The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-16
rrryrRSnAY December 16, 1897.
The STATES MANURE PILE.

1 The only department of State govern
mont organized specially and solely forl
%ho hen.,ft Of the farmers is the Agrl-
cultural department. Its mission 10 tol
nrotect the farmers from worthless Ter
t;lizers. to furnish them Information re-
hating to the crop pests, to conduct III ,
st;tutes. to collect statistics OF crops,
10 furnish advance weather reports, ana
10 do any and all things possible to pro-
mote the progress of agriculture IN North
Carolina.
It is a department not only requiring
.onacity 10 make crop, but knowledge
AZ agriculture in all its branches, and ca
,ocitv to teach the farmers of the State.
The position of Commissioner OF Agrl-
en,ture lis the most difficult position ia
the State government. The routine du-
+;as Of most State officers are prescribed
nv law. but the Commissioner of Agri-
eultlre must largely map out and exc
e,,te the work with which he is charged.
The new gang in power seem to nave
tho notion that as the Agricultural de-
partment has to do with fertilizers, 1T IS
the States manure pile, on which is TO
he thrown all the rottenness OF the par
ev. From the character of the man given
Mace there, it is evident that the most
otloriferous members of the pie-eating
brigade have been provided with place
an this manure pile. In the division of
offices, the Department of Agriculture
was awarded to the Populsts. The first
man to be given a job Was Mewborne Tor
Mewboorne, as he spells it since his
slection) He was a Republican in ac-
lions all during the campaign, and has
been a pestiferous, negro-loving office-
seeker since the fusion with the Radicals
in 1894. He was hardly warm in his
seat before DR.. D. Reid Parker, the SEN
ator from Randolph, who, after pledging
himself to vote against gold-bugs, was
s4held lIp'' by Butler as he was about to
vote for Pritchard. His vote was
Pritchard's when needed. For his traffic
of principles for office he received the
contempt of the honest men of all par
ties. He was fit company for New
borne on the manure pile on which re-
fuse is thrown When S. Ohio Wilson,
then so intimate with Governor Russell
that he sneezed whenever the Governor
took snuff, wanted a place with a sal
.ry for his brother-in-law, the manure
pile received him. When the Governor
wanted to unload Jim Young on the
taxpayers, as return for his work to-
secure Russell the nomination for Gov
ernor, he was given the place Of honor
on the manure pile, and made Chief Fer
tilizer Inspector. "There are Others"
And now, when. according to the Gov
ernor land the Governor is right, John
r. Smith has so wretchedly managed
the penitentiary as TO make 1t imperative
TO kick him out OF that position, place
at the very top is made for him on the
States manure pile. 1t Is only necessary
now for most Of the directors Of the
penitentiary There are few excep-
tions), Russell's brother, the negro
guards. most Of the rest of the fusion
office-holders, with Russell thrown In.
m be dumped on the manure pile. to let
the people get view. collected IN one
place. of the aggregation Of incompetent.
worthless. and sweet-scented "pie-triots"
whose presence in public positions Is
.7fsgrace 70 the State and stencil IN
me nostrils of decent men.
-
We are greatly mistaken If the farm
ers Of the State do not resent this de-
graduation Of the Department Of Acrfcuf-
turn. II 10 worthless. except for COM
most. Il ought to he abolished. IF n man
+urned ont OF the penitentiary for In
competency, and worse. IS fit to he Com
missioner Of Agriculture. then the soon
err the department Is abolished the bet
cor the self-respecting farmers Of the
state viii be satisfied.
Think OF II. mon and brethren! The
governor tolls tho Board of Agriculture
IN plain terms that Smith has brought