North Carolina Newspapers

OEIEK ISSUED WEEKLY PRINCIPLES. NOT MEN ONE DOLLAR'.PER.Y VOL. 39 Asheboro, N. C, Thursday, October, 15, 1914 N SYNOPSIS OF SPEECH OF MR. IJK. BAILEY AT ASHEBORO LAST FRIDAY NIGHT PROPOSED AMENDMENTS EXPLAINED IN PLAIN EVERYDAY LANGUAi 001 Speeches from two of North Caro- Una's foremost Democrats in one 4 week is bound to have a -telling effect 'in the increase of the Democratic vote in Randolph county in the com ing November election. Cameron Morrison opened the campaign Mon day afternoon and on Friday night J. W. iiailey, of Raleigh, spoke to a packed court house full of people. Mr. Bailey was introduced by Mr. Win. C. Hammer, and in doing he so paid a most beautiful tribute to the work of this well known Democrat. Mr. Hammer said that he never knew Mr. Bailey to be on the wrong side 6f any question. Mr. Bailey said: It was at Greensboro just -a few years ago that a president of the 'United States invited North Caroli nians to "Join the Republican Iarty rand 'become part "of the Union." I guess that President has heard the news. We are in the Union all right. Indeed :he "Union Is somewhat in North Carolina. There is Senator Simmons, at the head of the Senate. There is Overman right at the top. 'There is Joe Daniels running the Na- 'the House of Representatives. Xnere is Tom Pence JTght next -to the fca-r -.yy. .There is Claud Kitchen leading the House of Eepresentatives. There is .Tom Fence right next the Nation- . al Chairman of the Democratic Party. But where is the Republican party end of that invitation? Somewhere ; in Yale University there is an ex-pres ident lecturing on law, not politics .and somewhere up the River of Roose veltian Doubt, if you can call it thai, is the Republican party running in no particular ,4inecuoa! ' And what a transition, my fellow. citizens, have we here: We are not only in the Union but in two short years we have put out of .the Union the hordes of tinvjlexe ana plunder, We came in by the right door, the Democratic Party; and the right man showed uihe way, Woodrw Wikon, we have done o well that even the 'Remiblicass "have nothing to say a- garmtt us they did nt issue 'a hand book this .year. They could not get up any campaign thunder. They are a mute in :fhe presence of Wilson's policies. President Wilson has achieved a great centvrry'B task "m -tw years. "We are "in ftie midst of the great a wakenmg of the American conscience, and Woodrow "Wilson is 'ite prophet. Historiana "will date a new eta from - thehour in which "he totfk the rth -of office. The new "breath -of freeaom blows across our land: "We "know that our Republic Is in the hands f a man who interprets -power "in terms of ser vice Tafher -than nrmlepe. We Itnew that -the day f the interests" is "done and the day of "Tie interest! tue peo ple is -at haad. The Financial Ceitfkir Change . We 'behold the financial center of our country moved as w maaric tmm Morgan' office on Wall Street to fiie Treasury at Washington. We behold the banks of our country Moving to tha Treasury which so recently dared jiot refuse to bow to them. laere i great man in that Treasury, "ay the way hfn name isMe Adoo. Hi has teen the most difficult task a Secreta ry of the Treasury ever had. But he made the financial resources I the Eepublie well-springs of relief to ur farmers where they had been the means of panic and, oppression. It is a master hand at the helm of the Treasury. We have a currency law now that makes money .trusts impossible so long as such a man as Wilson or Mc Adoo is at the helm. The Steel Trust squeezed the courage out of the man who faced lions in Africa and was un afraid. But McAdoo and Wilson and the Democratic Congress have squeez ed the arrogance and the power out of that same Steel Trust and all the oth er trusts as well. The people have taken charge. They came back into the Union the same time that North Carolina did, and by the same door the Democratic party did. Lifting the Burden of TtaxaMon We have placed the burden of taxa tion where it belongs. We have taken the tax from sugar and wool and plac ed it on the incomes of corporations and the well-to-do. We refused to let might make right. We declared that only Right makes Right. The New Diplomacy. Even so in Mexico. Our soldiers and sailors went into that stricken land bearing their arms in the inter est of peace and justice. Patience wrought us perfect work. South America begins to trust us. Mexico relies upon us. All the warring na-. tions of the earth seek our good-will. Wilson and Bryan have put an end to the dollar diplomacy and the lan guage of war. The big stick has giv en way to the big heart. In our White House dwells a man after the order of John Bunyan's Great Heart. And in the Providence of God we are learn ing that' the good way is the strong way. The principles of the Gospel are as good for a nation as for a per son. Strange we are so slow to ac cept the words of life. Thanks to the new diplomacy the diplomacy of Peace and Justice a grateful people are shouting 'War in the East; Peace TLIR. BAILEY DISCUSSES THE FRINCIPAL .'UES OF THE PRES ENT TIME TELLS OF THE SOUTH'S Ex " TED POSITION IX THE WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PA YV BEAUTIFUL TRIB UTE TO WORK OF GOVERNOR CRAIG, in the West! God '. s Wilson", North Carolina's . 'at Progress As for North Caro. that is an old story. Here we are with a record of service unsurpassed in all the state's history. North Carolina did not have to re form. All the rest of the nation has been fighting graft and privilege for twenty years. There has been none to fight in North Caroliaa. North Car olina was and ia Democratic. It was a great and wise Democrat who said that "a long lease of power breeds corruption." He was right as a'rule. But North Carolina under the Democrats is the exception that proves the rule. In half a century of power not one of her state "Officers has proved untrue to his trust. Other oolitical narties come and tro: but the Democratic party is as old as the Republic; and is destined to live as long as the Republic lives. The Democratic party Tnamtams its nowerful hold unon this state because it 'is so truly representative df "the Comonwealth. Some times It does not move as last as some of us wish, but see how surely it moves forward. It is "neither radical nor conservative it is representative. If you want the Democratic party to 'do any one thing, I will tell you how o do it, go to "the people with it. It responds surely to them, as surely as the hand to the head. Oh, never fear the would-be Losses. Go to the people. That is now we got supervision Of the puhlie service corporations. That is now we are now about to get the legalized primary. 1 am a Democrat because I know that the people can control the party for what 'is right; and on the other hand, it lias -the conscience and ' the vigor to hold them back Tintil they are sure they are right. There are progressive "who demand every new idea that springs up. Let us thank God Democratic party can hold laack as well as lead onward. Yes, one can be too progressive as well as too conservative. Governor Craig has xn&Je. a magnif icent Governor. If you will consider what we are doing in education, in rublic Health, lin Agriculture, in Good Roads, and see how wisely arid-steadfastly he is festering thest. beneficient wfrka, you will not ask for more. There may be -no politics in public health; hut there is everything else that is ood 4here is hf and pros perity. Do you realize tthe value of the work being done in fhn cause just now the exposure of patent medi cine folks, the reduction of death rate, the -prevention of epidemics, the schooling of the people ayainst the plagues? Do you get the bulletin? Craig is lack of 11 this. Do 3'ou we our farmers prosperous, and fhe value of farm lands increas ing -with increasing productivity ? Do youee them planting peas, and erim sni clover, and plowjng deep? Do you hear tS Boys' Cora Clubs and Pig Globs and Girls Canning Clubc? Our Department of Agriculture is back of all this. And Craig is leading tm. We have made a -wonderful increase of income Hi agriculture. Behold the good roads movement how ft "has enveloped ihe state. There is a road like a ribbon from Raleigh to Greensboro. Craig He the renter -of this great Biovezs-ent. Best of all, Craig grappled with the public carriers in the hour that he took the oath. It was a aplendid mo ment in our lives when we saw him dedicate himself to his task "declaring that North Carolina shippers were. discriminated against by fhe great railroads and that he would put an end to" St if he had to exhaust all the powers of the state. That sort of earnestness counts. And we bring you in his name and the name of the Democratic party as a result a sav ing to the shippers of this stale 01 two million dollars a year, inw is so far the outstanding trophy of Gov ernor Craig's administration. He did it so quietly we have hardly known it. And let me say that this magnificent achievement was wrought through our Corporation Commission, at the head of which is Mr. E. L. Travis. There is no more wise, and skillful a lawyer in the state than he, and it is no more than just to say that tne favorable terms of the settlement are due in no small measure to his bril liant management. He deserves re election by an overwhelming vote of confidence and appreciation. Two yars from now, if you will give the General Assembly the power by ratifying the Constitutional Amend ments, we will bring you another trophy in the delieverance of our peo ple from a taxation system tnat places the burden on the poor men rather than the man better able to bear it. But do not demand of them, do not expect reform, unless you give them the power. Give us these amendments ana me legalized primary, and we can go on working out here in this the best of all lands an ideal Comonwealth with every assurance of success. It is a glorious work we citizens of North Carolina have. We have received the noblest of heritages. Let us give our selves to the tas k of so building upon our foundation that all the world will behold in North Carolina a Comon wealth happy in equal laws, equally administered, a people eager to labor in the assurance that they shall en joy in full measure the fruits of their endeavors. The Amendments to the Constitution In conclusion Mr. Bailey took up the subject of the proposed amendments to the Constitution. He spoke as fol lows: "On election day, November 3rd, next, ten amendments to the Consti tution of North Carolina will be sub mitted to the voters. It becomes every voter to inform himself upon these amendments and to vote for or against them, according to his judgment. The Truth About the Proposed Con- ttrtutional Amendments. In the General Assembly of 1913, more than twenty amendments to our Constitution were introduced. This gives an idea of the demand for changes in the Constitution. As that General Assembly did not have time to consider these amendments, it au thorized the appointment of a com mission of twenty citizens to carefully go over the present Constitution and to prepare and report to the General Assembly in special session such amendments as they might deem good and -sound. This the commission did. The General Assembly, in session in the Fall of 1913. carefully reviewed the report if the Commision, and after thorough discussion, passed for sub mission to the voters the amendments now before us. The fact that these amendments received almost unanim ous support in the General Assembly is one of the best assurances that each of them is calculated to advance the interests of the people of North Carolina. Further evidence to the same effect is the fact that these amendments are heartily endorsed by Governor Locke Craig, National Committeeman Jose phus Daniels, and official leaders of the Farmers' Union, who declare that if adopted, they will "make for pnv cress in this state and for the ad vancement of our farming interests and all other worthy interests in the state." These leaders especially en dorse the taxation amendment because it "sets free our people to work out necessary reforms in taxation while leaving in force the present restric tions in rate. Another fact of great significance as to the merits of the proposed amendments is this: That notwith standing that they were nronosed bv n General Assembly overwhelmingly democratic they have received the emphatic endorsement of the Republi can State Convention. It is true that they were not endorsed by the Demo cratic State Convention, but this was due to the fact that the Convention re garded them as non-partisan matter, and not the subject of the Conven tion's consideration. In the light of the Republican endorsement it cannot be regarded as unfortunate that the Democratic Convention left the mat ter open for other parties. I. ihe first amendment proposes to strike out of the Constitution the phrase "Insurrection or rebellion against the United States," and to substitute for the odious character'! zation of the civil war, the phrase, "War Between the States.' This will appeal to every patriotic North Carolinian. It also serves to remind us that the Constitution which we are amending was made in a time 1868) when the real sentiments of our people could no 1 .oe expressed. IL 'The second amendment proposes to increase the pay of members of the General Assembly from four dollars per day to six dollars per day, and of fhe respective presiding officers of the Houses thereof, from six dollars ner day .to eight dollars per day. It :is hoped thus to make it possible iot more 01 our people to afford the expense of being members of the Gen eral Assembly, as the present com pensation does not begin to meet the necessary campaign expenses, board bilk, and the time a citizen mint los from his regular duties. III. The third amendment has for its ob ject the restriction of local, private and special legislation with the two fold of (1) having many of these mat ters referred to the boards of county commissioners and the governing bodies of towns; (2) of affording the General Assembly liberty to engage in the consideration of matters of State-wide importance. Every session of the General Assem bly is congested with thonsands of bills of no general impo ranee; matters that should be the subject of uniform legislation, on the one hand, or local self-government on the other. If this amendment shall be ratified by the people they will emancipate the Gen eral Assembly from its present bond age of local and special legislation and endow it with liberty to attend to matters of interest to all the Feo" pie. This amendment gives the General Assembly power to "pass general laws regulating the matters set out in this section;" that is, special and private matters; and if it is ratifiied all these smaller matters will be dis posed of once and for all general acts. Let the reader consider what it will mean to the Commonwealth to have its General Assembly rid of the thousands of little bills of no general value in order that it may treat the matters of great concern to all the people. IV The fourth amendment chancres the date of the inuguration of the Govern or from the "1st day of January" to 'the second Wednesday after the first Monday in January. Ihis is to correct an error in the present Constution and to fix the date of the inauguration subsequent to the canvassing of the election returns by the General Assembly. V. The fifth amendment empowers the General Assembly to provide for the selection of special or emergency judges of the Superior Court. As matters now stand, if a judge of the Superior Court falls sick the Govern or has to call in a judge from another district, or court is suspended. This amendment will enable the General Assembly to relieve against this thus saving time and money a li mak ing for the general public convenience VI. The sixth amendment merely strikes from the Constitution cercain obsolete articles. VII. Article seven strikes out the pres ent Article on Revenue and Taxation and substitutes therefor an article de signed to give the General Assembly power to reform our present inequita ble, burdensome and inefficient taxa tion system. This new article holds the present rate of taxation at 66 2-3 cents on the $100 for state and couniy purposes. It also fixes the rates in cities and towns for all purposes at 75 cents on the $100. The only way to increase the rates so fixed is by popular vote. There is now no Constitutional lim it upon the tax rate a city or town may fix. Under the proposed amend ment the limit would be fixed at 75 cents on the $100. So much for the rate. It is furth er proposed to enable the General As sembly to classify subjects of taxa tion all subjects of a class to be ni formly taxed; and to separate sub jects of taxation for State and local purposes, that is, assigning one sort of property for local taxation and an other for State taxation. Now the effect of this provision is to free the hand of the General As sembly from the paralyzing effect of the present requirement of uniformi ty. As matters now stand, the burden of taxation falls on the small prop erty holder. His property is assessed at full value and he pays the full rate. He cannot hide his property. The land-owner's land is always in view. The ' burden of taxation under the present Constitution now falls North Carolina on land and the small personal holdings. The large hold ings of cash in banks, solvent credits, and bonds are notoriously untaxed They are in hiding at least they are known of all men not to be on the tax books. As a consequence the burden falls upon land and the small proper ty owners. The object in giving the General Assembly broader powers is to ena ble it to bring about a more just and more efficient system of taxation to distribute the burden of our taxes equitably. It is further to be observed that this proposed amendment declares that in case "subjects of taxation shall be separated for State and local purposes, no part ef the ad valorem tax on real estate except the real estate of public service corporations) shall be applied to state purposes.' Clearly this sect ion contemplates hav ing county land taxed only for coun ty purposes, and city land taxed only for town and county purposes relieve ing lands of state taxes, and putting it tip to the state to der ive its income from public service corporations and personal property. But let it be un-, derstood, this is not compulsory. The General Assembly is given only the power to make such a separation. ' Poll tax is limited to 82 as now. 1 mi. The eighth amendment would pre vent the incorporation of incorpora tions by the General Assembly con fining this business to the Secretary of State, in whose office ample power is reposed. IX. The ninth amendment commands the General Assembly to provide by general laws for the organization of cities and towns, etc., instead 01 hav- ing each one to come up before it with a contest. This is another step m the direction of local self-government. X. The tenth amendment'ftxes the min imum limit of the publwe school term at six months instead of four as it now stands. The people of North Car olina are ready at last to provide a guarantee in their fundamental law that adequate facilities of education shall be in reach of every child of school age six months in each year. Such is a brief outline of the amendments to be voted on November- 3rd next. They are in the hands of the people. The Governor has done his part; the General Assembly has done its part, and we believe the people of North Carolina will arise to the oc casion, as they always have done, and do their part. Here is their opportu nity to help themselves and all their fellow citizens. Here is their oppor- ( Concluded on Fourth Page.) CLARENCE POE WRITES A SIMPLE EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS PROPOSED FOR RATIFICATION OK KJ NEXT MONTH AND THE CONDITION'S WHICH CAUSI SUBMISSION. age; I have no desire to matter except from the s what will be best for our Una people and for the t whole and I am sure thi: practically all our reader: then and let us reason t us take up the amendmet one and see whether they of our support. Progress is the law of life, and this applies to the machinery of govern ment, as well as the machinery 01 farm or factory. The people of Amer ica as a whole realize this, and so the Constitution of the United States has been recently changed in two import ant respects. It has been changed so as to permit of election of senators by direct vote of the people a furth er step in the direction of more gen uine democracy, one of the master motives of our age. It has also been amended so as to permit the taxation of the incomes of the wealthy a new step in the direction of shifting the burdens of taxation to those most able to bear them, which is another growing purpose of our generation. Now at least the state of XNorth Car olina has awakened to the fact that her Constitution needs over-hauling and bringing up-to-date. Framed in 1868, nearly fifty years ago, it is to day one of the most antiquated state Constitutions in America, and the most antiquated to be found south of Mason and Dixon's line. Compare our date, 1868, with that of Alabama, 19 01; Arkansas, 1874; Florida, 1885; Georgia, 1877; Louisiana,. 1898; Mis sissippi, 1895; Tennessee, 1870; Texas 1875, and Virginia, 1902. History of the Proposed Amendments Small wonder, therefore, that for years eminent men in both political parties have insisted upon the need for revision. Patriotic and able Dem ocrats like Ex-Governor Jarvis, and patriotic and able Republicans like Mr. Holton, and students like Dr. J. G. de R. Hamilton, were especially in sistent in urging the importance of the matter before the rest of the state waked up. At last the Legislature of 1913 acted, and from its membership picked a comittee of its ablest f.nd wisest men representing both political parties E. L. Daughtridge, A. D Ward, H. W. Stubbs, A. T. Grant, A. D. Ivie, T M. Washington, George W. Connor, K. r. Haymore, R. R. Wil liams, E. R. Wooten, Henry A. Page, W. A. JJevin, tj. J. Justice and C. S Wallace. Governor Craig added Dr. H. Q. Alexander, D Y. Cooper, J. W. tsaiiey, A. W. bcales and Jn. J. Kouse. These men, after long deliberation, proposed and recommended fourteen amendments for submission to the people by authority of the Legisla ture The Legislature was then call ed in special session last fall, and af ter mature deliberation reduced the number of proposed amendments to ten. These ten amendments, which the people of North Carolina are to vote for or against oh November 3, are as follows: 1. To change the term "War of the Rebellion" where used to "War Be tween the States." 2. To increase the compensation of members of the General Assembly to $360 per session, and decrease their mileage. 3. To limit local, private and spe cial legislation by the General Assem bly. 4. To change the day of inaugurat ing the Governor. 5. To prevent delay in trials by providing emergency judges. 6. Removing obsolete sections from the Constitution. 7. To revise and reform the sys tem of revenue and taxation. 8. To prevent special charters to corporations, by the General Assem bly. 9. To prevent special charters to towns, cities and incorporated vil lages. 10. To require six month public scnooi term. An Unbiased Investigation In this article it is my purpose to nave us inquire candidly and earnest ly as to whether or not these amend ments ought to be adopted. This question is not a partisan one and so the Progressive Farmer may discuss ir, ireeiy. ihe amendments were pro posed, as we nave said, by a commis sion and submitted by a Legislature representing all political faiths. A majority of the Progressives in the Legislature voted for the amend ments, the Republican State Platform lines up that party with the advo cates of change, and while the Demo cratic State platform commission thought it a non-partisan question and that members of the party should not De Douna to support the amendment as a party duty whether or not, yet the Democratic attitude is shown by the fact that 142 Democrats in the Legislature voted for them and only o against It seems, therefore, that the lead ing men in all parties who have giv en the question long and serious con sideration believe the amendments are wise and necessary and this fact in itself raises a strong presumption in their favor. Nevertheless, I do not wish to have our Progressive Farmer readers act merely on the judgment of these other men. Let us consider the whole nues- tion carefully for ourse'ves, and in this consideration, now let us purge ourselves of all bias or prejudice one v.ay or the other. Let us consider solely whether ar not these amend ments will make for the good of our fanning interests and of other worthy interests in the state. I have rotti ng personally to gain from their pass- About Amendments No To amendment No. 1 w one will have objection. 1 moves the stigma which Constitution places upon soldiers by calling them " proposing to say not belliin," but "War B States." Amendment No. 2 may by some at first, but we I tie reflection will justify i' if any reasonable man. I be entitled "A Bill to E Men to Serve as Legislato vides compensation of $36 ber for a sixty day legists instead of $4 a day as Now $4 a day will hardly islator's expenses at a g Raleigh, his laundry, nece. and courtesies for constit come to see him, expenses gating legislative measur correspondence, etc. to t of the necessary expenses nomination and election. words, if he only gets $4 mileage, every man who c Legislature must not only regular business, but go d own pocket for the pnv what is the result ? The re poor men can't afford to Legislature. The result . who come are too often who want to get some not perience so as to run for office or corporation lawy resent the corporation rat: people. Six dollars a da mendment No. 2 propose.1 $360 for a 60-day session about enable a Legislator even on expenses, and provision I believe it wou to get more farmers and tives of the plain people i lature. But while allowir ges for our lawmakers, ar er is worthy of his hire, No 2 forever destroys mileage graft of ten cent; way, and makes mileage a mile instead. On the whole I repeat lieve this amendment wil ble noor men to be leg should be adopted. Amendment No. 3 is Spec ant Amendment No.3 is oni most important of all th voted on. It simply prov stead of having a whole wasting its time and piddl little local bills, such as v dust may be thrown in Bij. or whether dogs may be Goose Hill township, all ures not important enou"i al laws shall be settled 1 thorities or by the people That is one great reasoi don't have better LegisL members take up three-foi time with private and lo instead of the big quest io the welfare of the whole Legislature of 1913 filied ; book of 3,346 pages with private laws, whereas thei 498 pages of public laws, recently of making his fi the great General Assemb Carolina, expecting to fin. bers absorbed in serious it ing the welfare of the com but instead the bill before was whether chickens shi lowed to run at large arou hurch in Rowan! Now it . tiniated $175 worth of ti: Legislature to settle this whereas if the people in t were free to settle such themselves by vote, petit decision of their commiss cost would be very little ai islators would be, left free proper thought to import tions. Amendment No. 3 to us therefore. Amendment No. 4 simn! the day for inaugurating t! or, correcting a discrepai present constution. It's o amendments which doesn't much either way, but since no harm and a little good, i pass. Amendment No. 5 simnl zes the Legislature to nami or emergency judge to h when the regular judge is si vented from attending. A the people of a whole count quently inconvenienced bear inability of a judge to hold the time appointed. Amendment No. 6 simpl out section 20, 26 and 33 . IV or the present constitutioi date section relating to suit.--in 1863 and to terms of offio cials elected in 186S. (Concluded on Fourth P: