The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-09-01
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
The Importance of Democratic
Success in North Carolina.
[Lumberton RobesOnian. |

iuCut ID TIC PARAMOUNT Issue. lnOee
we might go a little further, and d
clare, positively, that, should the Thil
party put out State ticket, the pre-
ent State ticket, headed by Elias Car
would be defeated and defeated by tt
Republicans. There can be no doul
that the majority of the rank and fiji
of those who favor the Third party al
es bitterly opposed to the principle
and practices of the Republican part
as they have ever been; in fact, NOR
SO, for the increased light that ha
been brought to bear on the issues in
volved has shown which party ha
always been in sympathy with the leg
islation that they are determined t
overthrow. Take this State, for in
srance, and if there is one thing upol
which the Democrats and Independ
ents are determined, it is that the con
troll of the eastern counties shall no
again pass into the hands of the ne
groes. Why do we say SO? In 1886
when the Independents held the bal
ance of power, when Hon. J. R. Web
ster, a Western Independent, wa.
Speaker of the House of Represen
tatives, and when, probably, by his aid
the county government system could
have been repealed, he defeated it and
saved it, he said, with the Democrats
that the management of these counties
must not pass out of the control of the
intelligent taxpayers. In three years
CS6S-7o) the Republican party almost
bankrupted the State. A part of the
debt was afterwards declared uncon-
stitutional, because created by fraud
and was never worth a cent to the
State, and even that part which the
State felt legally bound to pay, bad to
be compromised, and the bondholders
submitted to the compromise, knowing
it was impossible for the State to pay
all. This compromise was effected by
a Democratic Legislature, and Dem
ocratic Supreme Court has stood be-
tween the State and the payment of
these fraudulent special tax bonds ever
since. How was it in the good old
county of Robson? In the same
length OF time the Republican party
created debt of $40, 900, and county
scrip was almost worthless. Not a
school house was built, not a school
was taught in the whole State. For
the last ten years county scrip has been
as good as bank checks.
According to the last biennial re-
port of the State Superintendent, the
State of North Carolina paid out
s71S,225, which, with the increased
appropriation, will probably swell the
this year to 100000 for
school purposes. In our own county
there are 164 school districts-o1
white, 60 colored and IS Croatan-
nearly all of which have good COM
Portable school houses, while the an
nual report shows that s11, 1,85S.24 was
paid out for school purposes in this
county for the year ending June 80,
1892.
The above are some of the reasons
Why the white people of this State,
lnder whatever name save radical, are
determined that the State and county
governments shall not pass out OF their
But let US see how that is: The
well know that they are
considered the implacable enemies of
economy, reform, and good, stable
and they, therefore, know
hat, except by strategy, they can
never again hope to be restored to
power in the State, though they will
-emain as eager as ever. To this end
hey would foster independent action
IN the part of the Alliance, make the
if not the emphatic dec
aration, that they would not put out
4 State ticket, but have a private un-
1erstanding with the party leaders in
The different counties, and, at the very
last moment and when it would be
for the Third party to re-
trace their steps, or call in their forces,
put out full State ticket and elect it,
Let US see, if from our knowledge Of
that party in this, the largest county in
the State, they could not do that, and
what would be the inducements to a
course of this kind? Has there been
an election in this county for the last
ten years when the Republican party,
outside of a very few, had any idea
whom they would be called upon to
vote for on the day of the election !?
Have not the orders been, in effect, if
not in words, to be early at the polls
and vote the ticket that would be
placed in their hands? We could give
instances of names, but that is wholly
Having now seen that
this has been their policy when there
was not much at stake, let US see the
inducement in a State canvas. Should
it be able, i'll this way, to elect Leg
islator, a Clerk or any other county
officer, the influence could not be very
far-reaching, but should they, in this
wav, elect a Governor, ne would be
authorized, in certain contingencies,
to appoint United States Senator, a
Supreme or Superior Court Judge, and
to fill many other vacancies. Let u:
see the vacancies that a Republican
Governor might be called upon to tlll
The health of Senator Vance is sucf
that, unless there is very great i'm
provement, he may resign or even die
Associate Justice Davis, Of the Supreme
Court, has just died, and his plac'
must be filled. A Republican Gov
rnor would, of course, appoint Re