Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1905-05-30
SPEECH OF CORnWELL
MERcILESs PRONUNCIATION OF
THE REPUBLICAN SCHEME
OF TAXATION.
STATE COMPETING WITH
JERSEY FOR BUSINESS.
LAklN REPRESENTS REPUBLICAN,
FACTION RESPONSIBLE FOR
NEW TAX LAWS.

Hon. John ]. Cornwell, in taking the
chair as temporary presiding officer OF
the Second district Democratic conven-
ton at Keyser. w. Va, paid his re-
spects to the Dawson faction of the
Republican party in speech of char
acteristic force and vigor. He said:
Gentlemen of the Conventions:
thank you for the honor you have done
me in calling me to preside over your
deliberations today.
We have assembled in the name OF
the militant Democracy of the Second
congressional district to nominate a
candidate to represent it in the lower
house of the Congress of the United
States 1t is to fill vacancy and for
special election, tbs true, hence some
of us may feel that it is matter of lit
tie Importance, inasmuch as the polit
ical status of the House of Representa-
tives will not be changed by the result
in this district, whatever the result
may be. II such a suggestion has come
to us we should put it aside, for sure
ly, my friends. there never was time
when the people of the country should
be more active in the selection of pub
lie officers than at the present. There
never was time when there was so
great necessity for their carefully scru
tinizing the character of the men they
elect to the law-making bodies, both
State and national.
Conditions in this country have vi
tally changed in the past fifty years
and are still undergoing rapid changes
Never was there before such huge
aggregations of capital with such far
reaching interests in legislation and
the control of legislative bodies. These
interests are always alert and active
in the selection of members of your
Legislatures and of Congress. They
are not content even with that, but
they are able to employ, and do en-
ploy, the best legal talent to represent
them there. on the outside, while you
have only your representative to look
after your interests. These aggrega-
tions of capital, some of them, owe
their position in the financial world,
their enormous wealth and power, ex-
clusively to special legislation enact
ed for their benefit and they will not
be slow to oppose, with all their pow
err any legislation looking to surren.
der of the legislative privileges that
have been given them.
Protection" FalIacy.
They have been, for years past, tax
ing from the pockets of the people
enormous fortunes and called it "pro
lection to American labor That is
so far as national affairs are con
cerned. In our State they have inaug
urated new system of taxation, by
which they propose to support the
State government by special taxes
and they have dominated that tax re
form" One system is about as unfair
as hurtful to the masses, as the other
| assert here and now that there il
but one just, equitable and at the same
time legal way to raise revenue for thu
maintenance of our State government
aside from the license tax on liquors
fines imposed for violations of the Law
and very few other privileges. I sa!
legal way. because the Supreme Cour
of the United States has held that al
income tax is unconstitutional ant
therefore cannot be legally imposed
Hence, say that the only legal ant
at the same time equitable way t
raise revenue for the maintenance o
your State government, aside from tn
few other sources l have named, is b.
taxing every man and corporation upol
the amount of property that man o
corporation owns. In other words,