The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-19

large dividends to stockholders or in
crease in the burdens of taxation.
Methods can be devised by which the
appalling loss of life in the mines
of Alabama can be lessened. Such meth
DDS should be adopted regardless of
cost and mine inspectors appointed re-
CARELESS of political affiliation-their
selection. based solely on competency
and efficiency. The number of mine
inspectors and their salaries should be
increased in proportion to the rapid
development of ourd mining interests,
and such legislation adopted as will
make as secure as the results of ex-
perience and the most modern and ap-
proved scientific and engineering safe
guard will permit, the lives of those
engaged in this important but hazard
Gus industry.
Some system should be adopted by
which the defenseless widows and
orphans of the victims of these fire.
quent mine disasters shall be secured
against penuary or want.
Gentlemen of the convention, we
are members of that grand old party
whose birth was co-eval with the con-
stitution and whose fundamental prin-
ciples are as true today as when they
were first promulgated by that great
apostle of human liberty, Thomas JEFF
ferson. In national politics we have
suffered defeat in recent years, it is
in my opinion due to the fact that
our desire for success has induced us
to adopt every half considered remedy
and quack -nostrum for the cure of ali
the ills of political life and subordi-
mated principles to the demands of ex-
pediency. I congratulate you that the
times are propitious for democratic
success in the nation. High cost of
living due to our unjust and onerous
system of taxation. The enormous
growth of gigantic trusts, destroying
individual effort and initiative, and
controlling absolutely the prices of all
the articles of prime necessity-the
failure to conserve the great resources
of the nation, but permitting them to
become the prey of corporate avarices,
ard of special interest, will convince the
country that remedy can alone be
found in the application of true demo-
cratic principles and the restoratio to
power of that great party which has
always stood opposed to special priv
ileges and for equal and exact justice
to all men.
The Tariff Question
Pledged to reduce the burdens of
tariff taxation the Payne-A1drich act
is an object Lesson in party perfidy and
party dishonor. The republican party
has abjectly surrendered the taxing
powers of the government to the mas
tiers of special privilege and to those
monopolies that have grown rich by
governmental favoritism. If we but
proclaim anew the ancient principles of
democracy and make tariff reform our
party of the people in the next pres
idential election.
Gentlemen of the convention, if the
nomination made by the party shall,
as l expect, be ratified by the peo-
pie. / shall enter upon the discharge
of the important duties of great trust,
not as a representative of any special
interest of any political faction, with
no enemies to punish, and no VEN
geance to crafty and with no higher
ambition than to so discharge it's du-
ties as to restore peace and tranquil
ity to our state and leave behind me
a record for a wise, conservative and
progressive administration. Intentions
pure and upright-ideals lofty and eIe-
vated and an earnest determination to
consecrate all the faculties with which
| am endowed to the services of the
state al the only pledges 1 can offer
for the faithful performance of the
duties of the chief executive officer of
the state, to which office 1 hope to
be elevated by the generous suffrage of
the people,"