The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-07-19
nLAcY,RrsroxsrBLL

lives lost and the score or mere OF
widows and orphans made BY the
late explosion in the Cnmpock Ainsf
Chapter Isl, Laws OF 1897. make
it the da.y Of the Commissioners OF
Labor to inspect mines, preseribes
how il shall be done, and gives han
DO yer to instruct managers OF mines
~ to =, uirements OF the Lac, AND
puts the Governor, With oil bis ex-
ecu,ivs power together With the
State Treasury at his command 10
enforce his orders, and protect the
Ii .es Of the miners, - the mine in
spector shall order, in conformitory
to the provisions OF the act. 1t pro-
v,des that he shall take note OF all
IRE grlArities or failures to comply,
or any attempt to comply, note the
actual conditions etc., and keep that
informs ton on die In his ofice. II il
made his duty to provide suitable
blanks for monthly reports Of the su-
perlntepdent Of the mine, which re-
ports shall also be kept on hle in his
hace. The fact is, there is no duty
required of the Com missioner which
is more directly expressed or more
minutely and with more emphasis
specin4d With all this, when the
serious explosion at the Cumuock
mine occurred, about the 6rst 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 required, reports in either OF hi
personal off cial inspection. nor fron
the Superintendent.
u After the serious disaster, being
: asked about it he said: "No specla
appropriation was made for it and
have paid no attention to it, o.
words to that IF set.
This is serious matter. Here i
an Office of the State, sworn to exc
cute the duties of his ofioe, sayin,
, that he did not execute the most I'm
: portant duty laid upon him, and Civ
8 ing as his excuse. "No appropria
l ton for that duty especially"
: No duty is prescribed for him wit
t clearer force and emphasis. And
: is clearly evident that if any apprc
prlation was made for any act b
was required to perform, that q spt
= cial emphasis was laid upon the min
a inspection and regulation, then til
= appropriation was as much at lea,
n for that as it was for any other dut
Is prescribed, and that the mine il
y spe ction should have at least its pr,
l. portionats part Of his attention.
}, Yet, Mr.. Lacy, the kid glove cas-
~ Ter of bank in Raleigh, at q salal
g of eighteen hundred dollars, ar
Wv Commissioner of Labor and at Il
same TIM at a salary of fifteen hu
c. dred dollars, and insurance agen
n. requiring his attention, his ham
ii are so full that he does not fiud tin
Sc from these to sttend to the duties
TO nis insignificant State Office. Ser
u iog two or three masters, he serv
q. ,est the one that pays most, a,
No ueglec's the one that pays lea'
.ss Finding the great disaster has CON
he and that he is not prepared to sht
re- hat he has performed his sworn d
ty, he tries to let himself out by sa
ing, "There was no appropriate
81 for it and have not done it." n
on Lacy has made q tour of the S'a
I, De has seen about every railro
N employee that has q vote, nearly {
m cry cotton factory employee that b
IL vote, and the employees Of all
N. manufacturing enterprises, wher,
ia or he could find few voters, and
nd mas told them no doubt how anxio
or: he is thst they should be represent
Ms by him in the State Treasury. f
ID mis- tenderness and gentility revol,
on. at the idea of descending into . q
damp, dark coal mine, and perfor
;" ing the duties prescribed by ID
1 ~h oh 6nf ha b \ 20
on And when calamity came t. the pr
zen fellows in the mine and hurled
~. of them into erternity and left tn
wives widows and their children
no phsus he quickly exhonorated
gro him self to the expressed satisfactl
in Of himself, and the pleasure of
ian running mates for State Offices, q
!. the daily papers herald it abro
-. 10 "He didn t have any special app
lis priation."
or, What does the law prescribe
snt "Said Commissioner shall rece
Tn q salary of 81 500 per year He sh
:. have en- asslstsnt appointed by hi
~, self, whose salary shall be 5000 !
y" year. They shall receive their actl
} is travelling expenses etc. They sh
in. annually publish q report of stat
Tho tics, ETC., embodying what he dee
best, which shall be printed and p,
go for by the State as reports of oil
lite departments. The numoer of tn,
reports to be printed, the Comm
sioner may decide. The expense
,rv distributing these to whom he wis!
by mail, or other uiss. to be paid ,
Duo of the Treasury. Their salaries q
he travelling expenses, printing and 4
tribu,ing reports to be provided
'no as above. Then follows,-to "a,
ms out the provisions of tie act IS
,ho is annually appropriated to be p
0 ny the State Treasurer, as the Co
The N Q Toner may need and call for.
Then the statement that tn ere .
no appropriation for 1t is not tr