The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-11-01
AN INIOUITOUS SCHEME.
PLANNING TO ROB THE STATE.
Mr.. Morton and His Fraudulent "Spe
cial Tax Bonds"

In another article this week we refe
to the special tax bonds which Mr.
Levi 2. Morton, Republican candi
date for vice President, is SO largely
interested in, and which makes him
extensively anxious just at this time
that North Carolina shall be won by
his party in the coming election. The
New York Times, an independent Re,
publican paper, says on the subject OF
| Mr.. Morton and his scheme to collect
these fraudulent bonds amounting to
about $50, 900, 900, from the tax pay
ers of North Carolina
Senator Quay is in very unamiable
mood nowadays, and not little OF
his bad humor is caused by the per
sistence of the Hon. Levi P Morton
in making him spend many thousands
Of dollars in endeavoring to carry
North Carolina for the Republicans.
| According to a member of the Ma
tional Republican Executive Commit
tee this has been the burden of Mr..
Morton's song ever since the begin
ming of the campaign. Mr.. Morton
said some time ago that he had given
to the National Republican Com
mittee three times the amount of what
his salary as vice President would be,
which is supposed to mean that he has
contributed $4,000. In return for
- l<, l,o- icfc
that the full power of the National
Committee shall be used to carry
North Carolina. Senator Quay OBJ
jected at first, but lie could hardly
help yielding TO the party's candidate
for the vice-Presidency and its great
est pecuniary aid, SO an energetic Re
publican campaign has been carried
on in North Carolina, and Senator
Quay has spent money in that State
which he wanted to devote to other
States.
The disgust of Senator Quay now is
discovery which he has just made of
the reasons which aCtuate Mr.. Morton
in desiring to have North Carolina go
Republican. They are, in short, that
the firm OF Morton, Bliss & Co., are
holders of what are known as the spe-
Cial tax bonds, which now amount,
principal and interest, to more than
$50, 100000 Those bords were is
sued when North Carolina was in the
hands Of the carpet baggers and it was
pretended that they were to De de-
voted to the building of certain rail-
roads in the promotion of which Mil
ton S. Littlefeld was the chief actor
A special tax was levied for their pay
ment, hence their name. Littlefeld
took the bonds, sold them in New
York for what they would bring, and
did not build any railroads with them
The fraud was so gross that after North
Carolina came under the control Of
its decent and respectable citizens, 4
constitutional provision was enacted
forbidding their payment unless such
payment should be authorized by 4
IN iority of the voters of the State At
the ballot box
Morton, Bliss & Co, bought up
these bonds after their repudiation foI
almost nothing, and have made sever
al attempts to collect them through
the courts Test suits have been
brought ia individual bonds in the
United States Circuit Court for North
Carolina in the name of dummies who
reside in North Carolina The suits
are not brought by Morton, Bliss q Co,
in order to avoid the provisions of the
eleventh amendment TO the Federal
Constitution which foTbids the bring
ing of suit against State by resi-
dent of another State One OF these
suits is now pending in the United
States Supreme Court, with small
/ chances of SUCCESS But, even If The
su its we're TO succeed, the collection
of the Judgment would lie difficult, un
less the people, the Legislature, and
the Government should he in favor OF
naying it. Therefore Mr. Morton ,s
very desirous to have North Carolina
90 Republican, and there are persons
at the National Republican bcadquar-
ters who are unkind enough to say
that this man, if not his soul purpose
in obtaining the Republican nomina
ton for the ice-Presidency, Was TO bt
thus enabled to employ the whole porel
of the party through his National Com
III ittec to collect his bonds which ht
bought for almost nothing after the,
had been repodiated- In other words
that his candidacy IS only vast h
! nanciai speculation, In uhich be Use
the Republican party as tool to ac
complish his ends
If the Republicans were to c1ptur
s North Carolina at this election, c
course that would not of itself insnr
the payment of the bonds- But
would give Republican Governor,
Republican Supreme Court, and Re
publican Legislature Much mag /
S done with such agencies At least M
rotsations could be conducted for III
u