The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-18
More About Palaces for Picw-Soy
Servants Of tho PeoPie--6e
ware, ye Democratic Edi-
tors, How you Talk

Scarcely a week passes wherein the
suggestion is not made that the Farmer
and Mechanic ought to be expedited to a
Daily. And very often we are tempted
TO the attempt; simply because the op-
portunities of a Weekly. both for dong
good. and for correcting error.-ares so
limited; particularly at a political
railroad. and telegraphic centre like
Ralcigh.-where one topic quickly
drives out another.
The appearance of the Farmer and
Mechanic on Thursday last was followed
bv an amusing demonstration IN two
directions. First came an extract from
the deliberations of the Jarvisian
Gil in regard to building a Governor 5
mansion, forthwith and then from the
Doily Neus-O bserrer. a toploftlcal.
oracular editorial. rebuking a portion OF
the Democratic press of the State in this
wise:-
IL ABBtolC bAAtL AANt S00oNSNACA 'Nac
.sby the Farmer and 4HechaHic, that the
cost Of the Governors Mansion would
first and last very likely exceed $780,
1000, has found credence among some
''of our exchanges. We had hardly
supposed that any of our Democratic
brethren would be betrayed into sup
posing that such a thing could possIb-
'.ly be. 1t would not be in keeping with
''either Democratic principle or Demo
cratic practice. lille 1t Is
mot unnatural for those who desire that
1.-THE Democratic party shall lose the
confidence of the people. to give cur
'.rency TO the suggestion of the Farmer
..dnd Mechanic that 1.-The Governors
mansion will very likely exceed $780,
900 ere it is finished, furnished and
'~.furbished," yet it does seem a little
unnatural for Democratic papers to be
telling their readers now what tl.ey
certainly viii take pleasure in contro-
''verting hereafter"
A-aw!, Really?
DO Democratic papers make Il prac-
tice of .'controverting" at one time what
they hid ''told their readers" ut anotil-
er?
We leave this conundrum for the con-
sideration of our brethren of the Will
mington Star, Statesville L~aHudmdrk.
and other Democratic journals, which
opposed the Palace project. and whose
estimate of ihe cost equaled our own,
and whose individual judgment and po-
litical forecast we should account fully
equal to that of the Necs- O6scrrer, not
withstanding that it is the SURVIVOR OF
two Organs of the party" (upon which
much money was spent). and holds the
title of Printer to the State. and is owned
by such talented gentlemen as Capt.
Ashe, Receiver Calling, and Go"
1t may sound like vanity, but we VEN
ture to assert the belief that if it were
left to a vote of the people.-n any one
of the 900 townships in North Carolina,
"a large majority of those who do NOT
desire that the Democratic party shall
lose public confidence'-would vote
with the Farmer and Mechanic against
the whole project.
The Neus- Obsercer'S surprise that any
of its Democratic brethren could lie
.~'6etrdyed into supposin5 that such a
ikiny coald possibly de."-as to naIc
the cost of a public building exceed the
original appropriations lis very amusing
if intended as a piece of "sarkasum
but has been the text for a good deal OF
surprise among those Who imagine
the remark was put forth in serious ness.
That paper adds-''To do 80. wouldnot
be in keeping with either Democratic
principle, or Democratic prdctiee."
Wouldn't it? Hear to that now!
Let us look at Il few illustrations OF
practice ;" saying nothing as to the
"prlncjrlc, Lecause il some cases
there was no lack of principle, butmeIc-
ly an error Of judgment.
There is not. so far as we recollect. a
single State building or work of Public
Improvement. which failed to very
largely exceed the original estimates.
The State Capitol was to cost So
600, and not a dollar more. In two
years $4,000 more was demanded. The
Legislature growled. but finally voted it
to save what had already been spent
Two years passed and $4,000 was de-
manded to 'finish.'' OF course it had
to be given to save the al4O. 600. And
so the demands kept coming. year after
year. until the total cost exceeded S4O0,-
600!
Then came the Insane Asylum.
Then the Deaf, D. and b. Asylum.
Then the State Railroads and canals.
And thousands and teus of thousands
of dollars were piled upon the original
estimates.
Coming down to ante-bellum periods
we find the same practice in rogue
The State P~enitentiary was to cost. we
believe, one hundred thousand dollars !;
and has already cost nearly half a mil
lion, and is not finished.
The Western Insane Asylum was or.
dered in 1877, and the writer, as a menu
Der of the Legislature, voted for it after
hearing scores of speeches stating its
cost at also, 600 to $l80,O0O. Whereas
it has already cost close to half a mill
lion, and n wing remains unfinished.
The Western \. c. r. r. had zap
preparations" year after year until Col.
Walter Clarke's 'Mud-Cut'' circular
opened the eyes of the taxpayers, and
called a halt.