The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-04-08
CASE OF SOUR GRAPES
What Was Treasurer Bailey Going to
do With All That Money?
WHY THE REPUBLICANS WANT OCTOBER
The Democrats Chose May Because They Want
ed 10 Avoid the Evils Of The Payment
Of Poll Taxes Out Of the
Campaign Funds.
Campaign Funds.
Especial to News and. O%bseryer.)

Especial to News and. Observer
Washington, D. G., April 1O.-State
Chairman Simmons, speaking Of the
| statement in the open letter of Republi-
can State Chairman Pritchard concern
ing the payment Of poll tax, to the effect
that he was Informed that the leaders
of the Democratic party proposed to try
to induce the County Commissioners in
the various counties where they are in
control to release from aymen of poll
tax all those who failed to pay their tax
on or before the 1st day of May, pro-
vided they will agree to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket, etc. said that clearly
Senator Pritchard's informant was
either some irresponsible party or an
INSCRIPTIONS confidence man, and ex-
pressed surprise at the child credul-
ity of the Senator in allowing himself
to be imposed upon by such a simple
story, and at his tolerance in giving au-
dience to these irresponsible persons
who started it.
Referring to the Republican chairman's
statement that his party would not pay
the poll tax for Republican white and
colored voters who might fail to pay it,
but would vote the Republican ticket if
it was paid for them, Mr.. Simmons said
that it looked very much like a case of
sour grapes.
1T is rather laughable,' he said, that
the Republican committee, after failing
in its efforts to raise the necessary cor
ruption fund to pay this tax and get
ting caught. and not only exposed, but
getting in trouble with the Civil Service
Commission at Washington, should
now attempt to make a virtue out OF
necessity by crying out: 1t is wrong to
do such a thing as We intended to do,
and therefore we will not do it
He said it would be interesting to have
=, Republican Treasurer Bailey tell the
people of North Carolina if he did not
intend to use the money which Pope, the
committees agent, was trying to raise
for the purpose of paying poll tax, what
he intended to do will this large sum
Of money so far in advance of the cleo
ton and the beginning of the campaign,
for, at the rate the little Madison post
master was assessed, this fund TOR the
State out of Federal officeholIers alone
would have been at least ten or fifteen
thousand dollars. 1t would, therefore,
seem to be, said the Senator, up to
Treasurer Bailey.
Continuing his comments upon the Prit-
chard letter Senator Simmons said he
was not at all surprised that the Repub-
lican committee disapproved of hat part
of the amendment which required po.>
tax to be paid by the 1st day of May,
and showed it's preference for the 1st
day of October as the limit for the pay
ment of this tax. The Democrats fixed
upon May, because they knew there
would be no campaign on at that time,
and as there would be no campaign funds
in hand and no candidates who were in
terested in paying these taxes for the
voter, the demoraliZing effect of having
this tax paid by candidates and commit
tees would be avoided. He said the very
thing which the Democrats sought to
provide against, in fixing upon May in
stead of q later month, has happened in
the effort of the Republicans to raise q
fund to pay this tax, and the failure
Of that effort shows that the Democrats
calculated wisely when they assumed
that a corruption fund could not be easily
raised hat long in advance of the
election.
Of course, he said, the Republican
committee would prefer October to May,
because in October there will be no
trouble about their raising all the money
necessary for this purpose. The State
and national campaign would then be in
full blast. In addition to the large sums
they could raise in the State from can
dldates and Federal office-holderS, the
National Committee, with millions at its
command, would readily supply it with
whatever sum they might need for this
purpose. In short, he said, the Demo-
Gratis chose May, because they wanted to
avoid the evils of the payment of these
taxes out of campaign funds, and the
Republicans want October because then
Tho CON ~ -,
may need for this purpose.
SO far as the poll tax feature of the
amendment DISTINGUISHING thirty or for
ty thousand white voters, as the Reuub-
lican chairman minated, is concerned,
Mr.. Simmons said the failure of a man
to pay his poll tax would not disfran-
chise him. He would simply lose his
vote in that event. because lie failed to
perform a public duty. The loss OF his
| vote would be the result OF his own act,
and If the loses it once in this way. he
: will be apt to discharge his duty co his
t State the next time. It is all nonsense,
t he said, to talk about thirty or fo~ty
t thousand white people not paying their
1 poll tax this year: that there would rot
be anything like half that number who
failed to pay their poll tax. In fact. he
expressed the opinion that more White
: people would pay that tax in North
Carolina this year than ever before, and
so far from the poor children losing any
thing on account OF this requirement of
:, the amendment, the resources of the
public schools from the poll tax would
be larger under this amendment than
;. had ever been before in the history of
the State.
8 In concluding, Mr.. Simmons said he
: was very glad to soc that the Republic
can committee, after trying the still