The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1891-11-03

Iuc cASCt ludG 10 POSoAoAS
hungry ~vultures or injustiees of the
peace to extort money from cripples,
convalescents, tourists and people out OF
the city.
1t occurs on record that these men
who absolutely exist on the ofal OF
bungling legislatures are extorting money
from citizens who cannot under the law
protect themselves.
There never was in the history of
North Carolina a more Infamous law
than this particular one which gives
these buzzards an opportunity to prey
upon the inyalids and tourists of the
state.
The average justice of the peace or
magistrate or ledge" or whatever he
calls himself in his official dignity, is an
expensive wart and should not have a
legal existence.
A section of the law of the last legis-
lature, under the head of "Machinery'
reads that "unlesss satisfactory excuse
be rendered to the board of county
commissioners ON OR BEFORE THE
FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER, the
fellow who failed to list his tax shall be
deemed GUILTY OF A MISDEMEAN-
OR and on conviction thereof shall be
fined $50 or imprisoned not more than
thirty days.
Then it simply becomes, not a matter
of honesty nor a matter of veracity, but
under the law of this state a matter Of
necessity, that these several drones shall
subsist upon absolute dishonesty Of pur-
pose.
In the city of Durham and in Durham
county there are to-day over three hun
dred men who, through their ignorance of
the idiotic law passed by the last legis-
~lature, have been made criminals. They
are, according to the edict of the school
Of elaborate asses at Raleigh assembled,
guilty of a misdemeanor, and if convicted
may be sent to Jail.
To add to the infamy of this outrage.
certain Migrants and v~agabonds in this
community have used this tyranical.
law to crafty themselves, and have &C.
tually imposed the penalty of it.
MR.. NOSE McCowN, of this city, was
one of the first victims. Mr.. MCCowN
not only vas obliged to pay double tax
but he was obliged to pay $1.95 cost,
and these costs went to the magistrates
who are preying upon the people. The
legislature puts a club in the hands of
envious beggars and theysare swinging it.
If justice in North Carolina were even
handed-if to all men what was due were
given, THE GLOBE would have no objee-
tions. The county commissioners, re-
cognizing the idiocy of this law, were
yesterday granting to people who had
been outraged some relief. Mr.. FAIR
BROTHER, editor of THE GLOBE, saw
several negroes, who were liars, appear
before the board on the first Monday in
November and ask that their double tax
be rescinded. He at once entered pro-
test after hearing their requests granted,
and county attorney BOONE strongly
sustained him in his position.
Accordingly all of those who supposed
that their taxes were rescinded are in
the soup. All of yesterday mornings
proceedings relating to the taxes have
been revoked, Mr.. BOONE the county
attorney, showing that such we're illegal.
1t is the habit OF this paper to point
out the glazing inconsistencies consid-
cred by deliberative bodies, and it as
sumes the responsibility to say that it
always sees them.
We do not hesitate to admit that the
legislative fools emphasized their ASST
nine graces in the above quoted section,
and We sincerely hope that the 500 peo-
pie in this county who are obliged to
pay the double tax and the exhorbitant
cost will some day have sense enough to
vote for legislators who will give. them
decent, equitable and respectable laws:
WHO CAN BE BOUGHT.