The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-04-28
OUR RALEIGH LITER.
THINGS SEEN AND HEARD At THE STATE
CAPITAL,
GORMAN News BUREAU, |

GoRMAN News BUREAU,(
RALEIGH, n. c., April %, 1904
The A. & N. c. Railroad investigation
committee will finish up it's work during
the present week and the formal report
will be in the hands of the Governor in a
few days; and presumably will be
given to the public, through the news
papers, by His Excellency without delay.
Until that is done the people must be
content to bide their time, by the exer-
else OF whatever degree OF patience they
can command. No one has any authori-
ty or right to say in advance what the
findings and recommendations of the
committee will be.
But it is safe to predict that an eager
public will be entirely disappointed, and
that, when printed, tain portions of
the report will be found to contain some
highly entertaining" literature. How
ever, | have received tip to the effect
be filled quite as full of sensation" as
some evidently have anticipated.
well informed gentleman who has
recently returned from an extended trip
through the rural sections of central and
Eastern North Carolina makes very
interesting statement. Part OF it | will
quote, because a great deal of similar in
formation has come to my knowledge
| during the last year or two. Said he:
There is likely to be something doing
| in the next legislature on the subject OF
negro education especially with refer
| ence to the country negro. The farmers
| have for years been complaining of the
present system" which they say is all
| wrong, and which is more largely re-
sponsible than any and every thing else
| for the present and yearly increasing
scarcity OF farm labor. They declare
that the country negro schools as now
conducted are depopulating the farmers
Of their normal and natural supply of
| labor. That thousands of country
negroes every year graduate into town
| loafers and criminals because OF the false
notions instilled into their minds at
these country schools. That unless the
tide of emigration from the country to
the cities is stemmed very soon the own
the iails, warehouses and penetenatia-
ries, and hell itself, will be overrun with
| former country negroes"
| Again, they say they are very tired
| of being taxed for the privilege of strip
| pring their own farms of labor-being
required to furnish the weapon, actually,
| with which their business is being ruined.
| They demand a change for the better
| Cor the negroes themselves are ultimate
| ly ruined also) and say that this year
| they intend to send men from their re-
spective counties to the legislature
pledged to do something along that
| line. And they are very much in earnest,
| assure YOU" concluded my informant.
1t is a remarkable fact that it is a very
rare occurrence for negro to return to
the farm after having left it any consider
| able length of time-no matter how
| great the inducement held out to him.
and however poorly he may be fixed in
town. The farmers say this is accounted
for by the determination of that class
not to ever again perform hard work"
il they can possibly live without doing
so. Not so with the white country boys
Hundreds and thousands of these, who
! accepted work in cotton mills and some
other manufacturing industries when
to be made in growing it, have returned
to the farms this spring and are now
hard at work. Simply because they can
| make more money on the farm, as long
as cotton will fetch 10 cents pound or
unconstitutional they hope to get 12h
cents or more for this years crop
But the farmers who come to Raleigh
tell me they have not seen or heard Of
any Of the former negro farmers, or
troopers or field hands returning to
the farms. And there are plenty of
them, too, that ought to do so. There
are at least over a thousand able-bodied
country bred negroes in Raleigh who
would very materially better their con-
dition by a return to life on the farm
Yet, not one of them will do So
President kilgo of Trinity College,
accompanied by Prof. R. l.. Flowers Of
the College faculty and Mrs. kilgo,
leaves this week for California, where
Dr. kilgo will attend the General Con
ference of the NJ. E. Church, as fraternal
messenger from the Southern Church
Genreal Conference.
1t looks like the State ticket, to be
named, two months hence, with the ex-
ceptiOn OF the gubernatOrial candidate,
who cannot succeed himselD read very
| much like it did four years ago; with the
names Iof two Supreme Court judicial
nominenees added. All the executive
officers, including Railroad Commissioner
Samuel l.. Rogers, whose term expires IN
January next, will all have served just
full term, and it seems to be the general
opinion that all will be given a second
term. The corporation commission has
never had q more efficient and able and
useful member of that body than Mr..
Rogers. The valuable knowledge and
experience acquired by him during his
present term makes him more useful and
valuable to the State than ever, and it is
gratifying to know that he will accept a
denomination and continue to serve as
one Of the Corporation Commissioners.
The Supreme Court of the United
! toc, ,.of,,Co1 RI hnor tho CO. f the
the negro Alfred Daniels and he will be
executed. for the murder of the father OF
Senator Simmons, on Thursday, May
10. at Trenton.
The illness OF U. s.. Circuit Judge Simon
ton, of this circuit, is expected to termi-
nate fatally, and his successor is already
being decussed. 1t is generally believed
that former Senator j. G. Pritchard
tone of the justices of the Supreme Court
of the District of Columbia at Washing
tom can have the place if he desires it.
But his friends think he prefers his
present position. The ex-senator has
made great success on the bench and
his friends in North Carolina are proud
of him Indeed. Mr.. Pritchard has beer
a success ever since he entered public lie
. and today he enjoys a reputation anc
record that far surpasses that OF any
other Republican ever representing this
State at the rational capital. And there
, are many Democrats who, though not
agreeing with him in political matters
hitherto, who appreciate and admire
him. LLEWAAM.
Special bargains in shoes and hats a
II. THOMASON'S.