The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-21
fSoecial to The Messenger.)

Special to The Messenger.)
Raleigh. N. c., February 16.-Gov-
lowing letter to Senators Simmons and
Overman:
You DC doubt know that the Leg1s-
lative branches Of orr state govern
ment are much exercised over the best
way in which to make a just and ho1-
orable settlement Of the judgment OBJ
tanned by South Dakota against North
Carolina, amounting TO s27.400 and
costs. as we'll as the remaining two
hundred and forty-two bonds ssued
for tho construction Of the Western
North Carolina Railroad, for one thou
sane dollars each. bearing interest for
thirty years and secured by stock Of
worth s442. 900. lust now friends of
these ~bondholders, who all the time
have been demanding that our state
pay the pound of flesh. regardless of
its effect uDon our people. in order to
influence the minds of our law makers.
are busily engaged in circulating a re-
port that the state of South Dakota.
at this session of it's General Assembly.
has passed an act through it's Senate,
which is now pending before it's House
of Representatives. authorizing and
directing it's state officers to go upon
bond markets. n buy at the lowest
possible price. bonds of other state.
IT is further alleged that this bill pro-
that the proceeds Of bonds here
tOfore donated TO the state can be used
for the purchasing of other bonds and
the last bonds thus obtained be still
further pledged OF sold. and the pro-
ceeds invested for buying more bonds,
thuS by this endless chain of using
purchased bonds to buy other deDre-
ciated securities. ID enable that state
to finally obtain from its sister state all
the bonds desired for internal improve
ments. 1t is likewise openly claimed
that this act is being passed for tho
express purpose of enabling South Da-
kota. to deal with Schafer and Brother.
in getting n its hands tho remaining
Western North Carolina Railroad con
struction bonds. Such act by a sis
ter state is so montrous and foreign tn
what appears to me to be good faith in
the commity between states. that I
cannot believe 1t. and am satisfied i
is being circulated for effect. If not
true, then what I now say. will not
apply. but if it is true. and South d.
kota is adopting this method of getting
our bonds. then it Is high time that in
the council halls of the nation, a ring.
ing resolution should be introduced.
denouncing in no uncertain. but in most
scathing terms. a state hat thus allows
itself to be used as the cat's-paw by
individuals to annoy and harass an
other sister state.
prior to the adoption of the eleventh
amendment to the constitution of the
United States, an individual could sue
a state. Our wise law makers however.
deeming that a state would always
do right. and not willing for it to be
harraSsed in court by the clamo of in
dividualS, passed the eleventh amend
ment, thus denying this right to indi-
viduals but giving it to states. The
spirit of this amendment was to allow
one sovereign state. whose rights had
been Invaded. or infringed upon by
another. or where a state had violated
IT'S 1ollEdCl IIidO0 HiOi dIioIAiSAs W Wills
It's suit and get redress, but in my
humble opinion. neither the letter nor
the spirit of the constitution eve con
templated or intended for a state thus
to become a bond broker, or a second
hand junk shop. where persons holding
DEPRECATED or fraudulent bonds, or
bonds bought for much less than their
face value. could sell the same. and
through sovereign states accomplish
Indirectly what the constitution prsi-
kinits. And while the Supreme court
of the United States has decided hat
bonds honestly donated by an individ-
ual to a state, can be collected by the
Gonee, still I do moi believe that this
great court. when all the facts are be-
fore 1t. and suit is brought by the au-
thority of such an act as is above set
forth. viii eve go farther and allow
a sister state thus to sue, obtain judg-
ment and collect the same, by selling
stock pledged as security. and then
selling other state property to pay the
deficiency. IL any remains.
AS I have heretofore said TO the
General Assembly this is a debt aris-
ing on bonds due for the construction
nj the Western North Carolina railroad
Before those good and wise men could
sell our bonds the state va seized
uuon ny corrupt and designing men and
the condition OF thines became more
intolerablA and unbearable even than