The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-09-03
Hon. Charles r Thomas Speaks.
(snecial to News and observer.)

(Special to News and Observer
Burgaw, N. c., Sept. 2.-Congressman
Charles R. Thomas, in his speech here
Yesterday said among other things;
When the Republican party in their
Greensboro platform referred TO the aa-
ministration of the State government Dy
the Republicans and Populists as clean,
they neutralized in great measure the
effect of every other plank in their pl2t-
form. The people remember too well the
fragrant misrule and scandals OF that az
ministration. We accept most Willingly
, their challenge and the people will never
sustain them upon that issue.
Their declaration in the Greensboro
platform is: IF Senator Simmons ana
Governor Aycock will keep their prom
ises to the people the negro question
will be out of the realm of politics, etc.
THE realm of politics, said MR.
Thomas, is a very wide realm. and this
declaration of the Republican platform
leaves the Republican leaders the loop
hole and opportunity to do as they please
The purpose is to secure a division OF
| the white vote if possible, by this am
biguous platform declaration.
Until we are sure of our position, II
| is the duty of white men and Democrats
| to stand together for the protection OF
the amendment and for good government.
He showed the record of the Democratic
party in North Carolina since Fusion
rule; the additional expenditures charged
I'D to us by our opponents as reckless
extravaganza were for education, charity,
| the Confederate soldier. We have given
| the children of the State a four months
school: we have housed the insane in
the iails in asylums, where they can
| have the benefit of Gods air and sun
| light; we have spent for all these worthy
objects but little more than the Repub-
lican party in Congress has appropriated
An North Carolina annually to pension
deserters from the Confederate army.
The whole additional tax for all these OBJ
(iects imposed by the Democratic party
would be thirty cents for each one of our
population. How insignificant this small
amount compared with the objects of the
appropriation. Will they charge US with
extravaganza" when, if we borrowed to
meet the needs of the State two hundred
thousand dollars they left a deficiency of
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars,
selling the, States bonds accumulated
for the sinking fund and running the
penitentiary behind one hundred and ten
thousand dollars.
The issues of the campaign
are. all embodied in the State
Democratic platform In the State
they are protection of the amendment
and good government to which the DEM
| ocratic party pledges itself in its State
platform.
| "
common consent in North Carolina and
the nation, tariff reform, trusts and the
| foreign policy of the Republican party,
| colonial system.
| Never before has the Republican party
drifted so far in the direction of abso-
| lutte surrender to special interests and
| the strong centralized government. 1t
regards the Constitution as a piece of
india rubber to be. stretched to suit Re-
publican ideas and theories. When it
suits them it is to be construed to per-
NIT bounties and robbery of the Ameri-
can taxpayers and consumers by the
highest kind of tariff, SO that the trusts
may flourish; so that one half of the
Republic shall be free States and Terri
tories and citizens and the other part
lSldDQ possessions anu COlOulSIS.
MR.. Thomas discussed tariff reform,
showing that goods manufactured by the
trusts and highly protected manufactur
ing interests are sold from 25 to 40. in
some instances one hundred per cent
cheaper in foreign markets, than to the
American consumer and taxpayer.
Referring to the trusts, Mr.. Thomas
showed the insincerity of the Republican
party on this great question by, First
The growth of the trusts under the Ding
ley law and the Mckinley and Roosevelt
administrations. Second-The surrender
to the Sugar trust when the Cuban re-
ciprocity bill was before Congress last
winter. Third-Failure and the refusal
of the Republican party to pass any
anti trust law or to strengthen the Sher-
man law of 1890.
He then took up the foreign policy Of
the Republican party, and discussed fully