The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-17
Chairman Simmons ADJ
dress.
Continued from Page Three.)

had accumulated in the Treasury as
sinking fund to pay the public debt, and
used the proceeds from the sales OF these
bonds to pay current expenses.
When they turned the Legislative de-
partment of the government over to us,
we had to sell one hundred and ten thou
sand dollars more bonds to pay the debts
of the penitentiary contracted under
Russell.
Nothing could better illustrate the
confidence of capital in the Democratic
party in this State than the fact that
our present excellent Treasurer was able
to borrow money to meet this deficit ior
the common schools and asylums in New
York upon his simple assurance that
the State would repay it.
1 have not said these things in de-
tense of the present State administsa-
ton. 1t needs no defense It's record
defends it. 1t is only necessary that
there shall be no misstatenent Of That
record. It is an administration of which
the people of North Carolina can be and
are justly proud. 1t has been prudent,
conservative, and progressive. 1t has
been economical in the expenditure of
the peoples money. 1t has not misap-
propriated one cent of the peoples
funds 1t has kept every promise which
the party has made, and this convention
Will but voice the wishes of those it rep
resents and will do itself honor in Civ
ing to it hearty and cordial endorse
ment.
And now few words about national
politics. The Democratic party was born
when the nation was born. 1t has lived
through all the annals of our history as
a nation, and will continue to live as
long as the Republic endures, because
it is the party of the people and the
Constitution. 1t had it's birth in opposi-
ton to the movement which sprung up
during the first days of the Republic to
turn the government into channels of
monarchy, of oligarchy, of class subser
viency and domination. Through all of
it's history it has stood for equality in
privileges, equality of burdens, equally
of opportunity. 1t has stood against
bounties, against largesses, against
special privileges and discriminating ia
vors. In more than one crisis in our
history it has rallied the PEOPLE to come
together and, forgetting all other differ
ences, to stand together in defeat of the
Vaccinations of those who would en-
ploy the functions of government for
their own benefit and for the enslave-
ment of the people. But never before,
during all the long years of it's exs-
tence, has the Democratic party perform
ed a greater service for the people than
1T is performing today in rallying the
people to make a stand, before it is too
late, to prevent the appropriation by the
predatory classes for their own enrich
ment of the powers of government.
Springing out of Republican policies,
fostered and protected by Republican
legislation, there has sprung into exs-
tence in this country during the past six
years nearly two hundred great tariff
protected combinations. They have
monopolized for their private benefit
nearly all of the necessares of life. They
control competition, they regulate pro-
duction, they fix prices. By controlling
the legislation of the country they con-
troll the markets of the people. They alb
solutely dominate and control the Re
publican party. That party dares do
nothing which they oppose, and it stands
ever ready to do their bidding.
The dominion of these tariff protected
monopolies over the Republican party
has never been so plainly shown as dur
ing the present Congress- by the course
of that party in the matter of Cuban
reciprocity; in the matter of it's failure
and refusal to enforce the Federal anti
trust laws; and in the matter of it's re-
fusal to permit the consideration or en-
actment of any legislation looking to the
removal of duties on trust made goods,
or the reduction of duties on goods sold
cheaper abroad than at home.
When Congress met last December.
everybody admitted our obligation to
Cuba, our duty to see that this new Re-
public, which we had brought into ex-
istence, which had been devastated and
bankrupted by war, which by the Plat
had lost its freedom of treaty
and foreign intercourse, should be we'll
and safely launched. Her only hope of
recuperation lay in her sugar crop. She
had no market except ours for this CROP
and the duty upon sugar imposed by
our tariff laws was SO high it could not
be sold here except at a loss upon the
cost OF production. In these conditions
the President, voicing the sentiments of
the people, declared that reduction of
these tariff rates was a duty and ma
tional obligation Both Democrats and
Republicans in the House of Representa-
tives Joined in passing a relief measure;
but they added to the bill an amendment
reducing the duty on. refined sugar, a
trust product, just as the bill reduced
the duty on raw sugar, a farm product
This was fair manifestly and eminently
just, but it did not suit the sugar trust.
1t was willing, indeed anxious. to have
the duty on raw sugar reduced so it might
get 1T cheaper, but it would neither con-
sent nor permit any reduction of the duty
on its own product. There was not day
its own product. There was not day
during the past session of Congress
when this bill, with this antitrust
amendment, could not have passed the
Senate, but rather than offend the sugar
trust, the administration forces in the
Senate abandoned the whole scheme of
Cuban reciprocity and would not permit
the bill to come TO vote And SO If