Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1921-12-15
An oBnoxIous Free LABoR llW n
PUBLIC ROADS.

PUBLIC ROADS.
Mr.. EDITOR: As l have always
been an advocate and claimant Of
just riQhts. under the political
and moral law made by our law
makers, but l do reserve the
right to complain Of '''Ihe obnox-
ious. free labor law Cd public
roads in Watauea County"
First, l believe our fofefathers
who fought and bled on the bat.
tie fields for our liberty and just
rights were the most gallant Of
heroes, and I further believe that
the great leaders and statesmen
such as those who wrote the Con-
stitution Of the U. s. wrote this
document to stand out as a bea.
conlight for the oppressed peo.
pie of the world. and especially
the citizens of our country. Fl
! want to refer your readers to
some sections of the U. 8. and
State Constitutions which are as
follows: Sec. /, Constitution of
the United States says: Neither
slavery nor involuntary servitude
except as punishment for crime
whereof the party shall have been
duly convicted, shall exist within
the United States, or any place
subject to their jurisdiction"
Declaration of Rights N. c.,
Sec. 33. Slavery and in volunta-
ry servitude, otherwise than for
crime, whereof the parties shall
have been duly convicted, shall
be and are hereby forever pro-,
hibited within the State"
Citizens of Watauga county,
you are the jury to decide the
case under the above ruling. The
constitutional law is as plain as
the nose on your face in regard
to making a citizen, work the
road and it being constitutional,
as it is unconstitutional without
a single doubt, but we have had
enacted law in North Carolina
pertaining to public roads in
Watauga county that has long
been on the Statute books, as
long as I can remember, and it
is unjust.
We were promised by silver.
toned orators If we would only
vote bonds for the keeping up of
the roads in Watauga county that
free labor on public roads would
be abolished, and now l have can
vassed The township of Stony
Fork and find almost to a man
that they are all impressed with
the same view that ] hold and
have signed a petition to have the
abnoxious and unjust law repeal.
ed as soon as possible by the
General Assembly of North Car.
olina. I am like Abraham Lin
coin who said in the days of slav
! cry: THAT this nation cannot re
main half free and half slave
So I will repeat the words of the
above immortal: that Wataug;
county can never keep her roads
, up by half taxation and the 9th
, er half by free labor.
r You can fool some people par
r of the time, and some all thet tim
but listen: If Blaine Coffey don
l abolish free labor in Watau &;
! county for good he could not b.
t elected again in this county 70
I the Justice Of the Peace ii tn
, voters had q chance at him.
! Keep the roads in 'Wataug
, up by taxation wholly, and let
> not have a convict force Of limo
!, cent men who are victims Of q,
unjust law out on the statute
j.. books of North Carolina by Sc
Of political leaders who had q lit
, tie wealth at the time, and wan
e the roads kept up the same oil
way in order toavoid paying thei
/. part Of the taxes on the accoun
d IF their'wealth. Now Is the tim,
to strike, so Young progressiy,