Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1912-03-27
SALISBURY, N. C..MARoH ~, 1912.
TIE COURT HOUSE STEAL.

COO01 aOOO1 OAAH1Ah'
Recently when the House OF
Representatives voted an addition
81 SIS, 600. 600 for pensioning
about all who sympathised With
the north during the great war,
the papers were full of COM
ments on the ''Pension steal,'
"Back Grab" etc yet Congress
claims the right to do such a
thing if the members thereof were
80 inclined. regardless OF the
wishes of the people. The peo-
pie, through the press. however,
we're not long in letting it be
known that, Notwithstanding the
so-called rights of Congress to en-
act such a measure, they were
most emphatioally opposed to
what was openly and very aptly
called a "steal." Just as IN the
present new court house propo-
sition, the people consider that
their rights are being infringed
upon. money is to be taken out OF
their pockets and spent for a
cause that they object to and, no
matter how little the amount taken
from an individual, each" feel just
like q man does when a pick.
pocket has taken his purse or
watch. Hi permission is not
asked, he is mot allowed to say
what amount shall be taken and
he has no voice in saying how his
money il to be used. When such
legislation can be forced upon a
protesting community there is
certainly little of value left in
our so-called self-govern1ng
rights, and the official has gotten
as far from the tenents OF true
Democracy as the east is from the
west. Congress either saw the
Justice in the peoples protests or
feared their wrath, and has, for
the time at least, dropped the
intended steal, but our great
county commissioners, clothed,
not in All official trust for the
people, like congress and other
legislative bodies, but in a
"divine right" to rule as pleases
them, do not intend to give heed
to the almost unanimous voice of
our people to either fix up the
present building in an approprl'
ate manner, or if a new building
10 to be considered, submit tho
matter to q vote of the people at
the coming election. If congress
can listen to the wish of the peo-
pie it seems passing strange, chat
our big. $25 90 per year, county
commissioners cannot c~ondescend
to also give heed to the burden
right. But they WILL
not, and it is therefore necessary
for the people, first. in order to
their rights and second
", to block what may also may
be termed 1.-THE Court House
Steal" to take up the matter IN a
,ystematio manner, by proper
and effectual methods, and de-
mand the right to be heard or
have the law giving the commits
sioners such arbitrary powers re-
pealed, This will nscessitate
taking the matter into court to
secure an injunction restraing the
commissioners until the legisla-
ture meets, and in the mean
time elect men to the legislature
who will see that our rights are
restored by the repeal OF the
ini1uituous law. This action
should be taken without delay
and il should be settled thorough
ly, once for all.
If any one has anything to say
on the subject, we would be glad
to hear them. Attention Is
to the letters from num-
bers of the best people and larg-
est tax payers which are appear
ing in this paper. Speak out
gentlemen, our columns are open
and free to all.