The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-01-28
HENDERSON, n. c., THURSDAY, JANUARY 2S 1897.

act because he can be held in damages
or otherwise compelled to compensate,
Actions of an equitable nature should
be sustained even though there be
another remedy known among the
lawyers as the strictly legal.
Equitable and legal remedies should
be cumulative. Preventive processes
should be encouraged and enlarged.
The policy Of every judicial system
| should be TO prevent the commission
Of wrong. With the centuries looking
| down upon Us since the law was given
'thOu SHALL and 'thou shall not,' we
should have passed the period when
complainant could be told from the
Judgment seat "you have shown that
the defendant is about to wrong you
but you must wait until he does it and
then get compensation
| TO CUT DOWN EXPENSES.
The condition of the State Treasury
is such as to demand the most severe
economy in all departments of the
State government. This is an exgen
Cy which should be faced and not
evaded. The expenses Of the State
government outside of the penitenti-
ary and Agricultural department have
increased from about S22o,ooo in
1880 to s482, 900 in 1890 and s627,-
900 in 1896. This is an increase in
expense of IIo per cent. in ten years,
and I76 per cent. in sixteen years,
while the increase in wealth in ten
years was only As per cent. and in six
teen years only IS per cent. The
| property of the State has been and is
taxed to about the limit of reasonable
endurance. Is it not clear that the
only remedy is the reduction of pub
lie expenditures There might be a
saving in the abolition of the Agricul-
tural Bureau, but for the fact that it is
supported by fund which cannot be
directed in the State Treasury without
| involving grave constitutional ques
! tions. BY the abolition of the Bureau
of Statistics and of the Geological Bu
reau, there can be saved by the State
about -, and by close scrutiny
of all appropriations in all departments
our expenditures may be considerably
| reduced.
LYNCHINGS AND MOBS.
When this Legislature adjourns the
word should go out to the world that
crimes called lynchings must stop il
North Carolina. The way to end it
is plain. Remove the excuse for it.
1t IS no Justification to say, what is
not denied, that in many cases the vic
TINS deserve what they get Darba-
| rous brutes who commit nameless
crimes must be killed. But let it be
done under the forms of law. Let
there be none of the laws delay. Give
the executive power to call a court in
stanter; order the Judge by telegraph
to the county of crime. Try the
criminal; if proper for appeal convene
the appellate court on shortest possible
notice; send down the judgment and
|
ly case of mob murder of a guilty
culprlt has occurred wherein he would
not have been convicted by judge and
| jury. In most cases the lynchings
have been attributable to a spirit OF
lawlessness. The only reasonable ex-
cuse that can be offered is in the fail
ure or delay of the law. Make the
law So tha. there can be no delay and
no reasonable apprehension of failure.
Provide better remedies for the pros
ecution of criminals who take the law
into their own lawless hands. Author
ize their Indictment and trial in coun
ties removed from their influence and
put them on trial before juries who be-
| lieve in order and law.
THE BENEFIT OF RAILROADS.
The regulation of State and inte-
state commerce by common carriers is
among the most important and far
reaching questions of the day. North
Carolina has derived more material
benefit in the last fifteen years from
railroad development than from any
other one source. We should not for
get that however profitable these in
vestmcnts may have been to non-res-
dent capitalists, we also have been and
are their benetlCiaries. Their invest
ments in these properties should be
protected by our laws and by public
sentiment that frowns upon all at
tempts to make prejudice against them
because they are supposed TO be rich.
State, municipal and corporate prom
ises made to them for the purpose Of
obtaining expected benefits 10 US should
be sacredly performed. We will not
encourage, sanction or CountenanCe
financial population in any form.
Railroads, while their earnings and
profits belong TO their owners, are the
servants of the public and under our
system of government are subject to
governmental control. The time is
approaching, If It has not arrived, for
the adoption OF policy which without
wrong TO their owners shall look to-
wards the conversion of them into
public highways, owned and controlled
by the nation. While we admit our
obligations TO those whose enterprise
and capital have constructed and bet
tered them, we must always insist upon
Just and strict enforcement, of their OBJ
legations to the public. Against Wig
orous opposition we have created a
railroad commission It's benefits are
apparent and ought to be admitted by
all. To it we are indebted tor the
regulation and in many cases the re-
ductIon of traffic rates and to the ex-
Cellent service which is given by most