The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-11-01

caSn on nand, investments of all
klnds-lndeed it was liable for taxes
on all It's property except the main
line from Wilmington to Halifax
and such rolling stock, material and
equipments and station houses as
were nece ssary for the proper opera
hon of the road. And as to this
claim there was serious doubt wheth-
er 1T was entitled to any exemption
III excess of $500, 200, IA sum largely
less than its value at any time. In
1898 when it ordered It's strikers,
who were holding seats in Legisla-
tuFe to which they were not elected,
to give 1t compromise it was in
arrear and III default for taxes and
penalties to an amount so large that
nobody has even undertook to COM
pute it. Upon the best available
evidence without going back more
than fifteen years and without
charging them with penalties, it was
made to appear that the just claims
Of the State and counties and towns
against this railroad were not less
than $70O,O00. Treating them as
common folks are treated and thus
enforcing penalties aud int rest the
sum would run up into millions,
equal perhaps to the value of the
property. Instead Of collecting this
debt so Justly due to the people and
out of which they had been cheated
the Legislature "compromised'' it
for sixty or seventy thousand dollars.
The counties Of Robenson, Cum
berland, Harnett, Johnson, Wilson
and others on the branch lines got
about $4,000, while they were en-
titled to more than $4,000, to say
nothing of the penalties and interest.
The State got about $4,000, while
it was entitled to about 100000.
The city of Wilmington, according
to the best estimates, was entitled to
100000. 1t got $3.50.
Now for the defense, or rather ex-
cuse for this plunder of the people
and spoiliation of the State: The
Wilmington& Weldon Railroad Com
pany in consideration Of receiving
this loyal bounty, some $630,OO0,
which it owed to the people, agreed
to surrender its elaine to exemption
from taxation in the future. AS a
part Of the $4,000 already mention
ed, about $4,000 was paid to the
counties along its main line, fender,
Duplin, Wayne, Wilson, Edgecombe
and halifax. In the next few weeks
you will have lot of machine made
roosterS growing around about the
big money ''THE PARTY" got out of
this railroad for the counties. Now
for the answer which shall put
them down. The Petersburg and
Weldon Railroad Company is an in
despensabIe link in the Chain Of the
Atlantic Cost line of which the
Wilmington = Weldon is the richest
and greatest member. The owners
of the Wilmington & Weldon are
the owners of the Coast Line. The
Petersburg and Weldon was in 1891
in the articles of death by reason of
the expiration of its Charter by lapse
of time. The Legislature of 1891
refused to rellew it except for two
years. In 1898 the Wilmington 4
Weldon and Coast lime people were
at the mercy of the State. Ey re
fusing to extend this charter and by
proper restrictive Legislation the
State could have annihilated the
Wilmington 4 Weldon Railroad
Company and the Coast Line. An
honest Legislature would have said
to this band of foreign capitalists,
who had for % years enjoyed the
benefits of the States protection, the
use Of its courts and police without
contributing one dollar to help bear
the burdens which fell on the peo-
pie: "We have you in our power.
You shall pay the taxes to the last
dollar which you owe the State and
counties and towns. We may or may
not enforce the penalties and de-
mand interest as would be done with
ordinary citizens under like condi
tons. Before you can come here
asking for fayors and for franchises
without which you can not live, you
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