The news & observer., 1897-02-24
D5ybLER I
L lFfl[E DORlIE


u poprlist last night attacked Sena,
for Pritchard for his conduct regarding
fhe antflease bill He said: "PrItehard
brbtnised Governor Russell he would faT
yor This bin. And now he is writing letters
here urging Republicans to vote against
It.
Sber3F Smith. of Mecklenburg, is q
feyeg-headed man, as the following letter
fpnYa him addressed to Senator Alexan-
der. of Mecklenburg, shows
,Hna 7. h. Alexander, Raleigh, y. -;
,.Iaaar Sir. Nearly all of your eonstlt-
,,ay,fs h.are feel the need of a law 10 re-
move. as soon as sentenced, all criminals
~ tbe State penitentiary, who have had
ne sentence of DEATH passed on them
ana have the execution performed IN the
State penitentiary by an eXecuhoner ap-
poitgted by the State. To explain the
reasons why such a law should be passed
win say that after a heinous crime has
befn committed and sentence OF death
asss been passed. by the court, the COM
uqlnity in which the crime was commit
led feel that the outrage can only be
s,,4;Sfied jBy the taking of the prisoner
life. Possibly through influences brougnt
10 bear, the sentence is commuted 10 me
Imprisonment in the peniteptlary Line
t.,,ra ged community rise in indignation,
mob demanding the prisoners life And
in defending the prisoner and carrying
out the law, the sheriff is liable to take
tile lives Of many good citizens.
Now, il there was law to remove
at once all such prisoners TO the penl-
tent:ary, all this trouble would be
avoided.
The people earnestly ask you to frame
such a bill and do all IN your power 10
have it become a law. Asking this in
the name of the people, | am,
VERY respectfully yours,
II, T. SMITH, Sheriff"
Yesterday the bill introduced by Mr..
Hartness to abolish the FelioW-Servant
law. which passed both houses of the
t;enral Assembly without a dissenting
voice, was ratified, 1t is now a law OF
rhe State. It Is the most important stat
ute the Legislature will enact. There
has been much demand for copies or the
law. We learn that all parties desiring
cops es can be accommodated by writing
10 Mr.. J. A. Hartness, author OF the
law, or TO Mr.. B. K. Lacy, Commissioner
Of Labor.
A prominent business man, whose
Judgment about Legislative matters is
widely sought, furnishes the following
argument against a provision that it is.
"a i'll will he put in the revenue law:
'srhe proposition to require solvent
cr,edits to be exhibited to listtakers and
stamped or endorsed by them as listed
f6r taxation at face value, or to be
thereafter non-collectable is very unwise
and unjust.
list. 1t is unfair to tax a mortgage
debt at any greater value than the prop
er.y ON which the debtis secured is valued
for taxation If A. holds mortage on BIS.
farm for $4,000 and b. has no other
PROPERTY and the farm is valued for taxa
ton at 81 900 it is not just TO make A.
pay taxes on $1,000 while B. with the
farm In possession pays taxes on only
S1 900. Many mortgage debts are of
long standing and the property greatly
depreeiated in value.
"2nd. The law does not declare for
feited the land or personal property Of the
farmer or the goods of the merchant
if he fails to list. 1t simply double-taxes
hnn. 1t is very unfair to impose an abb
soEtite forfeit of his property upon one
class of property owners which does not
apply to all taxpayers.
'.3rd. 1t would expose to public gaze
and inspection the private affairs of a
hundred thousand debtors in the State
whose affairs and property must neces-
sarily be investigated before the list-taker
or other official can say whether credit
is solvent or what it is worth.
18th. The adoption of such a drastic
measure will forever put an end to lend
ing money i'm this State. No one will be
willing to subject himself to the possible
annoyance, loss and litigation such a
harsh measure will entail. Western
North Carolina is being rapidly develop
el upon borrowed capital. This meas
ure will greatly retard its prosperity and
loans now out will be rapidly called in.
In tact this measure is very likely to stop
all loans and to cause an immediate with
dra wal and foreclosures all over the
State.
18th. 1t is impracticable to execute
such provision of law. Many notes and
mortgages belonging to citizens of North
Carolina are deposited with others as
collateral security. Many are held in
Norfolk, Baltimore and other cities as
collateral for debts due by citizens Of
North Carolina These notes and mort
cages are still the property of citizens Of
this State. They cannot be gotten hold
of hy owners to have them stamped or
certified Those who hold them in or
oui of the State certainly win not list
and pay taxes on them. Consequently
the owner in North Carolina would lose
tfpm.
18th. On June list there are many
thousand open accounts on the books of
merchants, doctors and others. These
GA mot be taken to list-takers and stamp
ed and certified. If not, then the owner
could not collect by law. This is mani
fpstIy wrong. The same may be said as
to debts i'm judgments already The
judgment docket can't be stamped, certi-
fitel, etc, especially where judgments
aar In other counties than where tax
payer lists his personality.
nth There are doubtless many thou