The news & observer., 1901-10-16


cratic party in North Carolina "as now
constituted will never cease to be con-
trolled by class of men whose chief
desire is to perpetuate themselves in Of
flee" and he told all who believed in
Cleveland Democracy that their only hope
was in becoming Republicans Goining a
party controlled by class of men
whose chief desire is to perpetuate them
selves in office.')
The next thing to demand his atten-
tion was the Hanna Ship Subsidy law, de-
clarng that it was a wise and useful
measure and would have brought money
to the South. He praised McLaurin for
voting for this steal and denounced all
Democrats for voting against it. He
gave no reasons to show how the subsidy
would benefit anybody but the ship build
ers who had contributed largely to Han
mas corruption fund and he did not touch
upon the wrong of taxing the whole peo-
pie TO make few ship owners rich
The Senator then returned to North
Carolina politics and denounced as brutal
in the extreme "the criticism of the few
men who had joined the Republican par
ty and said it ought not to be tolerated
in any civilized community but did not
The next thing the Senator did was to
read an extract from an interview with
Senator Simmons in the Washington
Post. 1t was mighty good reading, and was
to the effect that as the money question
was not now paramount, the big issue in
the next campaign would be the tariff
He ridiculed free trade, said low tariff
would destroy all the prosperity of the
South, and send us to the poor-house in
stanter-or words to that effect
He next took a whaek at the revenue
act passed by the last Legislature and
said State legislation by Democrats will
prove disastrous" He jumped on state
Auditor Dxon's circular letter. He then
said that he had been informed that "a
number of business men have left the
State since the adoption of the present
Revenue act rather than comply with
many of it's provisions but he did not
name single one and lodged behind the
Il am informed" He also jumped on the
Nicholson timber act. He then jumped on
the merchants purchase tax but neglected
to tell the people that similar tax was
imposed by the Legislatures of 1895 and
1887 which took orders from him. He
said the present tax would bankrupt
country merchants or compel large in
crease in the price Of goods. He de-
nounced what he called 'odious features"
in the revenue act and said they would
result in compelling many firms to make
assignments" After a good deal NOR.
stuff of the same sort he said that there
is growing tendency on the part of the
Democratic party in North Carolina to
discriminate against private corporations"
"a statement which the legislation of the
State does not bear out. The Senator did
not tell the people that under the new
revenue act the property of the State
is assessed at thirty millions dollars more
than in 1900 and the tax derived from that
increased assessment enables the State
to care for more insane, give a longer
p'iblic school term, increase the pension
to Confederate soldiers, and enlarge the
charitable and educational institutions of
the State. Senator Pritchard has a good
'forgettery'
After plea to protect capital, upon
which the State is dependent special
pleas for lower taxes on corporatio
(that portion Of his speech read exactly
like an editorial in the Railroad Morn
ing Post, of Raleigh, the Senator closed
his speech with these words:
among other things has opened up new
opportunities for the people of the South
We now, see a. way by which we can es-
tablish an ever increasing trade in the
Orient With the construction of the
Nicarauga canal and the rehabilitation OF
our merchant marine will come an era
of prosperity for the Southern people that
will eclipse anything that has ever been
dreamed of by the people of our section.
These things can only be obtained by the
South giving her hearty support to those
who advocate the principles of Repubi-
canism.
THE business men Of the South have
reached the parting of the ways, and it
is for them to decide as to whether or
not they are willing to follow blindly the
lead of a class of men whose every act
is antagonistic to the interests which they
represent, as well as the general welfare
of our section"
The speech was not brilliant, able or
convincing. 1t was full of platitudes and
political clap-trap, with some statistics
and figures which We're too dull to make
any impression. With some variations it
was along the same line of McLaurins
speeches and the speeches of all other
Southern Republicans who think if they
hold gold dollar before the eyes Of
Southern men it will shut out the sun
OF Democracy. 1t will get few suckers, a
Few men who really wish special privi-
lege for themselves, and more who are
oftce-h hungry and do not care where it
comes from The men who were inclined
to be Republican because they did not
believe in free silver cannot be caught
by Mr.. Pritchard's sophistry They know
that while at first Republican promise
sounds sweet at the last it biteth like
serpent and stingeth like an adder
If Pritchard will make that speech in
every county in North Carolina the Dem
ocratic majority in 1902 will exceed 1O0,-
600. Can't the Democratic Executive
Committee INDUCE him to go all over the
State and deliver it at the courts? 1t
would be good thing: for the man who
thinks he can win votes by advocating
imperialism, ship subsidies and protection
in North Carolina does not know the b
c's OF the convictions of North Caro-
linians. The farmers are all opposed to
these policies and so are the mechanics
and ,WorkIngmen, professional men and
business men. At one time some manu-
facturers felt inclined to advocate pro-
lection, but that was when the Home'
Market consumed all the manufactured
,,-A u