The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-04
''PaIaces" for Public Ser
wants."

wants."
One Of orr exchanges rails at the leg
~;~larure Tor appropriating an almost re-
.pectable sum of money to build a de-
cent habitation for the Governor OF n.
C.. The great shame to North Carolina,
through its legislature, is that the latter
las listened to this howl OF the populace
for a false economy.
The cheap-John system has gone too
far and prevailed too long in this com
~monwealth. especially in the matter oil
official salaries. A Governor who Is
mo- worth a good house q fair support
would do better for the State if he turn
his attention { private affairs and one
who is wortl. these. Is too good Tor a
state which is stingy enough to be-
grudge him the dignified comfort his po-
sition and his services deserve. hare
Messenger. (Episeopdt.)
Tie above is surely an unfortunate
paragraph. The taxpayers OF North
Carolina may be "populace,' II the
. Legislature may be subject TO cheap
John influences, but we don't view 1t
that way. North Carolina was among
the first to buildLandsome public build
ings. asyiums, etc. She had. ten years
90, more money in public works than
any State of her population IN the
Union. She has lavished money in all
directions.
As for the Governors mansion the
rule you mention would exclude nearly
all the Governors since the war. What
one of them made money while ''attend-
ing to his private affairs ?" Vance was
born in a log farm house. Reid wore
copperas breeches. Worth was the
~plainest of Quakers. Holden rode into
Raleigh with his clothes tied up in ali
handkerchief seeking a post as printers
apprentice. Brogden vas a farmers
son. Jarvis did not earn $500 a year
when he entered politics. There are
not one dozen lawyers in the State who
earn as much as he now receives. The
only wealthy governors We have ever
had inherited their money.
There are not a dozen lawyers, or
other professional men, in the State to-
day who earn in actual cash from their
professions as much as the Governors
income yearly. Yet will any n say
they do not live comfortably, hand
somely, and with dignity?
The Governor of North Carolina gets
a good deal more than $4,000 a year.
He has certain rentals, furniture, allow
! ances for clerks, free passes, ETC., which
enable him to live comfortably and re-
| specially if he chooses. That is all
that any State should allow its servants;
| at any rate until that State ceases to
| scale its debt, and neglect public schools,
md complain of tares, and publish its
poce,ty to the world IN other manners,
Raleigh is full of handsome resi-
dences. DR.. w. j. Hawkins has a
| palatiai mansion, Col. Heck an hand
some one, Col. A. B. Andrews another.
Mai. Tucker another, and so on. But
any of them could be rebuilt for 800
300. Whereas the proposed Cover
nors Palace (for ''plow-boy'' occu-
pants will very likely exceed 800, OOO
ere it is finished, furnished, and fur
hished! And when completed, none
but very rich men can afford to occupy
it. For our part We think the Cover.
nor ought to be decen,ly lodged, and
reasonably paid. But there is enough
of corruption, jobbery, trickery wire
pulling. etc. in politics already without
having every greedy deinagogue schem-
ing to be governor in order to enjoy the
fat salary and gorgeous trappings of the
office. The State which has the largest
number of person unable to read and
write has no need for purple and fine
linens.
From the News and Observer
Lend us your ears. We North Carolin.
ians. The census shows that among
all the States and Territories the per-
centage of illiteracy among the white
people of North Carolina is greatest
with the single exception of New Mexi-
CO.. a raw. half-civilized Territory. Is
this not shameful? 31-5 per cent O
tchtte people. North Carolinians. over
ten years of age unable to read, 3l-7 pei
cent unable to write their names. Vir.
ginia's percentage is but Is per cent
Is there not a volume in these figures
Compare with ours the per centage o.
Massachusetts. 6 per cent; of Ohio, 5
per cent; of Michigan, 4 per cent, Of
those who cannot read! 2 per cent. OF
those cannot write !; of California / and
= per cent. Bear in mind that W.
speak of the white people. Can we not
remOye this stiJma