The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-11
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 Z void the Evils Of the Payment
of Poll Taxes Out of the
H.os. E,,adn
Campaign Funds.
jecial to News and observer.)


Wa hington, D. c., 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 payment 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 Pritchards informant was
either some irresponsible party or an
INSCRIPTIONS confidence man, and ex-
pressed surprise at the child-like credul-
| ity of the Senator in allowing himself
to be imposed upon by such simple
story, and at his tolerance in giving au-
dience to uthese 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 thenb Mr.. Simmons said
that it looked very much like case. of
4 sour grapes.
"It 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
| Gov, ,t,,ic 81 rlA
now attempt to make 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 with this large sum
of money so far in advance of the cleo
tion and the beginning of the campaign,
for, at the rate the little Madison post
master was assessed, this fund for the
State out of Federal officehoders 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 that part
of the amendment which required po..
tax to be paid by the 1st day of May,
and showed its preference for the 1st
| day of October as the limit for the pay
ment Of this tax. The Democrats fixed
4 I.now
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 a later month"; has happened in
the effort of the Republicans to raise a
fund to pay this tax, and the failure
| of that effort shows that the Democrats
| calculated wisely when they assumed
| that corruption fund could not be easily
raised that long in advance of the
| election.
Of course. he said, the Republican
committee would prefer October to May,
trouble about their raising all the money
necessary for this purpose. The State
and national campaign would then be in
1ull blast. In addition to the large sums
they could raise in the State from can
didates and Federal office-nolders, the
National Committee, with millions at it's
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
they can command all the money they
maY need for this purpose
so far as the poll tax feature of the
amendment disfranchising thirty or for
ty thousand white voters as the Hepub-
ilcan chairman intimated, Is concerned
Mr. Simmons said the failure OF q man
to pay his poll tax would not digfran-
chiso him. He would simply lose his
vote In that event. because lie failed to
perform public duty The loss II his
vote would be the result cf his own act.
anW If he loses it orce in this way. he
Will be apt to discharge his duty 20 his
state the next time. Il is all nonsense,
. he said, to talk about thirty or fo-ty
thousand white people not paying their