Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-05-12
M. POOL and hls PIatform.

they have Iesorted 10 more tricks to more subter-
fuges to more evasion and doube-dealing than they
have in this. In this respect they well repre-,
sented by John Pool their candidate for Governor.
lie has brought all the nceties all the Technical!
unfairness of the special pleading which he has
learned at the bar to bear upon this contest In
one locality he declares that the nd rdlOrem which
he proposes will not increase the tax on slaves,
while in another locality his organs declare that the
negro is specially aimed at and that Gd rdtorem
will increase the tax on slaves. In one locality he
declares that the principle that every citizen must
contribute to support the government in proportion
to the amount of his estate must be carried out to
the letter. thus producing the impression that he
would tax ere'y thing; while in another locality
and in this he is sustained by portion of his or
gans-he affirms that his platform favors a certain
exemption from taxation, and that the word dis
elimination" in his platform means exemption In
the East he is for taxing all property, as to re-
concile the stakeholder to his view of adj Udlorem
while in the West, to Judge him by the newspapers
that speak for him, he would add slaves only to the
list of taxable property. Knowing that internal
improvements are popular in portions of the State
and especially in the West he boasts of the works
of internal improvement for which he has voted;
but when the matter is investigated it turns out
that he has voted only for empty charters
The truth is Mr. Pool meets no question fairly or
squarely. The characteristic of his stump efforts is
evasion, artul lodging, special pleading and cquvo-
cation What confidence can the people place in
such man? What must they think of cause
which can be sustained only in this way? The first
requisite of popularity is honesty. Honesty is
evinced by directncss and candor of action and
speech The people can perceive almost intuitIvely
when public is disposed to act fairly and
honestly. Ifthey suspect him even he might well
chang up his fiddle" They will have no music from
one who plays different tunes on the same string.
The resolution of the Know Nothing Convention
on the subject of Gd ralorem plainly declares that
EVERY SPECIES OF PROPERTY should be 'taxed ac-
cordng to its value with power to discriminate only
in favor of the native products of our State and the
industrial pursuits of her citizens" Now what does
that mean? Clearly that 'erery species" or all pro-
perty shall be taxed That is the broad proposition.
There is nothing said about specific taxes, about
one per cent for example, one article and half
per cent on another. Al the property in the State
IL to be Jumped and then tared at the same rate.
The race horse is to be taxed-the pillow horse is 10
be taxed, but the former is to be taxed no higher
than the latter. The billiard table is to be taxed
the threshng machine is TO be taxed, but the former
is to be taxed higher than the latter. If there
be force in words, sense in the construction Of
language, and if the English tongue means what it
says, then that is Mr.. Pools position.
But, says Mr.. Pool al would discriminate" Very
H. -
implies taxation. How can Mr.. Pool discriminate
between articles unless he taxes them? How can
he exempt by discriminating? The idea is absurd
Discrimination 'n favor of native products" and
industrial pursuits" means what? Why it means
thai foreign products shall be taxed higher than ma
tive products, and that, all pursuits" occupG-
tons being taxed the burden of taxation shall not
be as heavy certain pursuits as on others. That
the correct construction of the language and that
is what was meant when it was first used The con-
structon since given 70 it by Mr.. Pool and his
friends is an afterthought and is not authorized by
| truth or common sense
But, says Mr. Pool, Il would exempt certain ar
ticles from taxation" That will not do, Mr. Pool.
| You accepted the nomination the PLATFORM and,
as honest man, you must adhere to the platform.
If it sinks with you, you must still stand upon it.
That platform declares that yOu shall exempt no
thing. That is what it says, and that is what was
meant when it adopted-aud will prove it.
How? Simply by the fact, which appears por-
ton of the proceedings of the Convention that Mr..
Turner moved to exempt certain articles, and the
Contention deliberately refused to do So
More on this subject hereafter