The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-26
THE SITUATION IN WILKES.


ness in Wilkes county is one that de-
mands consideration. The news is
that Yerkes regards it as "a closed IN
cident." If Yerkes sticks to the de-
termination to keep the lid on and
try to prevent the punishment OF
revenuers and the moonshiners with
whom they conspire to violate the
law. there will be IAN appeal to Gaze
sar. The matter will be taken to the
President and to Congress, for the
people of North Carolina will not sub
nit to the continued collision to de-
feat the laws against the illegal man
ufacture and sale of whiskey. rms
collision is partly for help and partly
for politics. but it must be ended, and
neither Yerkes nor any of his depu-
ties are above the power of a
righteous public sentiment.
The editor of the Wilkesboro Chron-
icle, who was murderously assaulted
by two revenue officials, is doing a
great public service by continued
pressing of the necessity for enforce
ment of the law. From this weeks edi-
torial columns the following extracts
are made:
According to what is reported
here there has been more active
work done in the last week or ten
days in the revenue business, than
for a year previous.
"Since the agitation of the revenue
officers assault on this scribe there
have been several blockade institutions
found Mr. Greene, the new man
sent here, seems to know a blockade
'distillery from telephone wire and a
cistern room from gentleman on
the streets. This is an encouraging
sign
1T is reported by the new officers
that several blockade stands have
been cut up in the last week. They
were no trouble to find-just as plain
as daylight
There seems to be something do
ing among both wings of the reve-
nuers Since Mr.. Greene arrived, the
officers have discovered what a still
is and the fellows who preside over
the kettles are rapidly putting out the
fires in the furnace Even the great
Mogul has a few symptoms of nervous
prostration about his knees"
1.-The Union Republican calls the
attention of this paper to the fact that
1t has heretofore told this paper that
the judges and solicitors of the State
are not enforcing or trying to enforce
the Watts law, and that the judges
do not charge the grand jury on the
matter. This paper is aware of the
Republicans statement and has fire.
quently called the attention of the Re-
publican to the error of it's statement
SO far as it refers to the official con-
duct of the judges and solicitors in
Wilkes. The judges have included in
their charges the Watts or temper
ance law. and the solicitor has done
his duty in a straight, fearless way.
These officials have gone, as far as
they could rightfully to have the law
enforced. The solicitor has presented
bills and the grand jury, mostly Re-
publicans in politics. has ignored them
over ninety ignored bills of this
character, at the last term of Wilkes
Superior court. If there, there is fault
in the execution of this law 1T lies with
the Republican grand jury and Off
Gals"
Tender Hearted Officers.
"a prominent and leading Republic
can politician made a remark the
other dav that shows We have some
very tender-hearted and considerable
revenuers. citizens asked the Re-
publican leader how it happened that
the blockade dstilleries which have
been VIGOROUSLY running for year or
so could not be found until, within the
last few days-just little while a.
the assault, and a rev days
Federal court met here. The
publican politician answered: ooh,
officers who have been here don't liza
to cut up and destroy the property OF
their own countrymen and neghbors.
Isn't that coming to it? Haven't they
an oath to enforce the law, and Gon't
they make out their pay accounts lgs
work done? We have never hears
an officer getting too 'tender-heaf> Il
and considerate' to send in his pay
accounts at the regular time.
And then, too, the officers for the
last few years, since Blackburn S
reign, have been imported ones. They
haven't been fellows whom one would
suspect of going into compton fits of
tenderness for the preservation of the