The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-08
GOV. HIGGINS IN BROOKLYN.
WELCOMED WITH CHEERS AND
FLAGS AT A BANQUET.

Arrives with Timothy l.. woodruff and
Makes an Address TO the Invincible
-.. Club-TelIs what the Republican Party
Has Done for the state OF New York.
For the first time in the history OF Re
publican politics in Brooklyn q Republican
Governor was dined in that borough last
night. The occasion was the eighteenth
annual dinner OF the ~Invincible Gu OF
which Chairman Lewis L. Fawcett OF the
Republican county committee Of Kings
county is president. The large banquet
hall in the Assembly in Pierrepont street
was the scene and several other rooms
had to be called into requisition owing to
the large number Of diners, over 500 in all.
The hall was tastefnlly decorated with
flags, while each Of the diners had as a
souvenir a small silk American flag. These
were waved while the diners cheered on
the arrival of the guest OF the evening,
Gov. Frank Wayland Higgins, who was ac-
c%ompanied by Timothy l.. Woodruff. Mr..
Woodruff met Gov. Higgins at the Waldorf
Astoria in the afternoon and then took him
to his home on Eighth avenue, Brooklyn,
in an automobile. They remained at MIR.
Woodruff's house until 8 o'clock. when they
started for the banquet hall.
At the guests table were seated Chair
man Lewis l.. Fawcett, Gov. Higgins.
former Lieutenant-G Governor Woodruff, Adj
miral Coghlan Of the United States Navy,
Lieut.. Gov. NJ. Linn Bruce, Attorney
General julius Mayer, the Rev. DIR. s. Parker
Cadman, President Cromwell of the bor-
ough of Richmond, Chairman Barnes OF
the State executive committee, Postmaster
Wilcox Of New York, Major-Gen. Henry,
County Judge Crane, formeryJustice William
w. Goodrich and State Public Works Com
missioner Franchot, In his opening address
Mr.. Fawcett said, In part:
Gov. Higgins: 1t is my very pleasant
privlleg e on this auspicious occasion to repre-
sent The Invincible Club and in its behaii
speak the warm and hearty welcome with
which you are greeted here.
We acknowledge with great pride that
through your thirteen years OF arduous pub
lie service your name has been a synonym
for honesty. for integrity, for independent
strength and for devotion to the public service.
The party which is led by those whom the
people will trust will always lead. You can
lead the people II you lead them right.
Let our party leaders give an attentive
ear to the wants and demands of the people
and be prompt in providing relief: swift In
action to wipe out evils; ever ready to cor
rect shortcomings discovered In our ranks.
and the party will always be firmly based on
popular support.
IL there ever was a time in the history Of
our party in this State when harmony should
prevail IL Is now, for we are on the eve OF
preparation for one of the most important
State campaigns ever known. The work
ahead OF us demands that something be done
TO infuse fresh life all along our party lines.
so that all Republicans will come together
in the old spirit Of amlty and lend earnest
efforts for the succes Of our party. II this
be done our continued predominance in the
State is assured.
Gov. Higgins was then introduced. He said
in part;
/ am glad to be here tonight with my
friend Gov. Woodruff. who wab my generous
rival at Saratoga and my no less generous
champion In the campaign that followed.
The Legislature. in response to a WIDE
spread demand, Is earnestly laboring with
the problem Of mortgage taxation. and that
question may still be regarded az an open
one. The Assembly has passed a recording
tax measure to take the place of the present
annual tax which was imposed last year in
lieu of the old unequal general property tax.
VIII ich no one now defends.
Individ ually ! claim no credit and I accept
no blame for the enactment OF the present
mortgage tax law. 1t was not recommended
by me, and Ia no more q Higgins law than
any one of the other $50 laws placed on the
statute books in the year 1905. j believed
that the bill was sound in principle and l
signed 1t.
An increased land tax is a reason for raising
rents. A uniform tax on mortgages may
for the time, at least. be an excuse for raising
the rate of interest. l believe that each
dollar Of wealth should contribute its Just
share toward the expense of Government
but tax laws must be practical and workable
as well as sound in theory. This one fails
in its purpose If. while making taxation GER
tain, 1t permits the lender permanently to-
shift the burden TO the borrower. The Re-
publican party, OF matters OF ia ration, favors
measures that add least TO the cost of living
Of our business and working men. and that
fall heaviest upon the tax dodger who Is able
but unwilling TO pay. With that policy l
am In cordial and complete accord.
We have given the city of New York an
eighty cent gas bill. We are putting the bust
| ness of insurance upon a satisfactory basis.
We are enacting laws for the welfare OF labor.
In all our legislation we must remember that
IL is even worse to go too far than not to 60
far enough: that laws that bring in their
wake financial panic and business depression.
that drive capital into concealment, that fetter
the hands Of industry. are not the laws which
will preserve our financial supremacy.
although in theory they may seem wise and
audable. The Republican party never lost
by having courage to do what was right it
never gained by trucking to the unreasonlng
prejudices Of the hour. The shadows murmur
when the deeps are dumb. When the fight
ing comes It is always a real man who enters
the arena and not the straw man which our
opponents love to label republicanism and
kick about the ring. We have no reason to
be faint hearted nor to apologize or equivocate
or retreat a single inch. We shall go'on as
of old, with full confidence that the American
people recognize intelligence, love courage
and admire manhood.
Addresses we're made by Lieut.. Gov. M.
Linn Bruce, former Lieut.: Coy. Timothy
l.. Woodruff, who discussed Direct Nomi-
nations" Attorney General Julius Mayer
and the Rev. DR.. 8. Parker Cadman.