The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-02-16

improper IN any respert Tnla a5rs-
pie ordinary rule ia small shtnxa a.
sell az tn large. auhnsit. marks he
difference between a frank. straight.
forward honest naan. On the one
hand. and eowariIy. doubles deal
i Ing. dishonest sypoerit or the other
Hon. Fabius ~. Basbee an Attorney
for These Bonds.
At that time Hon. Fabgua e. Bus
bee. Of Raleigh. =. c., was the aator-
ney for the holders Of these bonds.
and had been for q number % years
lie vent 10 Washington 10 see me.
and said that he had for a number Of
Years appealed TO the Legislature 10
pay this honest debt. lie said that
ne believed that II he could get the
facts before a SUFFICIENT number OF
the members of any Legislature. that
their conscience and sense Of justice
would be aroused so that they would
not longer permit their State TO con-
tinue in the position OF refusing TO
pay an honest debt.
He said that he had Just made
another appeal TO the Legislature
then In session. and had been so dis
heartened by the Indifference and the
repuises which he had met that he
had given up all hope OF ever wiping
4 this stain from the fair name of the
State. unless the truth about the hon
esty OF these bonds could be brought
to the attention OF the people of the
h - -
that the only way TO accomplish this
result was, IL possible. to bring a suit
In the Supreme Court of the United
States to test the validity of these
bonds. He asked me IL l felt salts
fed the bonds were honest. / told
him yes. He said that IL he was a
member Of the State Legislature that
he would unhesitatingly vote to pay
or make some honorable adjustment
: OF the same. l frankly told him
would do likewise IL were a mem
Der Of the Legislature.
HE then asked me IL I was will
ing to become associated with him in
an effort to bring a suit in the SUI
preme Court of the United States. I
/ Ii dhhiJ IOio Hill, yes. IL 0iu nOl OC-
cur to me that there was any man In
the State so unfair or dishonest as to
; attempt to misrepresent me because
| answered him then, instead of tell
ing him to wait few weeks and
come back, when 1 would give him
{ my answer.
:, Here was case that could not
be brought to trial in the Supreme
Court of the United States for sew
= eral years-a case that could not in
terfere with my duties as a United
9 States Senator, even IL I had had
;, years to serve instead of a few weeks
: and it is for this that I am charged
= with being guilty of moral treason
. to the State.
t The Line of Duty and Ethics.
: IT submit that when a lawyer is
holding position of public honor OF
;. trust, whether great or small, that
that position limits him in the prac.
tice of his profession as a lawyer tc
cases where his duty as a public of
:. fetal and his duty as counsel will moi
-. Legislature is at the same time ar
- attorney for railroad corporation OF
some public service corporation thai
should be regulated by law in the in
y terest Of justice between the corpora
ton and the public, that it is the
duty of that official to either resign
as an attorney or resign as a public
;. official; and yet has there ever beer
one OF the many Democrats who serv
. ed as members Of the Legislature and
- at the same time as attorneys fol
such corporations resigned from eth
er place, and has any one of such
Democrats ever been criticised by the
self-professed virtuous editor of the
= Raleigh News and Observer? There
have no doubt been some Senator.
= and Congressman who, while servins
- in such places, have also, at the same
time, been the regularly retained
= counsel for railroads or corporation,
= whose interests are liable to be af.
= fected by legislation.
II have always considered sucl
employment by lawyers holding sucf
: public positions as improper have
:. refused employment in a number OF
such cases myself, though I take i
that it would not be difficult to find
more than one Democrat in this State
IS to-day holding such positions, ant
g also, at the same time, acting a:
Ie such paid attorneys.
Il have never accepted employ
n ment while holding public office il
Is any case where there could. under
any possibility, arise any conflict be
Il tween my duty as a public officer ant
lr my duty as counsel. The Democrat,
II ring in this State have kept up Z
q constant TRADE OF attack and abuse
e on me ever since I left the Demo