The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-25

Gratis should have provided at least
years rations of -four, meat, etc, Tor
their benefit. We usually bought such
things of this kind as were needed every
month, and we expected them to 90 ike
wise or rs they deemed best. 1t is ad-
mitted that there was not corn TO reach
corn again, because as every one KNOWS
the July floods of 1896 destroyed the
whole corn crop except about ZO,VOo par
rels.
Much ado is made by these officials
because they found amongst nearly 5oo
mules and horses very few SICK, uis-
ablcd Oh worn out animals. We found u
necessary every year to dispose OF IN
efficient stock. and to replace them WIN
others fit for the service. We fouhd lhc
pGnitentiary in 1893 with 21O mules ana
horses. We added just about that num-
her Of young and vigorous animals our
ing our term, and the average OF the
whole was very high to any one capable
of Judging and who is not determined TO
miSrcprcsent.
If Mr.. Smith sold S31 bales of cottor
for $1,000 81, as he reports, then h"
received only about ) cents per pound
for it. Hundreds of bales were sold ~
February Mt an average Of 61s cents Iii
Norfolk, equivalent to 63s at home mar
kcts, and the price was Il to u cent
higher in April than in February. 1t IS
not to bcforgotten by these guardians
of the States interests, that Il larg"
part of the fertilizer, several hundred
tons, were bought from parties who
bought much of the cotton; and for
these, several dollars more per ton were
paid than the stuff was offered at by
other responsible parties Certainly TINS
could not prove less than the baldcst IN
competency According to the code Of
ethics Of the late Ben Butler, man
might prefer to be called Il knave rather
than Il fool
These officials find much fault with
the Democratic administration because
their superintendent, they allege, cXcrted
great influence to prevent an appropria-
ton by tn last General Assembly for
the pcnitentiary for the years 1897 and
1898. The superintendent differed with
Governor Carr as to the necessity for
an appropriation. and declined TO recon-
mend it, though the Governor did. When
asked by the Observation-Disclosures and
by the Legislative committee on Penal
Institutions to recommend an apprOpria-
ton, he declined to do so, saying that It
should not be necessary and that the
pcnitcntiary could be sustained i'm the
future as ii had been in 1896 without
the peoples taxes. Some other persons.
very few, may have asked my opinion
about an appropriation; and if so,
made the same answer. 1t is strangely
paradoXical to charge that | had any
influence ut all with that mob called
the General Assembly of 1897. | had
no influence at all with them, and de
sired none.
Mainly by way of feeble criticisms of
the former administration rather than by
a plain business like statement of the af-
fairs committed to their trust. these Off
clals. who have been clearly unfaithfuI
to the State, hope to avert the blow
threatened by the indignant public. The
removal of Supt. Smith from the control
of the penitcntiary is confession Of Judge
ment before the open court Of public
opinion in North Carolina. that the Flu
sion administration has been shamefuIly
incompetent, if not worse. The people
have IL right to look mt the books. and
they intend to do it, and they will yet
see what have been the receipts of the
pcnitentiary and what has become Ct
them.
A. LEAXAR,
v-SunnriDtouIout