The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-09-30
HIS TARIFF SPEECH
R|DDLED
PritChard Meets With a + rost
at Smithfield.
Craig Tries to Make Him Say Whether He
Will Vote For the Richardson Resolu-
ton Against Trusts.
Especial to eNws and Observer

it was whitening in it's effect, especially
upon some buds of political promise that
have terminated in the minds of Sena-
tor Pritchard and his followers.
The truth of the matter is that Sena-
tor Pritchard has fallen into an error.
that all he had to do was to get togetli-
er a crowd of these sturdy thinking white
North Carolinians, eschew the negro and
preach the Republican doctrine Of high
protection and convert them in scores.
He forgot that he is treading in the
footsteps yet awhile, perfectly discernible
all over this land, of the immortal Vance
who in tones of thunder taught these
people for twenty years the evils of high
tariff protection. He forgets how this
loved and honored tribune OF the masses
spent his life in honest, earnest and able
effort to lift the burden off the people
which had been placed upon them by the
tariff tax harons of the greedy hosts Of
Republicanism.
He forgets the great lessons the pco-
pie learned on this question by listening
to the powerful oratiOns of Ransom, Jar
Wis, Waddell, Fowle, Glenn, Steadman.
Coke, Holt and other departed and living
opponents of the doctrine of genuine De-
mOcracy.
Perhaps the mistake is not entirely or
the Senator's making. He has perhaps
been misled by a few whose memory Of
Vance and these other heroes has been
yelled by newly acquired ideas of po]iti-
cal doctrine, but the Senator is finding
out that the memory of the masses is
moro lasting and endurable; that when
they change at all they change slowly
and with cautious elaboration. The
North Carolinian, be he from the busy
mart or the rural region, is q thinker.
He thinks more than the Senator thinks
he thinks. He may not have the time
or the opportunity to delve deep into de-
tails, but he has time and natural talent
enough. be he lettered or unlettered, to
think for himself and TO make up a
healthy, wholesome and safe general
opinion on matters, however intricate
or likely to effect his interest. He knows
in a general way that high tariff taxes,
even though they be lowed and collected
! Indirectly, have a tendency TO enrich the
| few and burden the many.
I say that Senator Pritchard has fallen
into this error because in his speech his
whole text is protection. and almost his
entire discourses are vigorous tempt
to inculcate this protective tariff doc
trine into the minds of the people.
There is some force in a few features Of
his argument. When he says that he is
against the New England demand for
free raw material and high tariff on the
manufactured product and couples these
Two propositions together, he has the
sympathy Of those who study the problem
but that does not disturb the Democratic
doctrine OF tariff for revenue as it applies
to both the raw material and the manu-
featured product, and these things are
what brought the frost that withered
Senator Pritchard's new buds of politi-
| cal promise in the grand old rock-ribbed
| county of Johnston.
Mr.. Craig opened today's debate; he
exeelled his yesterdays speech. He
aroused the Johnston Democrats to ex-
ultant enthusiasm. He, in his opening,
riddled the Senator's tariff speech and
tried again in vain to make the Senator
say whether or not he would vote fol
the Richardson resolution to cut away
! the Senator's trust cancer. To the great
amusement OF the crowd he termed the
Senator a new cancer doctor. the idea
being suggested on yesterday when some
one slipped into Senator P~Iitchard's
hand during Mr.. Craig's speech an adver-
tisement, headed Cure for cancer Mr..
Craig fully considered the Senator's
claim that protection had brought pros
perity. He alluded to the profitable cul-
ture of tobacco BY our people and de
clared that if the trusts would let them
alone the people would continue to be
prosperous, but let us see what another
one of Senator P~ritchard's trust cancers
is trying to do. You have had competi-
tion on your own market for your to-
bacco.' Then he read q newspaper specia'
showing that in London the two great to-
bacco companies We're trying to organize
one of Senator Pritchard's d%evouring can
GERS to deoress the price of the farmers
tobacco.
Mr.. Craig's bright and humorous sallies
were greatly enjoyed.
He told, with telling effect, how The
Republicans in the last LEGISLATURE voteC
to a man against the legislative enact
mant providing for a permanent roll, sc
that the illitcrate white man might for
ever vote. Tell these people Senator
Pritchard, did you endorse that action
He was powerful and effective agar
in his reference to State matters. He
stunned the Senator again with his allu-
sions to Confederate pensions and Re
publican State control.
His speech was vociferously applauded
Senator Pritchard followed largely witt
his same protection speech. He at
tempted and made vigorous efforts tC
recover from the effects of Craig's pow.
erful speech, and get the attention Of thc
crowd to tedious tariff figures.
Re had but few sympathizers in tn,
crowd and~he received but slight demon.
s%tration of applause, but they listened
with marked respect. His speech wa.
perhaps as strong as it was at kinston
but it fell on as deaf ears as it did il
Kjnston.
Major Grant, of Goldsboro, Collector
Duncan and other Federal officers accom-
panied him to Kinston and came Will
him also to Smithfield.< and these were
augmented here by U. s.. Marshal Dock
cry and others from Raleigh.
Senator Pritchard is also accompanied
on his campaign by his brother, Mr.. Geo
n. Pritchard. of Mitchell county.
The contest here today was anothe,
' n6nonrCotio ;otD, "a = +Lono