The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-04


paid to inaugurate a Governor; that the
House of Representatives had ten pages
when four were enough. That everything
was currupt. That il they could get to
the books they would astound the pub
lie with their disclosures. That we were
responsible for the low prices of farm
products. That taxes were too high In
an evil hour some tof our people were
beguilcd by these arguments.
Irpon these promises these reformcrs
came into power. What have they done?
Placed men on the benches of our Su-
pcrior court whose unftncSs moves one
TO pity them as well MS those haplcss
persons whose rights are TO be passed
upon by such Judges.
They have given us higher taxes on the
old subjects of taxation, and With cum
ming ingenuity they have sought new
subjects for double taxation. They have
established State internal revenue tax
on tobacco. garden seed. etc. and they
tax and often double tax every Twin"
thing They don't stop there. but they
tax Il man after death, for now before
property can be turned over by an adj
miniStrator to orphan children, the rcgu
lar al valOrem tax must be paid. and
also II special inheritance tax. These
reformcrs rob the grave to raise money
to nay the expense Of their debauchcry.
They promised economy and these two
Legislatures have cost nearly 100000
more for clerical help and incidental cX
pcnscs than the two preceding Demo
cratic legislatures cost.
Did they find any corruption when they
opened our books? Not Il bit. They have
been in control of the executive depart
mCnt less than two years, yet they dare
not make the reports required ny law.
We have lately seen n respectful request
for report required hy law made by an
eminent citizen on behalf of thrcc-fourthS
of the white people of the State, and we
have seen that request refused in Ian
guagc so false. so ScurrilouS. so foul and
50 unrentlcmanly that the public nj once
recognized it as the language of the Gov
ernor of the State.
The Governor removed John X. Smith
from control of the penitentiary because
the Governor said he was stealing. He
proposed to indict Smith. but when
Smith proposed to exhibit the receipts
for the money he spent in buying Dock
cry votes for Russell at the convention,
and when Smith proposed to tell of other
things he knew on the Governor, the
Governor decided not to indict, but to
placate Smith, and he placed him at the
head of the Agricultural Department,
with its piles of money to spend. How
that money is being wasted Mr.. Bailey's
letter will show. Meetings with Il few
hours work spread out over days, and
the members paid by the day. Five extra
inspectors of guano. appointed in July.
appointed not to inspect guano. but to
do political work ut the expense of the
people.
In one years time the reformers have
so outraged all sense of decency that
devoted men like Bailey and lifelong
Republicans like DIR. Meserve are forced
to wash their hands of their iniquity
This is reform. before its freshness mas
worn off. What will it be when it set
ties down to business?
He spoke of the lowering in the moral
tone of the State. the lowering of the
aspirations of the people. incident to the
elevation of depraved men TO office.
We advertise to the world that a man
may hold high office in this State with
out having either character or ability.
The Reformcrs have taken away the
feeling of order. security and confidence
Nv
they have removed from our country wo-
men the protection which formerly did
hedge them round about. ! say country
women because as yet our towns general
ly are safe. But the country girl no
longer trips lightly along our roads with
gladness in her heart and song on her
lips But she goes. if she must go alone.
with fear upon her heart, with bIanched
Il II - fat hn
fall her worse than death.
Our Rcformers say they condemn this
as much rs we, and | say they do. But
nevertheless, they are as surely response
bic for it as if they had countenanced it.
For they have received office at the
hands of the brutes who do these deeds.
and those hrutes in their Ignorance and
villainy expect the men they have elected
to uphold them. They are mistaken, but
acting on that belief they commit the
crime. The negro hanged in Henderson
for assaulting a little girl at Il spring
asked tho sheriff: ''If | get Il pardon
from Russell. will If do me any good?"
He knew Russell was his governor. and
that negroes elected him, and in his -
norance he belieyedF he had only to ask
for Il pardon to get it. He found he would
nc 1Aliclltu III Spllt VI Al Duihpl anu WI
suited with the sheriff Now Russell
was as far from pardoning that man rs
! would have been. but that question
showed what men of his class were think
ing about.
He called attention to the fact that
every county, in which assaults of this
kind have been committed. are controlled
by fusonists Buncompe, Cabarrus,
Richmond. Vance, Green. In each Of
these outrAgcs have been committed and
they arc all controlled by fusionists. Not
the hand Of Il negro brute has been laid
upon Il white woman in any county in
this State which is controlled by Demo
Gratis.
The Reforncrs have destroyed white
supremacy and substituted for it the rule
of the blacks. Not that the blacks hold
all Of the offices, but they choose the
whites who are to hold the offices III
counties where the negroes are not strong
enough to demand them for themselves
They select white men craven and de-
PRAYED enough to accept the offices at
the hands of negroes. Today the negroes
select the men to rule over the white peo-
pie of North Carolina.
Russell is Governor because the ne
grocs voted well nigh solidly for him