Of the men who helped to mak l this Democratic primary law. I asket MT. Jones Moore Where did you ge this? He said, MT. Stark brought 1 in here I went to Mir. Stark ant l asked Where did you get this story. He said from Mir. Dickert, who is sec tion master of the Louisville and Nash vile. He works on 6 new extension and heard you making the statemen and reported it to Jones Moore and ha, him brought to Jones Moore and il | his office they made the affidavit.
 'I got on back and went to see Dick ert. I first wrote to my brothers tt see if they knew Dickert. or if we haC | a relative by that name. We fount him working on q track. We asked | him if his name was Dickert and h. said, yes We said we've come to se' you about that affidavit you mad against Conner. He says, are you talk ing about that piece? I never swor' to that. That story was padded. w asked him, didn't you say you were MI Corners cousin? He said, mo- w asked him. what did you say?' H. l said, I told him I had an uncle il South Carolina named Conner and the: said, you're R. B.'s first cousin
 I went to the Advertiser office an l saw MT. Glass and said. you see thi 1 story, was 1t right to publish that" an' he said, no I said what did you pub fish it for? He said, anything at tha time was going
 Anything at that time that hat money behind it, no matter how dras tic. was going"
 He then arraigned the newspaper for printing such mater and said tha it cost more tears and heart throb than anyone will ever know.
 Got Back to Rates.
 But MT. Conner couldn't turn loos the rate question. He urged that leg islators be elected who coincided wit his views as there was a question a to whether rate reductions by the Com mission would stand the test of tn courts while there is no question abou 1t, If the rates are reduced by leglsla tive enactment.
 He closed in a flowery appeal for tn people to rally around him in this fight and he declared that Alabama would n longer be discriminated against by tn railroads, nor would the State be con trolled by railroad politicians.
 At the close of his speech. he wa cordially greeted by his audience.
 A woman would enjoy going { heaven more If she knew there wer special matinee days