The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-07-23

C.. +, d Y. V. resorted to . very
device to eircumvent
the constitution. They went before
the State Legislature, Offering mort |
gage bonds Of the road in exchange |
for convict labor upon engineers
estimate of its worth. They obtain
ed all the labor they needed. At the
next meeting OF the Legislature they
again appeared showing that they
b ad fulfilled their contract, and ask
ing for a return of the mortgage |
bonds already given and another
grant OF convict labor to be paid for
with mortgage bonds similar to those
returned.
The road WAS gradually built
and such was the popu-
larity Of the road and such the unan-
unity of the counties along the pro-
posed lines of the road to be built !
that very little opposition was made
to these indirect evasions OF the
State constitution.
The Richmond Il Danville railroad
had already built a branch road
from Greensboro to Winston. This
branch road was extended so as to
tap the line of the c. F. x Y. V. at
Sedge Garden. This was done to
cut off the Yadkin Valley branch Of
the G. F.. d Y. V. X. X. which prom
ised to be the most productive and
strongly supporting feeders of the
C. +. & Y. V. X. r. This extension
of the Richmond d Danville system
inflicted a severe blow on the G. f.
Il Y. ", and contributed as much as
anything else to it's final overthrow.
The Southern railway company
has already fallen heir to the West
ern North Carolina railroad. If the
ninety nine year lease holds good,
and it undoubtedly will, unless the
people of North Carolina demand Of
the various candidates for Governor,
and the candidates for the Legisla-
ture, REGARDLESS OF PARTY, that the
validity of the lease be tested in the
courts of Justice, then the Southern
railway company will disrupt the G.
F. & Y. V. system, absorb the most
valuable portion and thus fall heir
to the donations of the State in the
shape of convict labor.
| The interests of the State will be
ignored, and with these North Caro-
lima systems of railroads in the hand:
of foreign syndicates North CAROLYN:
will be strip of territory for othe7
States to prey upon.
|
Nearly all political corruption pro
ceeds from railroads. Unless tn
lease of the N. C.. r. r. is broker
up, it is only a question of time be
fore the Southern railway compan.
will own or control all the railroad
J in the State. WE HAVE NO TINE T.
LOSE While the people are carrle'
away in their zeal to restore silve
to it's proper function as money 9Th
: Philistines will be upon Sampson.
J Our sister State, Tennessee, l
: dominated by the Louisville & Nash
| Vile railroad. Hon. James Malon
, in letter to Prof. Chas. W. Dabney
of the University OF Tennessee, say
l that the President of the l.. Il n. 4
3 r. in his office in Louisville, Ky
: forbids the people of Tennessee
4 hold a much needed constitution;
convention for fear that claus
may be inserted in the new const
tuition torbidding railways to leas
or purchase parallel lines. Ma
North Carolina never have a raj
road "boss." 4 regret, Mr.. Edito
y that the public cannot find out IL
u profits made by the Southern railwa
. company in operating the N. G.
/ r.
r.. The semi annual payments MAJ
9 into the State treasury are not to
9 regarded gratuities from the Sout
" ern railway company but only as
y small part of the profits made out
% North Carolinians in the course
70 business. l have been informed tb
Il the Southern railway company pa
il a Georgia railroad twelve per cen
10 six per cent. on stock and six p
IL cent. on bonds. This may be an {
ror. When, as chairman of the 4
lance committee, suit was institut
20 in my name to test the validity
NJ the ninety-nine year lease, a new
.: paper reporter represented Jud
"a Walter Clark as saying, "the doc
y of justice have been thrown oper
THOSE DOORS WERE SHUT AND FAs
W ENED. Will not the people of Nor
Il Carolina, regardless of party, see
~ it that the next Governor of MOI
~ Carolina and his Attorney Genel
"S shall open wide the gates of Justi'
10 and will they not see to it that t
~ Supreme Court Justices to be elect
81 are men irreproachable in charac
10 and fearless in the discharge of tn
''' duties. JOHN GRAHAM