The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-14

possible for corrupt or incompetent nien to so mismanage postal service of this country as 10 almost discredit the whole system of public ownership. The post office presents a deticit Of S10.000,- 900 a year. when 1t should produce q profit of at least that amount
 T say this condition Of post office Finances Is as much corrpution as 1t Is incompetency. The fraudulent weigh ing of the mall Is thievery. The corrupt expenditure of the peoles money in po- litieal subsidies is robbery and the campaign contributions of the benoh- ciary corporations are bribery.
 Tn 1904 MT. Perkins contributed $50.- 900 of the money of widows and or phans to Mir. Cortelyou, campaign col iector of the Republican Party. In 1905, Mr. Corteiyou, as Postmaster Gen eral, paid back to Perkins the party debt with public funds. He awarded Perkins a contract for his steamship. lines which pays him $500.000 a year more than other steamship lines arc paid for similar service.
 So 1t seems that Mir. Roosevelt and Mir. Hartman are not the only practi- cal men in this particular administra- ton. MT. Cortelyou and MT. PerkIns appear to be about as practical as men can be and remain at large.
 No public control or public owner. ship will successfully elect faithfui public officials. and you will not elect faithful and competent men to office until you choose the managers of you, government with more consideration for their party worth than their part> affiliations"
 In concluding his address at the Democratic Club dinner, Senator Rayner outlined lis views un Demo- cratic pla form.
 T would make 1t brief and pertin- ent." he said. T would eliminate the customary and monotonous indictments against the opposition for crimes that they have never committed; and l would give the country something a iit- tie new in the way of Democratic dec- alogue I would. of course. incorporate a plank for low tariff and for commer- oial reciprocity with the trading na- tons of the world. I would then add plank declaring there Is no such thing as an unwritten Constitution of the United States; that if 1t requires change 1t must be amendel l. not ,y Sec. retary Root but by the suffrages Of the people: and that it is trsas )nAble act to insert into 1t. whether by judicial construction or otherwise. any power or grant that is not confined within tho well defined authority and limitations of the instrument. In obedienme to the Constitution. I would then unequivo- cally declare for the supremacy cs the States. and not yield the smallest DOT tion of their sovereign rights over mat ters of local and domss;ic concern that iis clearly within their province and their jurisdicton.
 T would then explicitly announce that the Democratic Party Is in favor of the strict and impartial enforcement of every Federal enactment upon tho statute book. and that the greater and the more powerful the criminal who violates it. the more severe should bt the penalties that ought to be visited upon him. would then announce that the party Is not in favor of territoria expansion; that our arms should b. stacked and a halt should be called fl our march of aggrandizement: and that while we do not object to this govern ment becoming a world-power upon tho field of commerce and os enterprise ant of civilization, upon tss field of wal we do not propose to unite with othe robber governments in the despoilmen of foreign territory, and in the con | quest of helpless races.
 Tt tho Democratic Party will take | stand for principles substantially iik these, in my humble Judgment. and ri, itself of the delusion that 1t can attain success by. simply becoming an anne, of the Republican Party, then believ, there is q chance for victory; and if W, are defeated again, then at least W, will have the comfort and the Consola tion of knowing that we went dcwr fighting for principle"