The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-08-04
Gov.HOLTANDT THE PLAID TRUST

Some days ago som, one asked
through the Charlotte Chronicle
whether or not Gov. Holt belongs to
the Plaid Trust. The Chronicle made
the following comments:
"a gentleman of some prominence
in State politics makes some pertinent
inquiries as to Gov. Hollis connection
with the soc He'd Plaid Trust. This
correspondent is a friend of Gov. Holt,
and wants him to clear himself of the
imputation of belonging to a trust, if 1t
is a trust. The people ought and have
a right to understand the Governor IN
such matters"
Here is the Governors reply:
LAS some Of my fellOw-citizens have
publicly expressed the desire that [
Should state whether or not [ was con
nected with a trust" in my business
operations, and unwilling to even
seemingly appear Indifferent to their
wishes, | now say that | am conduct
ing my private business, like every
good citizen should, according to the
laws of my country and State, and am
aware that both the Federal and State
laws provide against trusts, and de
clare them to be illegal. | could not
afford, III my present position, to VIC
latelawS which | SW IRE to see executed;
nor could |, as a citizen Of North Caro-
lima, engage in any business enterprise
subversive and viOlative Of the law.
believing that the people will con
cede to me the right to attend to my
personal affairs according to law, and
thanking you for your friendly allu-
sion to myself, | am yours very truly,
THOs. NJ. Holt"
Again the Chronicle says:
The above is to say thai Gov. Holt
does not belong to q trust. Every
friend of Governor Holt, who reads his
letter will regret that he Is not more
explicit in his statement. He is a mem
Der of the Cone Plaid concern and had
he gone so far as to tell why that con
Germ is not a trust, the matter would
be set at rest. Certainly the Governor
has a perfect right to be let alone in
lawfully managing his private affairs. .
We know very little about the Plaid
Trust or its workings. We don't know
what they have done or expect to do.
But we do know that the above denial,
if it can be called such, is a very lame
duck. Gov. Holt is doing business
like every good citizen should, accord
ing to the laws of the State" etc. He
is aware that both the Federal and
State laws provide against trusts, and
declare them illegal"
We are not a lawyer nor the son Of
one, neither is Governor Holt. We
have never heard of any law against
trusts III North Carolina or North
America. We do know that efforts
have been made to pass such laws,
but SO far as we know the efforts were
failures. Another thing is very plain.
If there is a law against them it must
be on the wrong side-must push the
wrong way-fOr in no country on earth
do combines flourish as they do here.
SO Gov. Holt does not deny that he
is a member of a trust. He is simply
."attending to his private affairs.
Some years ago Hon. Jas. G. Blaine
said THAT TRUSTS WERE PRIVATE AT
FAIRS" lie is a leading Republican
and the opposition papers put it down
that the Republican party was friend
ly to trusts. Now leading Democratic
says in a roundabout way
that they are PRIVATE AFFAIRS. This
is '"tweedle lie and twecdle dunn"
Well, if this Plaid Trust gets on the
1y-,ODr track and we hear of II yvn will