The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-25

struck and they cast their lot with those
who were struggling for White Suprem-
acy."
He argued that the Democratic plat
form was committed against this bill
and against the principle involved in il.
He read from the Democratic Hand
book guaranteeing protection to invest
ments and all species of property. This
handbook, he said, was the chart and
guide of every true Democrat.
This is one question on which every
Democratic member here is pledged
And / do stand here today and ask YOU
to abide by it.
You made it in the hour of need last
summer. You made it in the hour of
darkness. | beg you now to keep it.
lyon say this promise to corporations
ought not to have been made. How
many men would have stood upon the
stump and said this?
'This pledge, made no matter how or
where, is just such pledge as every
honest man ought to make to an honest
man.
1T is the pledge that brought you
here and brought me here
| "To my mind this tax is not warrant
ed by law, and if it were warranted by
law, it is not the proper time to impose
it.
| II appeal to you to let the pledge
stand. ] appeal to you to let the Demo
cratic party stand in the future as in the
past, as the party of truth, honesty and
| fulfilled promises
The rarty managers. rightfully or
wrongfully, have written their pledge
| here (Handbookl. If it is not kept it will
be the fault of you and you must bear
the responsibility"
Mr.. Willard of New Hanover, follow
ed Mr. Winston. His speech was care
| fully prepared argument. well delivered
and listened to with interest by the
members of the House Ii was per-
hapS the most comprehensive and
| thoughtful argument vet delivered on
this very important question.
1t showed that Mr. Willard had stud
| led the question closely and was thor
oughly conversant with it in all its de-
tails. Among other things he said:
''It seems almost folly to continue this
struggle with such an array Of talent
| opposed to the measure. ] have not the
| ability to indulge in such OratOricai py-
lFotechmcs and glittering generalities as
the gentleman from Buncombe favored
us with yesterday and the gentleman
from BERTHE today, or to present to your
view my ideas on this imporGant subject
with the same clearness and force as
are employed by the distinguished Speak
or of the House or the learned gentle
man from Wayne. l am SO firmly con-
ylnced, however, that the position taken
by the joint Finance Committee is cor
rect that | cannot let the matter drop
without having another word to say.
The gentleman from Buncombe yes
terday certainly played upon a harp of
single string He insisted and rested
his opposition to this tax upon the
ground that it was levied because WE
think the railroads are able to bear it,
submit that this view has never been
presented by single person advocating
this tax except in answer to some state
ment made to the effect that it is an
unjust and unequal burden. | advocate
this tax upon the broad ground that it
IS right and just to levy a special privi-
lege tax upon. ALL corporations which
enjoy unusual and monopolistic privi-
leges' And / claim that there has been
no more Democratic doctrine enunciated
on the floor of this House than this
principle contains.
'"The distinguished Speaker objects to
1T because he says it is injecting a new
principle into our system of taxation and
the gentleman from BERTHE says they
are singled out from all other corpora
tions. They certainly are misUform-
ed upon this point, for if they will turn
20 section 43 of the old revenue act
they will see that a special privilege tax
is levied upon the gross earnings Of
telegraph. telephone and express COM
panies and in addition to this each one
of these classes of corporations pay their
regular tax, the Western Union Tele-
graph Company paying on S750,000
worth of property in the State.
'The gentlemen have contended with
great vehemence, and the idea was also
presented by the Speaker of the House,
that this tax is un-Democratic. If they
really believe this then it is is their
duty to introduce an amendment strik-
ing out section SO, which taxes telegraph,
express, telephone and Pullman car
companies. Or if they do not they
should certainly explain to this house
why it is UN-Democratic to tax rail-
road company and it is Democratic to
tax a telegraph or an express company.
If this is not explained satisfactorily it
is open for us TO conclude that the N
terest of railroads is of much ncre con-
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