The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-08

and the press: when we see vast sums of money sent out into the counties of the state for the purpose of debauching yolr electorate; when we see railroads en- vlronments of every possible nature. either thrown or attempted to be thrown around officials and citizens for the pur- pose of coercing or controlling your cleo torate and the officials of your state, all of which is of recent history and present enactment in Alabama, and has been done
 and is being done by the chief railroad, which is now fighting to the death your right to control and limit it-these things, periodically considered, should be sufti- cent to admonish you that you should not hesitate to discharge your duty and to comply with the wishes of the people expressed at three recent elections, the last unanimous, and 10 discharge your ob- legations to your state and national plat form, and your pledges to protect the citizens of your state from these great public service corporations so effectively and finally that the state will always be an insurmountable power between the citizens and such corporations.
 I repeat that every officer and voter in the state of Alabama stands committed to the principles and policies for which you have heretofore stood, the essence of which is the states right to regulate and control all agencies that operate within the state. I can only say to you and the people of Alabama that my position is your position, my pledges are your pledges and there is man in Alabama who should not line up with you in this great contest in which the rights and protection of the people stand the goal to be won. Outside Influence and outside pressure should not be tolerated, but should meet with your resentment. Your duty is plain and your courses hould be as straight as a string. The presence of the chief representative of the above road at the capital city at this time, if it be for the purpose of influencing you to desert your plain duty, is an insult to your manhood.
 Recommends Statutes.
 The statutes which l recommend are in no sense of the word punitive or de- structve. The public service corpora tons under your laws will be protected and encouraged in every right. Only the dangerous use of power. a condition which is now recognized by every state as dangerous to it's citizens, to the prop erty of the state, and to the lcorpora- tions themselves is sought to bS limited and controlled. These statutes then which J advise and which are recom- mended by the states attorneys are so framed as to be more effective towards securing obedience to your statutes reg ulating rates and regulating the powers of public service corporations. l suggest the passage of these bills as drawn. The changes are amendatory in nature to your former bills and are suggested by further study and the course of events in the litigation now pending. These amendments are made in the same way that an attorney amends his pleadinSs and brief as his case progresses. Just as in an individual legal contest you would trust your attorneys and follow their suggestions and advice, so in this great legal contest of the state you will observe the same trust and conf dence as the part of prudence and wis dom, for the attainment of successful issue.
 The purpose to be accomplished by the bills which l recommend for passage is that of regulation and not that of confiscation, or the impairment of a fair return upon investments of foreign cor poratons In the state. It was by comity