The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-03-23
Lily Defends Rohfnson.

Lilly defends Robinson" is the
headline with which the Parkers-
( burg State Journal introduces an ac-
count OF the Lilly speech at Sutton,
and the Petersburg papers report
OF that speech indicates that the
alleged defense" was OF the same
kind as that extended by jacob TO
his friend Amasa, as related in the
twentieth chapter Of Second Samuel,
ninth and tenth verses. The Lilly
defense consisted largely in vicious
attack on the "RepublIcanIsm" OF
Judge Robinson because OF one of
his dissenting opinions. The praise
bestowed by Mark Anthony on the
motives OF BrutuB was sincerity IT.
self In comparison with the Lilly dis
cussion OF the Robinson opinion in
the registrar cases from BraxtOn
county. BY the way, how long is II
since the State Journal was having
daily cat-flts because some irreverent
individual had invaded the sacred
precincts of the supreme court" by
30 much rs making a public refer
ence to Judge RobInson's dlssentIng
opinions In the celebrated strike
cases?
Aside from this incursion into
"the sacred precincts" however, in
the enthusiasm of his defense" Of
Judge Robinson. the attorney gener-
al assured the voters Of Sutton that
he differed with part OF the ad-
mtnistration on fiscal affairs" Re-
ferring to the Legislative sessions he
says:
II did not believe then. and
do not believe now, that we
should increase the state tax
rate forty per cent. The Re-
publican party in West VIr-
glnia Is committed to low tax
rate for state purposes. | have
always been In accord with the
tax system lnaugurated by Gov
ernoryVhltc and the late Gov
ernor Dawson upon which the
Republican party won many
victories, and in my platform
. am committed to rigid llmi-
tatlon of levies."
And this Is the language of the
same A. A. Lilly whose namn Is
signed to a statement dated March
s, 1916. appearing in the Senate
Journal OF the first extraordinary
session, page sc, in which 1t is set
forth that new revenues to the
amount Of one million dollars a year
were needed to meet the deficit in
the state treasury and provide prop
erly for the maintenance OF the state
institutions. Over the name OF this
same LILLY 1t was further stated that
anincrease of the direct state tax rate
to forty per cent would yield only
half enough to meet the states needs
for revenue. yet the man who signed
that statement was soon afterward
lined up with the Democratic sena-
tors and their allies who asserted
that there was no need OF additional
revenue and urged that the state
should default in the payment of
moneys appropriated rather than
levy additional taxes on special priv
ilege.
Hand in glove with this man. who
says that he has always been In ac-
cord with the tax system inaugurated
by Governor White and the late Gov
ernor Dawson" are the very
forces, Democratic and near-Demo-
cratic, which have always been the
uncompromislng foes Of the Dawson
tax laws. Is 1t any wonder that Cen
eral Lilly Is accused Of attacking the
Republican administration, and Is 1t
any wonder that the Lilly "defense'
of Judge Robinson presents all the
appearance OF blow "under the
NTH rib" by the hand Of a treacher-
Gus foe?