Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-02-21
must necessarily make one or the other

must necessarily make one or the other
of these Connections.
Looking to Q solution OF the dif6-s
culties which the .'dead lock- in theI
affairs of the Western North CaroinaJ
Railroad brings about, twill be pro-
posed to refer the whole matter, 80 far
as the State is concerned, to Com
mission, composed of the Governor
and two other gentlemen, to be APP
pointed by the Legislature, who shall
have power to sell, or make other ar |
engagements for the protection OF the
States interest and the speedy COM
pletion of the work. I think such a |
proposition will be passed before the
adjournment.
It is to be hoped that those into whose
hands the destinies Of our Western
line of railway shall fall will, at least,
keep an eye open to this outlet, and be
ready to extend vigorous effort to
break the deadlock" and open the
rich mines of our mountains and the
vast products of the Ohio Valleyto our
port.
I viii speak of other matters of in
terest tomorrow. +.
The school Bfll-Wfl m N On's
Local Enterest-An Old Friend
Our Legislative Neighbors-Per-
sOnal.
RALEIGH, February 18th, 1873.
DEAR JOURNAL Among the most in
teresting subjects of discussion during
the past week in the General Assembly
was upon the passage of the School
Bill in the Senate. Mr. Warning, the
| able and bold Senator from Mecklen-
| burg, endeavored to amend the section
| imposing tax of ST cents on the hun
bred dollars worth of property, on the
ground of injustice to the tax payers
in counties like his own, which were
nearly evenly divided in population be-
tween the whites and the blacks, but in
which nine-tenths of the property was
owned by the whites. This Of course
would apply with still more force to
counties like New Hanover and Edge
combe, where the tax would bepaid by
one class of the population and the
money would be spent almost altogeth-
er in educating the children of the
other class. Mr.. Durham made a
manly, but fruitless effort to have the
whole section stricken out, with view
to incorporate it in the Revenue Bill,
wherein it is proposed to make the nom
payment of the poll tax amisdemeanor.
It is said that the colored Radicals are
very willing to vote to tax the prop
erty of the whites to educate negro
children, but will vote against the Rev
enue Bill, if the non-payment of the
poll tax is made misdemeanor, a.
though it is imposed for educational
purposes.
Although the School Bill, passed by
almost united Conservative vote, i'm
posing this tax, the "Era," the
Radical organ of the State, in its local
Columns of Saturday, has a mis-
chievols, if not an infamatory, article
: about "poor trash" and ':rich gentry, u
disgraceful alike to the columns of q
: respectable paper and to the party
! which tolerates such stuff.
There are several bills pending in
/ one or the other of the Houses of local
: interest to our people, mostly looking
to changes in our inspection laws.
There is danger, unless some one keeps
g careful watch, that some act, mi riri-
Gus alike to the vendor and vendee,
may be gotten through in the hurry and
confusion attending the close of the
session. 1t might be well for ou1
Chamber of Commerce to have we'll
informed representative here during
, the remainder of the session, in order
to answer satisfactorily the thousand
, questions which are asked of gentle
men from our city who happen to be
in Raleigh. There is no disposition to
do anything to hamper trade or affect
injuiously our varied interests. but
members from the interior are often at
q loss how to act upon questions, the
merits of which they know nothing
themselves, and concerning which
cannot get reliable information
I find tae Northwestern members of
both Houses, and some of the very best
an4 most industrious II the General
Assembly come from that section, are
very anxious to have railroad connec-
ton with our port, and hold out in
ducements to turn our road towards
their section. Senator Gudger, of Yam
| cey, IS sturdy as his native mountains;
Senator Ellis, Of Catawba, Industrious
and Jealous; Senator Fleming, of Nc
! Dowell, impetuous and pol;sheds Rep
resentative Jones, Of Caldwell, active
aud enthusiastic, and Representative
Bowman, Of Mitchell, clever and in-
telligent personally, but worship
ping strange and ihimical political
gods, poiA< ont with much fervor,
the rich productions OF Happy Val
ley" in Caldwell, and the ~sSt Xealth
of the mines of Mitchell, Yancey and
Watauga counties. I am much in
mind to accept the kind invitation of
Senator G1.dger to visit that section
next Summer. ard Let our people know
if the wonderful reports ct Cranberry
and other mines be really trne or only
mountain '' fish-stories."
| am glad to meet again an old and
valued friend, Colonel. w. Cunning
ham, the Senator from Person. No
more popular or estimable gentleman
lives. He was a young and honored
member of the Senate when Morehead,
and Avery, and Clark, and Worth and
Outlaw graced that Chamber. His
recent speech on the Constitutional
! e1,