The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-03

| of shoes, little dress, some comfort
| Yes, even some necessity. 1t is idle to
| talk about making new counties without
| increasing taxes.
I've not button-holed single man on
! this question. I've not lobbied for i OF
| anything else and so help me God
never will do it. but I've heard members
| talk. I've heard them saying-some
| few of them: These people are 50
| earnest let's give 'em this county to
get rid of them Now, that is not right.
It's not even sensible. I've known wo-
men TO marry men to get rid of them.
| Bat I've never known such a case i'll
which the husband didn't whip the wife
before the first child was a year old.
It's bad business-this doing things just
to get rid of people To crafty 4 per-
| sonal friend is one thing; doing your
duty to your State is another Laying
off new county is something that al
fleets the whole State.
These gentlemen have gone ahead
and fixed their county without consult
ing anybody, except themselves. They've
taken all the cream and left the skin
milk to the other fellow They've taken
all the rich land and left Richmond the
poor land.
poor sandy land. Nine-tenths of the
new county is good land, whereas Il
large per cent. of what is left of the
old county is poor, sterile and barren
poor land and poor people living upon it.
Then they say they ought to have
this county because forsooth they wore
red shirts and carried the election. For
this they deserve much credit. But the
records show that the rest o. Rich
mond has made even greater Democratic
gains-and that means patriotic gains
than has the Scotland territory.
This Scotland business has become
a sentiment with these people. They
have dwelt upon it in poesy and song.
they have dreamed about it until it has
become settled conviction with them
that they ought to have it. But with
You. gentlemen, its no matter of senti-
ment. 1t is hard, common-sense ques-
ton of public policy.
''They say they want n more con-
venient court house. Why, my dear
Scotch friends, what are you talking
about? The court house too far away?
Have to ride in spring buggy twenty
five miles? The schedules of the trains
are not what they ought to be? For
shame, We descendants of Bruce, Wal
lace and Douglas. Walk, like your
hardy ancestors did. Go, and if neces-
sary take your blankets on your backs
and sleep under tree, if you can't do
better. Your forefathers, than whom
there were no nobler men, did it. The
first thing one knows you'll be here
holding up your little dilletante hands
asking for court house on wheels
something you can back up to every
mans door, And then | shouldn't be
surprised to hear that you were petit
tioning for negro to hold an umbrella
over you and let the steps down for
you.
Nothing should be too far or too hard
for a Scotchman. But, you say, there's
that sand-bank? Well, what of it?
Scotch feet are too broad to sink into
the sand. Put your petition on some
higher ground or abandon it.
"As | said in the beginning I'm en-
ployed as an attorney to present the
facts in this contest to you Other law
yers-from Newbern, Raleigh and 9th
er places-have been employed to pre-
sent the other side to you. They have
present it, in this open manner. They
prefer to stand on the outside and act
as provost guard. Perhaps that's bet
fer. i. noble business it is, thus stand
ing out and keeping the ranks moved
up. We haven't button-holed anybody,
and we are not going to do SO.
LET me tell you, Scotland advocates,
there's nothing old Richmond county
would not do for you"
A voice: Then give us Scotland"
Mr. Lockhart: ITO help you she must
not be expected to hurt, to ruin her
self"
II beg of you to listen to her once
more. She's your old mother At ner
breast you've been fastened and cared
for. Toiling for you she has grown
old Her hills are worn out and unpro-
ductive. The paupers are there with
us. We have built railroads and made
improvements, and you have reaped
them. OF these you've got the lion
share Now in our old age, now that
you've grown strong, you owe us the
filial duty of standing by us and helping
u.s."
The argument of the case was con-
cluded by Mr.. John d. Shaw, Jr., for
He said he, too, was a lawyer, but
he was not before the committee as
a paid attorney. He was there as a
citizen of the proposed new county.
Referring to the Democratic strength
shown by the two sections in the last
election, Mr.. Shaw said Scotland, with
a registered negro majority gave a white
majority OF $50 Richmond, also, he
said, met them at the half way line with
a Democratic majority, but it was not
SO big.
He argued that if the new county
were established even then both the
old and the new county would be lar
ger than twenty-eight other counties
in the State. As to the indebtedness of
Richmond. he said it was So, 900 and
not $4,000 as stated by the other side.
What makes this debt? The court
house. the county home, the other pub
lie improvements that are left to nicb-
mond by us as a gift
Replying to Mr. Lockhart's statement
that the Richmond county taxes would
hn incrnaSad Mr. Shaw said this could