The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-15
PRATT SAYS BRYAN
 GAN DEFEAT TAFT
PeII City Man Takes. Issue
 With MT. Gray
TALKS ABOUT PLATFORM
VIII Not Make Race For oenoress Asslnst Burnett This Year-Bir. nlngham Should Land the
 sub.Trsasury.

Col c. W. Pratt Of peli city, enc ef the best known residents ef the sav. enth district, and whe has been men- toned as probable candidate fnr ths next Congress, spent yesterday In Bir. minghem Arguing that the empty dinner pail Is a wonderful factor in the busting from power of a great pe- litieal party, Colonel Pratt believes that with sane platform the aetue. crats can triumph this year in national politics.
 The only hope that the republicans can have of success" stated Celanel Pratt, ''ls to start again into aotivitv all of the furnaces and industrial plants of the United States, and restore the era of great prosperity that had its finale during the present administrs ton. In other words, the remembra oe that there has been stringeney in tho money market must have been wholly taken from the minds of the people prior to the date the ballot casting comes round before the republicans can have success.
 Henry Gray. our lieutenant govern or, to the contrary notwith standing, unless the republicans can accomplish what is outlined above. they cannot win this year whether they nominate MT. Taft, MT. Cannon, MT. Hughes, MT. Foraker, or MT. Knox"
 Unlike MT. Gray in another respect, noI Dvok necessary to insert a national prohibi- tion plank in the democratic platform. In speaking of the platform that should be adopted, however, MT. Pratt had the following to say:
 Things Needed In Platform.
 There should be stand made for the governmental regulation and con- trol of railroads-not the ownership, understand. There should be a stand made for revision of the tariff, not from a sense of protection, but from sense of valuation. There should be a stand made for the reformati tion of the fiscal system, in order that the United States might get out of the banking business. I consider these three blanks very essential, and be- lieve that they would appeal to sane voters of the country with redoubled force, considering the conditions of the times, and urgent need of reformation in many directions"
 In establishing his argument that the democrats have an excellent chance to win this year, MT. Pratt stated that Col. w. H. Draper of Massach usetts, who has wide interests in Alabama, was quoted as saying that if Taft was nom- mated by the republicans, and Bryan by the democrats, he would support tn e latter.
 This statement is significant" stAed MT. Pratt, "coming as 1t does from such a widely known republican as Colonel Draper. In other words, the republi- cans are in armss against MT. Roose- welt, that is, tlfe6 republicans having money and being in control of rich in- dustries. Therefore, considering MT. Taft MT. Roosevelt's man, they are arming themselves against MT. Taft. I would consider Taft less strong than MT. Cannon or MT. Hughes, and unlilse se MT. Gray, cannot see how he could be elected"
 Will Not Run This Year.
 While Colonel Pratt has been men, toned as a candidate for Congress as opposed to Congressman Burnett and State Senator Lusk, he stated yesterday that while he had had assurances that he could hold his own with the two worthy gentlemen whom he would have to oppose, he would not make the race this year. Since the time that Colonel Pratt was chief clerk of the journals of Congress, drawing Congressman S salary, he has had an ambition to re- turn to the house in the capacity of Congressman. He stated that he would do so, too, eventually.
 Colonel Pratt will probably make the race for state senator from St. Clair for the next legislature, and has been men, toned as delegate-at-large from the state of Alabama to the national con- vention this year. He was delegate to the last democratic convention from Alabama. and it Is altogether probable that he will again have a seat in the national body when the Denver conver- tion opens.
 Colonel Pratt believes in Birming- ham, and believes that 1t should again make fight for the subtreasury to be located in the south. He was a mem Der of the Birmingham delegation last year, and it was his work that aligned South Carolina with others favoring Birmingham. He stated yesterday that he would be willing to go again to Washington to aid in the fight, and stated that with Greater Birmingham to boast of the Magic City would stand excellent chances of landing the plum.