The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-05-02
A CALM REVIEW
VII.


ting and active work of the fusion Leg
islature. Without indulging in that
wholesale abuse and acrimony or asper
itv of expression that has characterized
ONE of the utterances Of our State pa
ners. THE DEMOCRAT does not hest
tate to say that, within the range OF our
own observation. no such Legislature
ever assembled in North Carolina. One
who professed allegiance to the Popu-
list yagaries that characterized the ma
iOrity of the acts of the body said to us
that part of the Legislature was COM
posed of farm inded mon who desired
to do right but that another part was
composed of those who went there mad,
and thew we're wild and reckless. The
latter part of the statement is borne out
by the record which the Legislature
made, and which was condemned by
Democrats everywhere, and in many
instances condemned or deplored by
Republicans and Populists.
The Populst speakers and writer's
Tor two years before the election OF the
fusion Legislature demanded reform in
everything, and especially IN unneces-
.ary expenditures by the State, wheth-
er through officials or by acts of legis
lation.
Nonsense characterized many of the
acts passed by the body and many
times days were spent in quibbling
over things that were of very small i'm
portance to the State, but were of spe
cial interest to those who we're contend
ing because, forsooth, they wanted
their way regardless of the time they
we're consuming at the expense Of the
State.
Reform had been the cry we say, for
two years, but when the fusion Legls-
lature got to work they forgot it-no,
did not forget it, but disregarded their
own utterances and promises.
The Legislature slnned greatly
against the interest of the State in the
matter of appointing magistrates. And
if they had done nothing else of an ex-
travagant and reckless nature, this alone
would be enough to brand that body
with being untrue to their promises
and unfaithful to their pledges for re-
form
In North Carolina there are 1877
townships, and each township was well
equipped, we believe, with magistrates
they were so far as numbers were con-
cerned, and as to quality We doubt
whether there was any improvement
IN the new appointments.
Now, notwithstanding these 1897
townships in the State had sufficient
number of magistrates to do the work
in those respective townships, the fu.
sion Legislature, for purely partisan
purposes, nothing less and nothing
more, elected three new magistrates
for each township in the State, not one
OF whom was needed.
There being 1,197 townships in the
State, three new magistrates for each
township means 1,197 multiplied by
3, which makes 1881 new magistrates
in the State, for which the State actual
ly and really had no use and which ne
one but fusiOnists desired.
1t is reasonably estimated that i,
takes $3.50 to equip each new magis
trate with the books and document
necessary to meet the responsibility O
his office The State furnishes Codes
Laws, &C. Now, $3.50 each for $3.50
new magistrates amounts to $26. 9325O
In this one item of useless expenditure
for nothing but partisan purposes tn.
Legislature is condemned by every fair
minded man in North Carolina.
Now, to bring it down to our owl
doors, let us see how it works for Hal
flax county in this matter of useless
but expensive election of new magis
trates. There are II townships in The
county and three magistrates for eacl
count, makes 33 new ones. Furnish
ing these magistrates with copies O
the Code, Laws, dockets &C., $7.5(
each, amounts to $237.5O for dallfa,
county alone
Now, we believe that it is just as un
foi~ I'D Wv 10 l.