The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-07-19
MR.. LACY RESPONSIBLE.

let it be the Democrats.
MR.. LACY RESPONSIBLE.
Who is responsible for the twenty
lives lost and the score or more OF
widows and orphans made by the
late explosion in the Cnmnock MIMI
Chapter Isl, Laws Of 1897 make
it the duty of the Commissioner OF
Labor to inspect mines, pr.ser,bes
now it shall be done, and gives him
power to instruct managers Of mines
as to r. q nirements Of the Law, and
puts the Governor, with all his ex-
ecutive power together with the
State Treasury at his command to
enforce his orders, and protect the
ll.es Of the miners, as the niue in
spector shall order, in conformitory
to the provisions of the act. 1t pro.
vldes that he shall take note of all
irregularities or failures to comply,
or any attempt to comply, note the
actual conditions ETC., aud keep that
informs ton on fle in his Office. 1t is
made his duty to provide suitable
blanks for monthly reports of the su-
perlutendent Of the mine, which re-
ports shall also be Kept on file in his
|oA 60 Sc 80 NJ ~
required of the Com missioner which
is more directly expressed or more
minutely and with more emphasis
specified. With all this, when the
serious explosion at the Cumnock
mine occurred, about the hrst of
June, not one Effort or attempt had
been made by the Commissioner OF
Labor to inspect or to get regular
monthly reports Of the mines, and
he had not the proper, and by the
law REQ uired, reports in either of his
personal official inspection, nor from
the superintendent.
After the serious disaster, being
asked about it he SAID: mo special
appropriation was made FOE it and 1
have paid no attention to it, or
words to that t Il sct.
! This is q serious matter. Here is
an officer Of the State, sworn to sxe-
cute the duties Of his Office, saying
that he did not execute the most I'm
portant duty laid upon him, and Civ.
ing as his excuse, "No appropria-
ton for that duty especially"
| No duty is prescribed for him with
clearer force and emphasis. Aud il
is clearly evident that if any sppro.
prlation was made for any act he
was required to perform, that a spe
cial emphasis was laid upon the mins
inspection and regulation, then the
appropriation was as much at leas,
for that as it was for any other duty
prescribed, and that the mine in
spection should have at least it's pro
portionate part Of his attention.
Yet, M. Lacy, the kid glove cash
isr Of bank Ia B .leigh, at q salary
of eighteen hundred dollars, ane
Commissioner Of Labor and at tn,
same TIM at salary of fifteen hun
dred dollars, and insurance agent
r. caring his attention, his hand.
are so full that he does not find tim.
from these to attend to the duties O,
; his Insignificant State ONCE. Serv
ing two or three masters. he serve,
best the one that pays most, anG
neglec.s the one that pays least
Finding the great disaster has come
and that he is not prepared to show
that he has performed his sworn du
ty, he tries u let himself out by say.
; ing, "There was no appropriation
for it and l have not done it." Mr.
Lacy has made tour of the State
He has seen about every railroad
employee that has q vote, nearly ev
cry cotton factory employee that has
q vote, and the employees Of all the
manufacturing enterprises, wherev.
or he could find few voters, and be
has told them no doubt how anxious
he is that they should be represented
by him in the State Treasury. Blu,
his tenderness and gentility revolted
at the idea Of descending into q cold
damp, dark coal mine, and perform.
ing the duties prescribed by law,
which duties he took oath to execute.
Aud when calamity came to the poor
fellows in the mine and hurled %
Of them into erternity and left their
wives widows and their children or
phans he quickly exhonoratedtD
himself to tho expressed satisfaction
Of himself, and the pleasure of his
running mates for State ofacss, and
the daily papers herald it abroad.
"He didn't have any special appro-
priation."
j What does the law prescribei
"Said Commissioner shall receive
. salary of 81. 500 per year He shall
have su asslstsnt appointed by him.
self, whose salary shall be $500 per
year. They shall receive their actual
travelling expenses etc. They shall
annually publish . report of stats
tics, etc., embodying what he deems
best, which shall be printed and paid
for by the State ~ reports of other
departments. The numoer of these
reports to be printed, the Commis-
sioner may decide. The expense of
distributing these to whom he wist 5
by mail, or other us., to be paid ont
Of the Treasury. Their salaries and
travelling expenses, printing and dis