The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-10-02
Successfully Answered.
JUDGE W0MACK'S GREAT SPEECH AT
SMITHFIELD.
A MasterIy and Convincing Reply to
the Charges Brought by Prftchard
and the Republican Platform Against
the Democratic Party and Admins
tration,
Raleigh Post.

Raleigh Post.
No one at all acquainted with pub
lie affairs or with the gentleman, can
question Senator Pritchard's ability
or his capacity for shrewd political
management, but we must say that
he lost his grip woefully when he
accepted the Juggling Of figures. pre-
pared evidently by some one who is
more adept at Juggling than sincere
in his confidence in or respect for the
people, as basis for his charges of
Democratic extravaganza and chal-
lenge for comparison Of Democratic
with Fusion administration. SO
when we read the speech and plat
form which the Senator turned loose
at Greensboro, noted his charges and
his challenge aud the figures relied
upon to sustain them. We knew right
then we had met the enemy and he
was ours.
The Post has intruded some figures
| and facts, taken from the records,
upon the attention of the Senator
during the past few days, but Judge
Womack, in his speech at Smithtield
Tuesday. was simply merciless in his
exposure of the gross errors OF state
ment and figures of the Green sboro
speech and platform of the Republi-
cans. Not only the public in general
but the taxpayers in particular will
read the statements and conclusions
contained in the inastcrfni exposition
OF Republican-Fusion mismanage-
m. Mt and the successful efforts OF the
Democrats in dealing with the Fusion
deficits, meeting urgent demands
upon the Christian philanthropy OF
the people at the same time without
any increase of the rate OF taxes levied
upon the people.
1t was very artful on the part OF
our Republican friends to charge
against the Democratic administra-
tion and legislatures expenditures
which Fusion acknowledgement and
Fusion recklessness in administration
contracted but left to Democrats tC
provide for.
Judge Womack shows that thi:
mismanagemeut and unnecessary cx
, travaganca on the part OF the Fusion
government, from 1895 to 19O1-the
Fusion legislature controlling thu
. purse strings in 1895 and 1896, ant
a Fusion Governor, Legislature anC
Supreme Court controlling during
1897 and 1898, and a Fusion Governo
and Supreme Court in 1899 and 19O'
connection especially with the pen
itentiary, useless litigation and ex
penses, cost the State more than tn
appropriation by the Democrats TO
permanent improvements and en-
largement OF our penal and charlta
. bic institutions amount to, and bu
for this waste of money and Fusio'
= debts which the Democrats had t
= meet, the revenues Of the State woul
{ have promptly met every expendi
ture and all the increased appropris
tions without the increase OF tn
rate of public taxation upon tn
people one mill In other words
:. notwithstanding the increased appro
priations and expenditures for educs
ton, Confederate soldiers and insan
asvlums of 1906, ,520.71 in 1899, 1870
and 1901 more than the Republican
appropriated or expended for thes
objects in 1897 and 1898, Judge W.
mack shows from the records tn;
but for the amount wasted in or
way and another by the Fusionis'
the revenues would have met ever
appropriation. So the deficit OF $500
900 which will have to be met ne'
: winter, is fully covered by the deb
J. which the Fusionists turned over
Il the Democratic legislatures OF 1Ss
o and 1901. Every figure is taken fro
. the official records, every compariso
- faithfully made, every circumstan'
commented upon. 1t is fearful a
l raicnment of the misrule to whlt
" the people were subjected whl
- Fusion held sway. but it was reckles
y " invited by the Republicans
Greensboro and is demanded in vi
dication of the truth Of history al
defence of honest efforts by the Der
ocratic administration to give Il
~ people ''clean, able and economic
government