The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-02-19
Il RALEIGH TO FL CONFINED
BECAUSE Of SECRET
PROMISES

T. be generally accepted IN the meet
ing that come members Of ii G@a-
raj Assembly rad promised no. l.
r9te for i larger extension tEal "A
quarter Or q mile. and therefor Il
nas that little extension or nothing
A. the meeting 81 the Chamber Of
Commerce held last week the same
statement was made, to-vit: IIat
some or Wakes Legislators had. be
fore the primaries promised SOM
people living outside the limits Of
the city hat they would permit no
greater extension than a quarter Of
a mile.
The chamber - Commerce. the
Industrial club. the Merchants Asso-
! c~iatjon ana most Of the other citizens
of Raleigh. including some Aldermen.
! desire an extension that takes in what
properly belongs u Raleigh. AMI
! Vet they are ~sravely told that they
must accept an extension OF a quarter
| Of a mile or nothino. Why? Because
! certain members of the General A.
! sembly have given their pledge. one
o. them in writing, that they would
! permit no bill to pass extending the
city limits beyond a quarter Of a mile.
/. JEese pledges were giVen-aS is
: generally belieycd-it is accepted
thar they were given in secret a few.
days before the primary to parties
living outside the city limits who de-
sire the advantages INCL proximity
To Raleigh gives without paying any
CITY taxes. 1t is also stated that IN
consequence OF these pladges the peo-
pc living outside the city limits voted
for the candidate or candidates wh2
! made such secret pledges.
can such things be and overcome
US like q summer cloud
Aad not excite u special wonder
Is it possible hat a secret pledge.
made during the primary contest oy
candidates for the Legislature. is TO
thwart the will of the people of Raj
eigh? Is it possible that we have sunk
50 low that Wake legislators. in order
10 secure nomination. made secret
pledges that now bind them TO op-
pose the extension desired by the
Chamber of Commerce, the Industrial
Club, the Merchants Association,
some members of the Board of Alder-
men. and the great majority Of the
citizens IF Raleigh?
Comparatively the question Of the
extension OF the city of Raleigh is 4
small thing beside the one Of Wheth-
or any one or more Of Wakes legisla-
tors made secret pledges TO tax-dodg-
ers which now tend TO make such
-, / p 49, oft tho V-5if
Of the great majority of their
constituents. If it IS possible 70:
candidates for the Legislature 10
make secret promises which tie their
hands and make it impossible for
them To carry out the wishes OF their
constituents. then representative goF-
! rnrnen Is q farce and the Deop.e
have no real voice in the legislation.
If q candidate for the Legislature
secretly promises not To let the city
limits be extended more than Ger
tain powerful interests desire. and
gets their votes by reason Of such Sc
CreU promise. ma not other canGi-
dates make pledges not TO reduce rail-
road rates. not TO vote for antitrust
bills. not 10 vote for needed appro-
priations. or % vote for or against
them. or TO do or not do anything
else the people might desire?
A secret promise that ties the hands
of a prospective legislator is not 70 be
tolerated or excused. Public prom
ises are all right, for they are made
in the open, and the candidate rises
or falls by his public pledges. For
1-,,,.la yk-1l-as- Say1T1y ard Rpnr4-
j sentatives on half a dozen srunlps
publicly promised the people IL put
all county officers on d salary. That
solemn pledge was noTn by all
men. \ bill 10 that effect viii be III
uoduced By Mr.. Mial tomorrow and
in conformity 70 their pledge Il will
become q law by this Legislature.
Also they promised to vote for ro-
ducuon of passenger rates. In The
House Mr.. Douglass and Mr.. Mi7l
voted for the bill that beeame a Law.
thus fulfilling their public pledge, Sup
pose no issue had been raised in the
campaign and they had secrety
promised the railroads TO vote against
rate reduction. and had afterwards
found that mos Of their constituents
i demanded rate reduction. Nou!u l.ol
this secret promise lave rlade L i:u-
possible for them truly 70 represent
the people Of Wake county?
There are $4,000 peopts N Tbs nar-
row limits OF the city Of Raleigh.
There are 5000 just on the outside of
the city limits. Il a secret promise
made 10 a few on the outside thWarJs
the viii OF tne majority on tbs inside.
i il not clear that such promises de-
feat the viii OF the majority. and put
il in the power OF the minority 10
1ule? Is il not clear that sucn secret
promises disqualify a legislator? ~
As { matter Of fact. al the lesisla-
tors are not bound BY any secret
promise as TO extension. Those who
have 50 promised. if any, have decid-
ed against the people without a hear
ing and are not in Position Il Fe?re
sent the people. Those not 50 bounj
5 are in position to heed the voice o1
/ Raleigh and give such extension a:
the people want.