The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-02

S30, 100000 of fraudulent bonds, issued
by the Republican legislature were repu-
mated by Democratic legislation aud
Democratic litigation. Does anybody
suppose that taxpayers will object to
Nances having paid several thousand
dollars to lawyers to save the taxpayers
millions of dollars? The largest fees the
State has paid between 1876 and 1896
were paid the attorneys who secured the
taxation of all the property of the Viii
mington and Weldon Railroad. In the
charter Of that road there was a proyi-
sion granting perpetual exemption from
taxation During Governor Fowle's adj
ministration litigation was commenced
to subject at least n portion of the
property TO taxation. A decision render
Ell by Judge Conner, and affirmed by
the supreme court, opened the way, and
the road Is now taxed as is other rail
road property. Under the settlement
mate with the railroad it was required to
pay INTO the State Treasury for ,ittor-
neyS fees In per cent of the amount OF
pacK taxes due to counties. cities and
towns, and in addition $1,000. .t..
May 18th, 1897, the road paid i.'.,.E
10 per cent '''............ 81, 352.3S
ana ''''''' ''....,......... 2.J0O00
Total .................. SS,S523S
r At the same time the road paid for
back taxes
State .''.'....''..,. ....-. 81, 39I.St
To counties, cities and towns.
less II per cent .........,. 35,91S42
Total .............. SGL396.29
Add fees ..............,..a... S,S52.3S
a--, $7G,24S,GG
OF this sum the Governor paid the
attorneys, r. o. Burton, $3,923.G2, and
S. q. Ryan, 5000 leaving in the Treas.
ury $1.927.36 which was claimed by
the attorneys. State Treasurer Tate de-
clined to pay it, and Mr. Burton and
Mr.. Ryan had litigation over it, Final
ly the Fusion Legisa ture, of 1895 order
ed the Treasurer to pay the amount
claimed by the attorneys. Bear this IN
mind. The Democratic State Treasurer
thought $G,92J.02 was enough and re
fused to pay more when (see Private
Laws, chap. 1913, 1880. the Fusion Leg
stature ordered the State Treasurer tn
pay the sum demanded by the attorneys.
How did this litigation AFFECT the tax
payerst AS before stated the Whining
ton and Weldon Railroad paid the sums
stated in May, 1893, and on the 23rd CT
August, 1893, it paid into the State
Treasury the further sum of $l1 1851
| have not the figures of the taxes paid
the counties cities and towns. In this
settlement the railroad surrendered all its
exemptions from taxation and also the
clause if its charter prescribing its rates
800 IppiVtata I 1900
Here is the taxation so far paid since
January /, 1897, by the Wilmington and
Weldon as result of the litigation that
cost the State less than $4,000 and of the
legislation that the successful litigation
made possible: 5- ."'r.
In $780,. .........:.S 97,2T0.13
CThis includes back taxes.)
In 1894 -. ~. 42,372.1O
In 1895 .........,.... 42,259.31
IN IS90 '.:.'....,.:......i 43,3loIl
In 1897 ............. 43,949.13
In 1893 .,............. 81 750.O6
In the case of the Raleigh and CASTOR
the returns for the expendittires in law
yers' fees have been proportionately
largeF Thus the tax on this road for the
year ending June 30: 'f''"
1888 INSTRUMENTATION. .$15,053.G4
ttLf = =
Total tax since '93 (round numbers. So
10000 The Seaboard and Roanoke also
pays an average, of 1000 taxes II year
as a result OF the same litigation.
L do not believe that Republican ora
tors can make the people criticize the
democratic administration for an expen-
diture that brought so large a return.
Now let us see what the present Re
publican administration has paid out for
legal fees. The Republican Governor
who employs attorneys and pays them.
has been in office Il little more than
twenty months. An examination of the
Auditors books, made by careful man.
shows the total paid by him to LAWYERS
to be S7,S1S.92. Under the
Democratic administration the aver
age amount paid to attorneys was 81
256.9 per year. If the Republican Gov
ernor had spent the same amount i'm
proportion during the twenty months he
has been in office it would amount TO
$780, 40 instead of twice that sum.
am not criticiZing the Governor for hay
ing to pay out more for legal fees than
the Democrats. His party having elect
cd an Attorney General who didn't know
enough law to make up n case for the
Supreme court, l expected an increase ia
ILlS .lIeln OF expense, nut not so large
as is shown by the Auditors report.
For the money the Democrats paid to
attorneys. they have to show the defeat
of the millions of special tax. bonds ana
the immense railroad property that will
for all time contribute to the burdens of
State, town ard county government. The
Republicans have not one thing to show
for their expenditures.
think these facts prove the extrav-
agancc. corruption and incompetence Of
the Executive Department of the present
administration. could give more like
instances, but the case is made out suC-
ficiently we'll
UNFIT AND PARTISAN JUDGES.
Let us now turn to the Judicial De-
partment of our State Government. The
people ought to respect the bench, but |
do not believe in any fetch worship of
anything that is human. Judges are
public servants, and their acts are as
much the subject Of public criticism as
the acts Of any other servants of the
hnnnlO Hb. %