The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-06-23
THE DUTY OF
IS THAT IT GOFORWARD
Hon. A. L. Brooks, In Reply to Hon. Cameron Morrison,
Sets Out the Absolute Need of Progressive Measures
for the Party

oiy fot ny the party. SHOWS tndt tnelr
conception of a party's duty is not TO
lead and 10 serve. but 10 keep siieTt
uhtll II Is certain which way the ma
1Orlty or the people are, and then
jump in and carry off the offices. III
TINS undertaking they are willing to
include all Offices. county, as Well as
State and national.
Mr.. Morrison says that the party
when our convention assembled con-
tronted d most delicate situation" We
entirely agree with that. The differ
ence is that / though it best to deal
with it, and Mr.. Morrison thought it
best TO dodge it. In other words, the
ultra conservatives thought it was bet
ter politics TO coon the log and just
take a little primary along and re-
Ject some, take n Constitutional
Amendment and keep silent on nine.
The trouble about that course is that
you can not compromise a principle
or evade a duty. The legalized pri
mary is a principle, ard if good for
State and national offices is ever bet
ter for county and Legislative Offices,
ecauS these Off eS are at our door.
Amendments Are Democratic.
The proposed amendments TO the
constitution submitted by d Demo
cratic Legislature and urged by d dele
cation of progressive Democrats upon
the Platform Committee imposed a
duty upon the party to either endorse
them or reject them. A Democratic
legislature, together with a Demo-
cratic Governor, appointed a special
committee to consider these amend-
mentS. and later q special session of
the Legislature was called and the
party spent thousands and thousands
Of dollars OF the peoples taxes in con-
siderlng and preparing these amend
mentS for submission. We are now
calmly old that it is not d party ques-
ton, and that the Democratic party
has not made up its mind on it, that
the voters don't understand it, and it
therefore should be non-partisan.
Many amusing things have come
under my observation in North Caro-
lima politics. but none compares with
my distinguished friend Morrison's
r suddenly becoming non-partiSan and
, asking Republicans to help us settle
the question of what our fiscal system
o in North Caroline shall be. Who ever
: heard Of a National Convention Of
Democrats asking the Republicans to
G help them WIlte a tariff tax law The
power to tax is the power to destroy
7 Many of h great wars OF history
have been Ought over he question
of taxation, and parties have always
divided on it, and to say that the
= Democratic party vii! not now SPEAK
upOn this question because they dc
= not understand it. or has not made ul
its mind, is a reflection upon the com.
l u dotS ~.
the two branches of the Legislature
and Governor Craig to consider thes.
amendments. | was in Raleigh sew
eral times while the special session
was considering the amendments ant
heard the debates. These gentlemen
spoke as if they understood them, ant
really [ did not know there was a
as much ignorance in n Legislature
and in the party about these amend
ments until Mr.. Morrison told US o
it. 1t may be that the voters gen
orally do not understand the amend
ments. They are not expected to un
Ill the party leaders advise them. Blu
who is to advise them about theS
amendments, and what sort OF adNlc
are you going to give? Mr.. Morriso
SAYS that it should be non-partisaT
therefore | suppose he anc O Set
tit. or some other able and distin
suished Republican. will canvas
North Carolina together, telling tn
people in unison how to vote +
the great questions - changing on
entire tax system in this State, or
SaniZed and promulgated by a Demo
cratic administration. But which sid
will they take? VIII they justif
running the State further in debt an
in spending the peoples money L
special committees at sumHler resor'
and special sessions of the LegiSls
ture? Will they advise The people I
vote against them because they al
bad? Or VIII they dlf1ef, as the Pafllf
always differed on questions Of tn
kind submit that after fatherir
these babieS we ought to Support the
and not abandon them to the merci'
of a non-partiSan support. Wink
Id everybody knows means death.
er Put Tie People In Charge.
n The situation in North Carolina
N. for more delicate than | fear Nj
nd Morrison and his ultra conServatl'
TX. associates realize. In the first piac
p there is a widespread feeling amor
v the masses that the party is dominate
by a few men who do not want Il
nd people to have complete charge Of ii
is party and government. l refer NJ
les Morrison and others Of like thong
to a recent collection of editorial cor
le- ments in The News and observer al
ir. the Greensboro News from dozens
it'll weekly papers throughout North Ga
be olira where this feeling is most stron
Of w declared. The voice OF the peoI
,ey thus expressed, if read, may tend
Of open the eyes Of Il few an1iahle &c
tlemen in North Carolina who ha