The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-01-07

NAL OF the presence OF prosperity;
and a State can i'll afford by any act
TO make such a confession.
An aggravation Of the conditions
above mentioned consists in the fact
that number OF the public institu-
tons feel the need of increased ap-
preparations. Besides this, great
and Justly great clamor is going up
for better and longer, and hence
a more expensive system of public
schools. Then there is demand
for a ReformatOry for youthful
criminals which cannot be begun
for less than twenty-five thousand
dollars. 1t is already stated that the
penitentiary will require larger
appropriation than usual on account
of the loss Of crops from freshets and
floods on the farms during the past
year. There is an imperative need
for a commission to codify the State
laws which would involve an ex-
pense of many thousands of dollars.
These and various other necessary
demands requiring the expenditures
of money will come before the legis-
lature, which body will find an al
ready overtaxed treasury and de-
creased basis for the creation Of
funds.
The fear of antagonistic party
criticism has often prevented the
taking of proper course by the
party in power. If such fear snail
prevail in the present legislature, we
would not like to promise much
from the course it may take. 1t
should always be borne in mind,
however, that some cause for criti-
cism can be created from almost any
action that legislature body can
take. Suppose the policy Of curtail-
ment should prevail, and the annual
appropriation to one of the State In
sane Asylums should be decreased,
say, ten thousand dollars. Straight
way there goes up from the Demo
cratic press cry that the party in
power cares nothing for the poor
unfortunate people of the State &c.,
&c. Suppose, on the contrary, that
such an appropriation should be in
creased ten thousand dollars. From
the same source there goes up the
same cry that the party in power is
increasing appropriations-is squan.
dering the peoples money and en-
acting reckless legislation.
The record of the past two years
justifies this statement. The Demo
cratic press sought to make capital
out of the increase of appropriations,
to State educational institutions, but
finding that such efforts would prove
fiat failures, they actually whipped
around and APPROVED the very
things against which they had
launched the strongest criticisms
and bitterest invective of which they
were capable.
Let the Legislature seek to fine
what is right and necessary, ant
then let what is necessary be done
Let no foolish fear of opposing crit
icism cause them a moments uneasi
ness. The Legislature of two year.
ago represented majority Of TWEEN
ty thousand voters. The record ant
work of that body has been approved
this year by majority of fort,
thousand voters. Let fairness, just
ice and courage prevail now, an,
two years hence the people will
again give their approval by an EN-
phatic verdict.
The plain people are taxed abou
all they can bear. The legislator
must reduce expenditures or put in
creased taxes on foreign corpora
tions doing business in this State an
on others who do not now pay thei
fair share of taxes, yet who are tn
only persons or business who al
making handsome profits.
c- #
, "WANTED-FOUR MORE SENATOR'S
On the first page of The CAUC4
SIAN will be found cartoon take
, from the Washington Post. o.
. readers will remember the three q
= ticles which we copied from the Pc
: at the time when Mark Hanna W,
I in WASHINGTON con fer rinp with %,