The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-09-30
DEMOCRATIC DOCTRINE.
ADDRESS OF THE DEMOCRATIC
STATE EX. COMMITTEE.
Chairman Battle Gives strong Reasons
why the Democratic Party Should be
Kept in Power.

battles Of democracy in this State
We nave now 50 long been accustomed
TO the blessings Of good Government, un
der Democratic rule, in North Carolina,
that we may be in danger Of forgetting
the horrors from which we emerged when
our party, by a grand uprising of our best
people, obtained control of the legislative
branch Of the State government fifteen
years ago. TO those who are old enough
to remember the reckless extravaganza,
the unblushing corruption, the defiant
lawlessnesS of the negro and carpet bag
sway, which all but ended IN war and
bloodshed, it seems like a hideous dream;
and in the enjoyment of the peaceful pres
ent and III the anticipation Of still
brighter future, they might prefer TO put
away the memory Of it all forever. But
as history is ever repeating itself, 1t IS well
to be reminded of the past and chat the
people who did these things once Will, II
opportunity is otfered, do the like again.
Undoubtedly he Democratic party is still
the party of virtue and intelligence III this
State, and 50 long us the ignorant blacks
continue to stand together in a solid pha-
lanx on one SIDE the intelligent white
men Of North Carolina are compelled BY
every consideration of prudence, and in
sheer self defence, to stand together on the
| other. They must see to it that they who
| pay the taxes shall have the controlling
voice in directing how these taxes are eN-
| pended. No fair minded man anywhere
| can find fault with them for this. We DO
not contend that We have made no mis-
| takes in the decade and half during
| which we have had control of legislation
/ in the State, but we do insist that our mis-
takes have been few and comparatively
unimportant, and that results on the
whole have been such as 10 command the
approval of all fair minded men. Our
State, in spite Of the poverty from which
| she has not yet recovered, has become re-
spected abroad, while at home peace, con
tentment and comparative prosperity and
happiness nearly everywhere prevail. We
found the public Treasury empty and our
credit bankrupt. We found that the IRE
sponsble strangers and our late slaves,
who with a few corrupt or ambitious ma
tive whites, had assumed, control OF our
finances, had III three years run up, in the
| name of the State, an immense fraudulent
debt to pay the interest on which they
levied enormous taxes from an lmpOverlsh-
ed people, while they We're utterly regard
less of the accommodating interest OF our
honest debt. We at once declared the
fraudulent debt, $40, 600, 600 of bonds is
sued without consideration to those whose
property was to be made to pay them, as
binding neither in law nor in conscience,
and wiped out the whole of it. Then, in
view of the fact that the honest debt had
grown too large for the people to pay 1t
all we proceeded to make terms with the
States creditors and effect settlement
which was mutually satisfactory. BY the
act of 1879 our unsecured debt of S12,
621 ,045, bearing per cent. interest, Will
have been reduced to So $50, oil, bearing
4 per cent; and the debt of 50, 195, 600,
for which the States stock in the North
| ('aralina T. ailrpa1 (14nnapy ia hlp n
be sold by decree in the Federal Court,
has nearly all been extended for forty
Years, ami the States control of our most
valuable railroad property secured to hel
indefinitely. The dividends annually paid
on her shares of stock are more than sutfi-
cient TO meet the interest on this extend
ed debt. And 50 fair has the credit OF
North Carolina grown under the care OF
her lova Democratic sons that her pei
cent bonds are worth par III the markets
of the world, and her 6 per cents are bring
ing Il premium of more than 25 cents or
; the dollar What other Southern State
} can boast as much?
We found that during the three years 0
' Republican rule they had handled ant
q wasted upwards of million of dollars be
longing to the educational fund, and hae
: paid less than forty thousand for teach
5 ing the children of the State. We hav
| now, lully eStdDIlSLCol, d SS Sltu VI pltDiI
n schools nearly equal to the best, in full
operation school houses in every hamle
II open for several months in each year, an,
g the school sessions yearly increasing il
e length, with graded schools and norma
II schools in which our teachers are bette
! prepared for their duties, at our principa
1t centres Of population-every dollar of owe
t half million raised for school purpose
h lcgitimately applied.
We found our unfinished railroads, not
e withstanding the millions Of bonds issue
ot professedly to build them, making no pre-
r gress, their ties rotting and their iron rust
Te ing. These roads are now, some of then
re finished and the others rapidly approach
II ing completion, while new lines an
branches have been begun and fnishe
Il since the new era dawned in 1871. Gu
X mileage of roads has been nearly double
III and the public debt not increased. W
e. have built two new asylums for the insane
" of large dimensions; and the penitentiar.
I, of sufficient size and strength to safel
n keep all the convicts likely to be sentence
to it, is nearing completion. And all tn
n, without an Increase of our taxes, and #
n pay we go has been our motto n
o new bonds have been issued, nor any d
e, felt made for these great works. Soc
IS they will all be off hand, and our Sta
ld taxes may be still further reduced. or,
It, the people prefer it, the excess may be a
,e piled in the still better education of OF
er- children.
IS, 1t has been and continues to be the DC
n. icy of the Democratic party to use IL
er labor of the cOnvicts to the penitentia
all in work on railroads and draining Il
or swamp lands belonging to the state for Il
IN purpose of bringing them into mar ket, al
81 to avoid employing it in competition wi
ice the honest labor of the country. The
We seems to be a growing disposition to ha
No convict labor employed in part on the pu
ng lie highways, 50 far as it can be done co
OIL sistently with the requirements of t
ny constitution that our penal nstitutio
AN must be made as nearly self f-supporti
'ay as possible.
big The administration of the Executive
rse partment of the State government sin
the Inauguration of Democratic Gov,
ere nor in 1877, has been all that could rt
tie. sonably be expected. Vance, Jarvis, Seal
ebe able, wise and progressive-so far as pro
ress is consistent with true conservati
have done or omitted little for pal
friends to criticize or political enemies
complain of. They have executed the la
faithfully and fairly, and with justice
Law all classes and colors
on AS much may be said of the administl
us, ton of justice and expounding the laws
our Democratic Judges. Their delicate {