The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-05-16
A C4LM RE VIE ".

tenths Of the voters who have since lett
the Democratic party and joined the
Fusionjsts. what criticisms could be
brought against our system Of State
they would have said that
it was all could be desired. Nay, II
YOU had criticised it they would have
resented your criticism. Now, when
the Fusion LEGISLATURE assembled IN
Jan. 1895 they found the same system
in Operation with which most OF them
had been pleased for a score OF years
almost. and which five years before
they would have been proud to endorse.
But so blind is prejudice, such as had
gotten a hold upon the minds of the
Fusionists, that it takes no heed OF any
thing but that which feeds and nOur
ishes its own vicious cravings. And so
when the Legislature met, although
five years before they would have SAID
our State needed no legislation, they
went vigorously to work to bring about
a condition of things that would call
for legislation. They had worked up
their preludlces to believe that there
was something needed in the way of
legislation but they did not know Just
what to do. SO they went to work on
the principle of the quack who propos
ed to cure sick man; but finding
that he could not diagnose the case so
as to treat it successfully, he said he
never failed to cure fits, so he gave
the sick man something that would
throw him into fits which he knew he
could cure.
The first act of the Legislature was
cowardly. The first bill that was in
troduced, if we remember correctly, was
by Democrat, pledging favor to the
free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16
to l. The Republicans at once assum-
ed the guardianship OF the Populist
representatives and manipulated so
that they were not put on record at all
in the matter of silver. This was the
very thing for which the POpulist
speakers had clamored and howled for
more than three years, yet when the
test came they we're too much afraid
of their Republican bosses to 90 on
record.
Hard times and heavy blunders on
the shoulders of the dear people had
furnished them thunder through two
campaigns. Well, as matter of fact
times were hard, and they have been
lust as hard since the sitting of the
Legislature, and they will continue tC
| be hard, so far as that matter goes. But
what did these Solons do to make
| times better or tighten the burdens o1
the people? Echo answers, "What ?"
Had they been faithful to theil
pledges and faithful to the trusts which
they assumed for the people of the
State, they would have gone to worl
to reduce legislative expenses. But in
stead of that they increased the mum
Der of employees and loborers abou
the Assembly. Their expenses to the
State for laborers, pages and the like
were S223.33 per day, which durlns
the sitting of the Legislature amounted
to $13, 4OO.O2
Some one may say that $5SISS is
small amount to the great State 0
North Carolina Well, to be sure, i
is. But if a merchant hires clerk an(
finds him to be dishonest in th,
amount of one dollar he will not dare
retain him In his employment at all
though the business in which tn,
clerk labors may amount to a hundred
thousand dollars annually. Now, OF
the same principle, it can be shown
that the Fusion Legislature is entirel,
unworthy the confidence of the peopl,
OF North Carolina. They proposed t,
let out the public printing to the low
est bidder. A Democrat put in bic
which, when calculation was made b,
experts appointed by the Legislature
was shown to be $5S1.SS less than an,
other bid but purely partisan preju
dices took it from the Democrat ant
gave it to Republicans
Now, then, the type and ink in
printing Office owned and managed b,
a Democrat do just as good work as d,
the same material in the office of
Republican Or Popullst. But part
prejudice caused the Legislature to ex