The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-15


 ,.s.s..."..s............. much more than ordinary vigor and sternness in the enforcement of laws which have characterized both state and national administrations. Does the con- stitution of the state say that no gam- bling shall be allowed in the state? Then 1t seems to the state administration compulsory and inevitable conclusion to be forthwith acted upon with all the power of the state, that such allowance must be stopped at all hazards, no mat ter who is hurt or who is offended. Do the laws of the United States declare that there shall be no discrimination in .ailroad rates between shippers great or small? Then discriminations and rebates must be stopped by the whole aggressive force of the national government, what ever the cost, however great and pow erful may be the offenders pursued, how ever injurious may be their enmity. The novelty of this strenuous law enforcement has not consisted in applying any new theories of governmental control or in the exercise of any new powers, but rather in breaking up the sleepy old methods of procedure, In securing practically ade- quate administrative statutes to give life to the old constitutional and statutory declarations of general rules which were 1 by themselves ineffective, and in putting force and momentum into the attack on | established and customary evils.
 When continuous and widespread vio- lations of law have been profitable and many persons have a special pecuniary interest against any interference with ! them, they present degree of resistance to law enforcement which can be over come only by an awakened public in- terest, and by degree of apparent ex- citement which sometimes seems like un- due violence, for force must be propor- toned to resistance. It is impossible to burst open doors softly. An incident to this kind of vigorous law enforcement Is the resentment and revengeful feeling of the people whose profits are interfered with. Of this feeling awakened by re- publican law enforcement the democratic party now gladly takes the benefit, and one of the serious questions of this cam paign Is to be whether the people of this coNtry are going to permit the re-
 ublican party to suffer for having en-
 ,ced the law in the state and the na-
 or whether they are going to back
 :, law enforcement by their approval shown in their votes for the republican 1 candidates.
 In every department of the national gov l ernment since the decisive approval or republican administration given in the l majority
 been practical effectiveness of action
 which should be highly satisfactory to all
 the people of the country who really care
 about having the government business we'll and credtably done.
 The financial panic of last autumn, which resulted, as so many panics have before, from reckless extravaganza | and wild speculation, was checked by l the firm hand and clear understanding A4a1 iraf fcfr IT Confidence was restored. The panic has passed away, revealing a substantial business soundness and widely d1f- fused wealth throughout the country, unprecedented in our history, and the result of a long period of wise and able republican administration; and the republican Congress, against mucn democratic opposition, has enacted wise law to make such a panic as that impossible in the future.
 The prosperity and well being of our people as a who ole corresponds to the 1 efficiency of the government which justly represents them. Never anywhere | in the long history of mankind's strug- l gles for better conditions has there l been among so many millions Of peo- | pie so great a diffusion of wealth, such universal comfort of living, such ready rewards for industry and enterprise, such unlimited opportunity for educa- | tion and individual advancement and | such independence and dignity Of man | hod as in our country now.
 | We are all familiar with the amazing | statistics that mark our prosperity Our l foreign trade last year amounted to $3l5,- 1 PIP, ,503. The balance of trade in our favor 1 last year was SAG, 429, 653 and in the last | four years 1t has amounted to S1, ,S25, ,520, ,202. l The value of our farm products last year was S395S, 900 GOO. According to the last
 census there were 5,739,657 separate farms, | and the live stock upon those farms is valued at $4,331, ,230,000 The value of our
 manufactured products in 1905 amounted
 to s16,S86, ,703, ,eS5. Our bank deposits of
 all kinds last year amounted to $13,O77SsO,-
 466 There were last year in the United
 States 6,5SS,S11 savings bank depositors.
 with an aggregate deposit of $3,495 0,0S7
 During the fiscal year ending June 30. | 1906, there were instructed in the schools of the United States 1s,434,sF scholars, and | of these 0,333 were students in universi- | ties. colleges and professional and tech | nical schools Churches and hospitals and ! libraries abound. Associations for mutual aid and for public benefit number their
 members and their revenues by millions. | Our people are keenly alive to the public ] interest and competent for the discussion | of public questions. Expression of opin- ! ion is free as the air we breathe. Re- spect for law is general; disregard of 1t 1 is the rare exception. At no time and in 1 no country has mere wealth secured for | its possessor less public consideration or have the high qualities of personal man. l hood availed so much for honor and op- portunity.
 
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