The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-03-31

ing men insist that they are entitled to
trial by jury; but Secretary Taft went
all the way to Oklahoma to find fault
with a provision in the Oklahoma eonsti-
tuition securing this protection to the Ia
boring men.
what relief does Secretary Taft pro-
pose to give us in the burdens which
Imperialism has imposed upon the
country? The appropriation for the
army and navy has increased more than
hundred millions q year since We
entered upon our colonial experiment
Our army is more than twice as large
as 1t was in 1896, and we are still de-
lying the Philippine Islands the doc
trine set forth in the declaration of in
dependence, that governments derive
their just powers from the consent of
the governed
what is Secretary Taft going to do
on the railroad question? In one
speech he took occasion to explain tina.
the President was responsible for rate
reduction. This would indicate thai,
Secretary Taft does not favor rate re-
duction Is he in favor of authorizing
the interstate commerce commission to
ascertain the present value of the rail-
roads? Is he willing to prevent the
future issue of watered stocks? Does
he urge reduction in freight and pas
such reductions can be made without
injustice to honest investments? He
has given no assurance on these ques-
tions and we must judge what he would
do by what he now says or fails to
say.
Keeping Promises.
eff when he is trying to secure the
support of reform republicans, he is SO
evasive on the subject, what could
We expect of him if he were elected?
Does Secretary Taft favor the national
incorporation of railroads as suggested
by the President? Would he favor
law withdrawing from the states tn cir
control over railways and vesting ex-
elusive control in the federal govern
ment? And if he favors national ia
corporation would he be in favor of
giving the railroads a perpetual fran
ohise and a perpetual guarantee of in
come? If not, will he explain why he
will be more unjust to the Filipinos
than to the people of his own coun-
try?
what chance of reform is there at
the hands of the republican leaders
who take the side of corporations
against the people and act upon the
theory that inducements must be held
cut to capital, no matter how great
of wealth? There is no doubt that the
masses of the people, republicans and
democrats, are in favor of reform. Jf
we can only convince the voters that
the democratic party would be true to
reform, victory is assured and the only
way in which we can convince the pub
lie that we honestly desire to ad-
minister the government in behalf of
the people and to give them an honest
platform, employ honest arguments and
conduct campaign by honest methods
and through an honest organization
Judge Harmon's Speech.
Judge Harmon said in part:
''The last democratic administration had
to commence with a treasury left almost
empty and amid hard times which had
already begun under the republicans.
When these came back the storm had
been weathered and the great resources
of the country quickly responded to the
touch of people whose intelligent indus
try and varied enterprise had no rivals.
"Straightway the republican politicians
claimed all the credit. They raised the
cry, and kept it up, that democratic rule
brings bad times and republican rule
good times. They could not remember
the panic of 1873, when the democratic
party was all but extinct after the de-
forced to admit that they had sold and
were about to issue bonds during the
time of Benjamin Harrison. Their news
papers, platforms and speeches during all
these years have held up the two pictures
like the before taking and after taxi
ing In cure-all advertisements.
"a lie well stuck to is as good as the
truth, for some purposes, and for a while;
and thousands of the people all over the
land were fooled. 1 have met many of
them. The impression was given that the
democrats were a menace and were only
let live in the country on suffrance.
They really ought to go off to the Philip
pines or. some other place, where they
might talk but not vote and be ruled
instead of served by their betters
Control Of Juries.
IA jury was being empaneled in the
federal court in case of John Kerns.
A man from a county where kerns used
to live was called and this being brought
out, he was excused by the other side.
When court adjourned he drew Kerns
aside and said, Why, John, aren't they
even going to let us democrats sit on
jures any more?
1.-THE republican emblem should long
ago have been changed to a turkey cock,
with tail feathers full spread, gobbling
that the sunshine and all the grains of
the field are from him.
~ always thought it mean and unpa-
triotic to make political capital out of a
public misfortune. And i believe every
democrat in the country feels as do,
that he would rather stand another de-
feat than see the poor multiplying on the
streets, cars standing idle on sidetracks,
mills and factories closed or feebly 60
ing, commerce paralyzed and the old and
dependent pinched in the provisions which
industry or affection has made for them.
But if all this had to come, as 1t now has,
believe every fair man Will say, as
do that 1t is the justice of God. who
hates all slanderers and false boasters,
that it struck these whlo in full strut
Responsibility For Panic.
.'They say it was the Boer way that
Brought on the trouble; the Japanese war
Tie misunderstanding you please but