The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-07-12
HENDERSON, N. c.. THURSDAY, JULY 12 1906

-URSDAY, JULY l
publican Nationa. I.,h Il
most instances they provary
!; punishment OF the corporation w.
) violates the law by a fine, an enor
nous fine all the way from 800 tt
So, 900 That is about like finins
the man who commits murder all th,
way from one cent to fifty cents.
Now, i'll what l am going to say,
think 1 speak for my party. l know
| am speaking for myself. ] hav,
not the time Or you the patience fol
a discussion of all the wrong, ruiz
and disaster wrought by the moderr
trust or monopoly, and l shall leave
this question with you with a single
suggestion. You will never stot
! these creatures from violating thu
law by merely imposing a fine. Yor
will never stop them from violating
the law until you make every man
who has any part or lot in the crime
guilty, as we'll as the corporate entity
itself, and you will never stop the
men who hide behind the corporation
until you provide for their imprison.
ment along with other criminals who
are guilty of high crimes.
What becomes of the poor, igno.
rant, weary, footsore creature who
steals a few pounds of bacon or few
measures OF meal? A felon's cell
stripes, stripes, stripes-that is the
sure fate which awaits him if he is
found guilty.
What becomes OF the trust mag.
nate who in violation of law has ex-
torted his millions from the great
army of American people whom the
Republican party has delivered to
him as prey? He is fined a few dol
lars, if he is prosecuted at all, which
is quite unlikely. He pays his fine
and then directs his selling agents to
shade prices a little higher to the
people of the community in which be
is convicted, who shortly are COM
PEELED to put back into his pocket far
more than the trif1ing fine he has
been required to pay.
Fellow citizens: Ours is a trust
ridden, trust-cursed country. 1t will
not do to say that because we are
temporarily prosperous nothing
must be done But for our natural
advantages and blessings the lot OF
the poorer classes of our fellow citi-
zens would be hard indeed
l remember few years ago when
poverty and ruin were upon us
when hunger had forced it's grim
presence into many an American
hOme-when the farmer was forced tc
sell his cotton and wheat at a price
which would not pay for making it
All this under Republican laws-and
while a Republican administration
was in power. Godgrant that those
dark days are gone forever, but
while we are prosperous let us not
lie supinely down and permit our
selves to be robbed because we are
prosperous. Let us prepare for the
evil day which may come. Let US dc
no injustice to the corporations OF
even the trusts, but let them be
forced to obey the law.
If reelected [ shall hope to perform
some humble part in the framing O
just and righteous legislation to re-
lieve our fellow citizens of the bur
dens they bear-to prevent discrimi
nation against them, to guard care
fully the public funds.
In the future, as in the past ]
shall endeavor to represent faithfully
all the people of my district. I shall
not violate the propriety of the oc
casion by any recital OF my own
work in Congress, nor shall | detaiI
you by discussion of issues pertain
ing to the State. Somewhat weary
after the long session1 shall ask my
constituents to excuse me from the
campaign until cooler weather
Then l shall be ready to perform
whatever task my committee re-
quires.
The National Congressional Com
mittee has requested some of my
time, as no doubt it has requested o
my colleagues from this State, but
my present intention is to remain in
our own State during the campaign
Surely we will win again, for ouI
Governor has given us a good, clean
Observation-Disclosures a breath of scan.
dal anywhere.
And now, my friends, am deeply
grateful for this nomination. What
[ have done as a public servant is a
matter of record. l have done as ]
thought you would have me do.
may have made mistakes but l have
done on all occasions what believed
was right, and | come back to my
district and my people to whose
good every effort of my life is dedi.
Gated even as | left you-with hands
that are clean.