Democratic messenger., 1892-12-17
GOVERNOR BROWNS CON-
NENTION.

posed convention suggested
BY Governor Brown in his re-
cent message to the people.
the most interesting comes
from Judge Holland of this
Circuit. Judge Holland says:
''The convention proposed by the
Governor appears - simple thing upon
its face, indeed. il strikes one upon its
first reading as foolish: hut il needs
second reading to get at the idea. When
understood, II is seen al once that Brown
is not its author. for though the ego is
very prominent IN the address he has not
the capacity To conceive the scheme
some shrewder brain was its father. II
sounds very much like the Sun paper
TIE scheme is 10 defeat any tax legisla-
iion by The next Legislature in the line of
the HAYES bill of '92, and il is intended
TO work these results. Brown is 10 select
such members of his convention from the
counties and city as the capitalists die
tate. (for they are 10 pay for the thing }
and the convention so composed would
he practically unanimous in recommend.
ing any subtly concocted plan of legisla-
tion that might be propounded before il,
leaving mortgages and all that bulk of
property now exempt, and which would
have been reached by the Hayes bill. still
free from any burden Of taxation. If The
convention ended with this. its recon-
mendation would serve to hold up the
Governors hands in vetoing any bill that
might be passed not in accordance with
IT, But the convention is not 10 end
with its adjournment. Its members are
expected TO he secret lobby diiTused
over the whole State to exert an inilu-
ence upon the members of the next legis-
iature before and after il assemblies, in
favor Of the action of the convention
The people of this State who are bearing
the burden of taxation and groaning un-
der il, want legislation in the line OF
Hayes bill of 90 and will have il In spite
of Farmer Browns vetoes and conven
tions. In my opinion the convention can
have no honest reason for its existence
The people in Legislature assembled.
through their representatives, can take
care of their own interests IL their COVER
nor will keep his hand Off"
In an interview in the SIN
Gov. Brown replies to Judge
Holland, in which he says
that he and the Judge have
differed before. especially in
the recent appointment OF
Judge lrving's successor. and
he is satisfied now that he did
right not to appoint Judge
Holland. We do not attempt
to quote the Governor word
for word, but in substance.
No one doubts that the
Governors appointment gives
entire satisfaction. but the act
remains, that in this instance
as well as many others. the
Governor put his personal
preferences and opinions
against those of the people
TO be served. There is no get.
ting around the fact that Judge
Holland had the endorsement
for promotion of every county
in his Circuit including Somer-
set and that Governor Brown
totally ignored what should
have been, to a less self-willed
person, conclusive evidence OF
his fitness.
On Tuesday the SIN took
up the cudgel and proceeded
to belabor Judge Holland for
his references to that paper.
1t was dismal failure, as far
as this county is concerned.
for we have made it a point
to interview a large number
of the best thinking citizens
and they are in a large major
ity who believe that the Sml
is at the back of this whole
movement for a convention
and that it was through the
SIMS influence that Governor
Brown pocketed the Hayes
bill. The people of the State
wanted the Hayes bill to be
come law. They know the
interest the SIM manifested
against its becoming one and
they naturally suspect our es
teemed contemporary of hav
ing a finger in the pie which
Governor Brown suggests is
to be made for the tax pay
ers digestion. Judge Holland
has spoken out like a man,
his sentiments are re-echoed
in the hearts of a large ma
jority of the people of this
Circuit and what the SIM and
Governor Brown says has fal
lien most decidedly flat. The
trouble with most men is that
they are more polite than pa
triotic, as is evidenced by many
of the interviews which have
been published regarding
Governor Brown s convention
The suggestion, coming as IL
did from the Governor of the
State, who is liable at any
time to have it in his power
to crafty or crush the politi
cal ambitions of men, causes
those who lack stammana to be
very mild IN their cr,fsc;en, n