The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-10-21

widow women, who had been selling
ginger ale. o ange cider and some
times bottled beer, without knowing
that these things were subject to
special tax. To have compelled
these poor people, who had ignorant
ly violated the law, to pay three
years heavy back taxes, would been
to have ruined their business and
destroyed their means of making a
livelihood. Besides, in the majority
Of instances their little stocks-all
they had in the wOrld-would not
have paid the tax. Under these cir
cumstances the tax was RENTED to
this class, but not to the saloon
keeper proper.
Mr.. Fowler confined himself en-
tirely to state issues, and made a
close, logical speech; a forceful one
to thoughtful, conservative business
men, ii left unanswered; but when
followed by Mr.. McMillin, who took
the charges against Democratic
administrations and Democratic Of
ticials up seriatim, and answered
them, there was nothing left of Mr..
FOwler's speech but the tattered
remnant of tale that is told.
Al the close of his speech, Mr..
Fowler, who was very hoarse, re-
tired to his hotel, and quite mum.
Der of his party followers had the
bad manners to leave with him or
soon after him; refusing to remain
and hear the answer of his Demo
cratic opponent, though Mr.. Fowler
himself had testified to the fact that
wherever he had been before Demo
cratic audiences, he had been treat
ed with the utmost courtesy.
Mr.. McMillin was introduced by
the Hon. E. w. Carmack, in a per.
feet gem of "A speech, short, terse,
eloquent; where every word was in
its place and every sentence was full
of meaning. 1t gave him pleasure,
he said, to introduce Mr.. McMillin,
because of the warm personal rela-
lions existing between them, because
OF the esteem in which he held him
as a man, and because Of the honor
in which he held himas a statesman,
a patriot and Democrat. For over
b"NhbN lCdloi ITO Sdlu, NC-
Millih has been one of the foremost
figures in the National COunsels of
the party and in every political COM
bat his white plume could be seen in
the thickest of the fray in the red
line of battle. He was leader the
people never feared to follow, be-
cause no dishOnor ever rested upon
his name, nor defeat upon his ban
ner.
After the applause incident to this
happy introduction had subsidized,
Mr.. Nc Millm began in a mastery
way to dispel the clouds his oppO-
nent had spread, and to dissipate the
hopes he had aroused in Republican
breasts. Some OF the replies he made
to the more salient features of Mr..
Fowler's speech, we have given
above. In addition to these, he said
in reply to the charge of Mr.. Fowler
that the expenses of State offices un-
der Turney's administration were in
creased $67 900, that the profundity
of his opponents ignorance was
shown in the fact that all the Offices
in the Capitol did not cost $4,000
He then proceeded to show the wan.
ton extravaganza of Hawkins ad.
ministratiOn; how under one bill the
Republican Comptroller received
$4,000 in fees for funding part of .ht
State debt and would have received
$4,000 if stop had not been put to
the funding. Under Bates admin
lstratiOn the same work was per
formed, and only $500 paid to the
funding officers.
When the Republicans were il
power, what reforms did they makei
They reformed the election laws by
DISTINGUISHING the very best men il
the state, and giving the government
over to carpet baggers and negroes
You had to walk the gang plank
Doctor" he said, addressing DR.. d. G
Kelley, who was an attentive liste
ner to the debate, land you, ant
you, and YOU" he continued, point
ing his finger at gray haired men il
the audience. And in addition t
that they increased the bonded in
debtedness of the state, about four
teen million dollars. That was dur
ing the BrownlOw regime, whicl
was so black and disreputable tina
his opponent would not dare de
fend it. And under the Hawkin
administration what did they d
but try to pay Brownlow's fraudu
lent bonds dollar for dollar, and ri
val it in extravaganza. And black
er and more damnable even tina
Brownlow had ever done, was tn
Force bill attempt made by a Re
publican Congress to again disfrar
chise the white people of the Soutl
Mr.. McMillin paid a beautifI
, tribute to the women of the Soutt
and closed his powerful speech wit
a strong appeal to the young men
be true to the traditions of the
country, aud prove tbemselvt
worthy sons of noble sires.