The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-08-27
SHALL THE PEOPLE RULE?
Why do the Commissioners Take
Sides With an ex-Officer
Why are They so Anxious to
be Reelected,

be Reelected.
To the Editor of The Robesonian
That great champion of the
rights of the common people, the
Honorable William Jennings
Bryan, our candidate for Presi-
dent, has made the chief issue of
his campaign against the Repub-
lican party the question, Shall
the people rule?"
1t is well-known fact that the
Republican party in national poll
tics is composed of a ring Of Of
flee holders, and a certain class
of wealthy men who control the
office holders for their own bene-
fit. 1t is to overflow this class
and condition of affairs in our
national government that William
Jennings Bryan has adopted the
campaign slogan Shall the peo-
pie rule"?
When we come to consider the
conditions existing in our own
county affairs, we think we might
adopt the same campaign cry.
We can see from what a certain
crowd of Office holders in Robe
soa county are doing that they
have determined to look out for
their own interests, instead of
the interests of the people who
elected them.
Why is it that the board Of
. county commissioners, upon
whom the law places the duty to
see that all county funds are pro-
perly accounted for and paid
over, should use their influence
and hire lawyers to prevent the
5 finance board to collect money
2 which they found from the re-
{ cords of the county should be
: collected? 1t seems mighty
strange that they should appear
. to take sides with any officer OF
8 eX-oficer of the county.
Why is it that when this board
knows from it's own records thai
4 ex-Sheriff Mcleod has collected
/ for 1906 only the sum of $431. sc
a for taxes under schedule B anC
| c, and Sheriff McNeill for the
= very next year has collected from
, the same sources the sum Of
a So, 697. 26, a plain difference oz
t So, 265. rs, should want to dis
e charge ex-Sheriff Mcleod, in
o stead of making him pay owe
s this money to the tax payers O:
o the county, which they have los
,- by his failure to collect and turl
e over?
e If the people of Robson coun
e ty can put up with such conduc
Il as this, then they have nobody t.
e blame but themselves.
;, 1t has been understood hereto
e fore that the office of count!
S commissioner is one that no goot
e man cared to hold for any lengtl
l. of time, as it paid very little com
;. pensation. 1t was also understood
e that most of the men who woulC
IS accept office would accept it fo
, only one or two terms, as a mat
II ter of public spirit, and for th'
}, benefit of the tax payers. VIII.
n is it that some of the member
n of the present board, who hav,
j. held Office for eight or ten years
|, are so anxious for it again tina
- they announce themselves severa
e months before the primaries ar
J. held? Why is it that they are s.
W ANXIOUS to hold this office whicl
Il the law allows so little compensa
e tion for? Why is it that the.
d are having people canvass tn
t, whole county in their interest
n Why is that they are having me-
:, canvass in every township in tn
s county in their interest? VIII
n are paying these men? Are the
doing this work for nothing? O
e will the tax payers, in SOM
y manner, pay for it in the future
l. TAX PAYER.
It Lumberton, Aug. 22, 1908.