-if i
V
THE - CAUCASIAN, -
' J-
t
XV.
fHE LISTING AND -
GULLcGTIDtl OF TAXES.
i r J r: 01 . .
iColiecticn ot racis anu ngures anowing aome strange
Ifregu'anites in me runnc Business ot me state.
A.4-
zuri '
karri 'i
feral
1 1. if.trl1
,u!Jty Oflicers Convention
ri h h.I Ciiy, July 27, 28
State Auditor delivered
-duress:
,. vit.'v soma facts and
: .:r: tholi3tmg and re-
11 . . iI
i-t hU'hys vi luio, ana wnicn
cri-AS" increase in nai-
The most relia-
fWl
iaile.j.
iter.
mount
.inil it:
'row
mount
'b luiii'i
i ruuc'l
f an hm'i
l.i, i. i not i
. 1. 1 i .i i.
.iceesBioio snows mai
iu t:t Btato G2,2.jU snaare
5 fit If II ' 'l J LV AklOD)
i .;::.4 40.000 eouare acres.
'!'., .. .,r,, l within St&to bounds
f lUia t - -
otenr, tii're are 3,070 square
or - ' otwv equaru acres oi
Tii : fixates snow the net
! i.ctua.1 land in the State
.. up to 31,091,200 acres.
.. . 1 1 L
ae num' r el acrea oi iitau return
l for t;iM''n in 1890, according to
Air!:t"r s report ior mat year
jn dl!).7 is. It appears, there-
" ye. a f
tin 're are j,ui,ioj acres
this State which were not
taxation for the year lbUO.
must be deducted the
! umI included iu town lots
r ot town lots was 80,000
numbers and allowing I
iur each town lot, which
4 a fair :iv( r;itfe it appears mat iu,
mi nrrrs .no listed astowu property,
Without r. Urencn 10 me measure-
bunt i t r .vr. Wo then have a dis-
lrcpJiM y "i ,uo !,- acres ueiween
ne nunitx r or. acres oi iacu contain-
in the State, and the number of
res 1:. til for taxation The con-
: A A 1. A. A. 1
iiision i ; tiit-rororo lorceu, mai mere
as itlu r been considerable laxity
btbo matter of pottinp the land on
Jhe tax list, or that the otate owns
Ur than 3,000,000 acres. From
uch rt'd'fdi as are accessible, there
i i At ....i n. )
v do way iu conciuae mac me oraie
ns s. much territory. If we should
ant that the State owns 1,000,000
icres, wuicu is a very uoerai esu-
iate, there would still remain more
mn -,""0,000, acres of land unlisted,
he average valuation of land ao
rtlintr to the tax assessment in this
;ato ij about $4.00 per acre. Al
lis average, 2,000.000 acres of land
re worm a.uuu.uuu, ana a lauure
list this land for taxation at the
t i
venire value per acre snows a 103a
taxation to the State and counties,
indtr the present constitutional tax
fto, of more than $o2,000 per year.
There are several facts that might
Yore interesting in connection "sith
ud. For instance, the minimum
lumber of acres of land listed in
pe year duiing the past ton years
county (Alamance) returned for taxa
tion in 1893, 234,000 acres, in 1894,
231.000 acres, in 1895. 235.000 acres.
in 1890, 205,000 acres, thus showing
a amerence Det ween one year and an
other, during the past four years of
4,ooo acres m that county- The re
turns as a whole show an increased
average of taxable land in that
county. We believe that there has
been some legislation effecting th
boundaries of this county and Chat
ham county If the effect was to
increase the area 'of Alamanco, it it
to bo rxpected that there would be
an increase in the number of acres
returned for taxation. But an in
crease in Alamance would naturally
cause a decrease in Chatham's av
erage, and we would expect Chat
ham to show a decrease in subse
quent reports. The fact is, how-
Hi
j.3,4L(j acres: tins was in
1. The maximum number of
nd listed in any year during the
1st ten years was 28,715,324: this
M in 1S88. These figures show a
Terence of 1,427,858 acres between
isting of one year and the list-
X ot another, it is impossiDie mat
ml can get up and walk out of the
;v.o during the teim for tax listing
one year and show itself for en-
k-tnunt another year. It is there
in) evident that there is some loose-
39 in our system, or some laxity
incompetency on the part of those
kargtrd with the duty of primarily
lakinp up the tax list. If there are
00,000 acres of land in the State
at van be listed in one year, under
liuavy conditions that amount of
ad should appear on the tax list
pry year; but from 18S0 up to lo'Jo,
ditl'tiences from one year to an-
her, or from ono year to some
her year, have ranged from 100,-
to nearly 1500,000 acres. For
e VHt seven or eight years there
M beou a cradual decrease of the
pmhti' of acres of land listed, un
tlu ditl'ereace between the nam-
ia bSS and 1895, amounted to
pout .00,000 acrer; an area which
F'ul l make five of our averaere size
.lutu's. The failure to tret this
nd oa the tax books regularly from
pr toyear, (and if it appears thereon
I year it should, generally speak-
cr. appear thereon every year) en
U a lo?3 to the State's revenue
Such, uuder our low rate of taxa
piud the necessities and expenses
we povemment and public insti-
Itioas, it can ill afford to lose.
A curious fact in connection with
8 listinc fit lan1 fnr iha rrnat anv-
r, - - - - f' -
u Vvars i the valuation at which
has been returned For Jinstance,
151 th number of acres of land
Fumed was 2S.4GS.000 acres. It
F valued at $102,300,000. At that
laud Ami toaI pstjitfl of Averv
- j
rcUT was held to be worth more
JQ auvViOilir hnlila it tn bft worth
y. and yet strange to say, in
)- 000,000 acres of land are
ued at $110,000,000. So. accord-
to tho assessment or valuation
'H'h Las prevailed, it aDDears that
100,000 acres of land were worth
MO.niM) lesa iul884 than 28,000,000
re ar worth in 1890. This.it seems
up, shows some radical defect and
regularity in our system of asses-
Ptlt: for thn enmrnnn Arc from nna
id Of tho Saf. n. nnar 1
&t laud is worth from tan to twen-
I fivo per cent less in 1895 and 1S97,
a iu ISHl ani 1RST. If it Rhoold
tapr.ea jQ (ae valuation and as-
pmeat of land for 1897. or in the
xt general assessment under oar
eseut svstem. th.t tho vaIdo of
uoald be made to correspond
the present trener&l sentiment
to its comnarative valne. we wotrtrkL
Lain in thia narticnlar ulnnn n.
3 iu taxable values of from ten to
atj.five million dollars; and this
Ut) Dreocnt rafanf Uttinn vnnM
&n a loss in State and county rev-
irom $00,000 to $150,000 in
Tl. .
Aue lrrPDnlAi-ifi
urse benin in the counties, and it
be interesting to nntsnmn illn
lons as to the differences that
e occurred there. In doinir this
WlU OUlV TlOtion tho vatnm for
last four years, viz: 1893. 1894.
- uu lO'JU. f or inrnnia nna
d
ever, that Chatham also reports an
increase during the past four years
of from four to six thousand acres,
and instead of being able to account
for the increase in Alamance on ac
count of change in boundary lines,
if there was any, we find an aggra
vated case of imperfection in our
system of listing, or an emphasis of
something like carelessness or incom
petency among thosa who made up
the first returns and reported them
to the county officials.
Another county (Cumberland), re
turned in 1S93, 508,000 acres; in 1894,
492,000 acres; in 1895, 484,000 acres
and in 1890, 483,000 acres, showing a
difference in one year and another
during the past four years of 25,000
acres. But this difference was a de
crease. Similar instances could be
cited from nearly every county, but
these will serve to illustrate the fact
that something in our listing needs
looking after. Only . one county
(Tyrrell) in the State, dnring the
past four years, has returned a uni
form number of acres of land for
taxation every year. There have
been some greater difference than
those above noted. For instance,
one county (Buncombe) returned
about 40.000 acres of land less in 1890
than in 1893. Another county (Guil
ford) returned 40,000 more in 1890
than in 1893, so that the loss in the
one county and the gain in another
offset each other and had no effect
In changing the aggregate number
of acres for 1890. If the county
which gained made a correct report,
and the return of 1893 for the coun
ty which lost for 1S90 was-oorreet,
there ought to have been a net gain
from these two counties of 40,000
acres.
The most xemarkabie difference in
the number of acres returned during
the past four years, is shown by a
western connty (Henderson); the
number returned in 1893 being
192,000 acres, in 1894, 240,000 acres,
in 1895, 202,000 acres, and in 1890,
200,000 acres. While this county
shows a gain of 08,000 acres in four
years, it has no material effect on
the aggregate number of acres of
land returned, for losses in other
counties show an aggregate decrease
of more than 200,000 acres
of land listed between the years
of 1893 and 1890. If for the
year 1897, each county would
return as large a number of acres as
it has ever returned in any one year
for the past five or six years, the
grand aggregate would unquestiona
bly reach close to the thirty million
mark, and all possible increase in
quantity may be needed to counter
act a possible decrease in valuation.
- If such irregularities as are here
pointed out can occur under our ex
isting system with property that is
always ; visible and stationary,
and with records that ought to make
it easy to account for any chang?
involving a decrease or increase, is
it not reasonble to supposein fact
are we not driven to think, if not
to know, that much greater irregu
larities can occur and will occur with
property that is not visible such
property as franchises, stocks,
mortgages, notes, money and other
personal property
Let ns look now for awhile at' re
ports and facts concerning the list
ing and return of this intangible or
invisible property, including money
on hand, solvent credits, stocks and
stock incorporated companies, etc.
The last report of the State Treas
urer shows that tho banking insti
tutions of the State report bank
stock to the amount of $5,43G,97p.00
Under the provisions of the law the
taxes due the State direct on bank
stock are paid by the banks to
the Treasurer, and the Treasurer re
ports having received taxes on the
amount of stock above named.
While the banks report the stock for
State taxation, the law requires the
individual stockholder to list his
stock in the county in which he re
sides for county "taxation. The en
tire amount of stock listed in the
counties by individual stockholders,
according to the last Auditor's re
port, amounted to $2,008,912 00. It
thus appears that there is a differ
ence of $3,248,038.00 between the
amount of bank stock on which the
State tax was paid for 1890, and the
amount on which county tax was
raid. This forces the conclusion
that there has beenitner some great
irregularity in listing of stock by tne
individual stockholders, or tnai near
ly two-thirds of the stock in North
Carolina bank is held by residents
of other States. This latter conclu
sion I am not ready toadm.it. At
the nresent rate of taxation the
counties lose annually, by this dis-
crenancv in listiner. $18,898.00; pro
vided of course that all the bank
stock is held by residents of the State
It is auite certain that some is neia
bv noB. residents, but nothing like
the amount between that reported
by the banks and that listed for
taxation in the counties.
Another kind of intangible or in
visible property if .these terms may
Mm la Antatl gMtUa ml li. i..x.. ...
trwA Lars m Kath tattle Gtbr-U-EtoeUM
f Xtw Cffler.
The 1897 session of the North Caro
lina State Farmers Allianr hM
at Ilillsboro last week. There has not
been a better looking, more intelligent,
strictly business meeting of the Order
since its foundation. Earnestness was
depicted on every countenance, and
judgment measured every word. The
brethren didn't go "instructed" any
farther than that something must be
done, and the delegates almost without
exception indeed, the writer knows
not an exception were sent because of
their business qualifications, and never
did the brethren select wiser, better, or
more determined men, men who had
faith, abiding faith, in Alliance princi
ples, and who could more fully realize
the importance of the perpetuation of
the Order. They did some good work ;
they did not hurry over it. The took
time to consider it, and what they did
we think was done right and done
wen.
You will hear of the work through
mew columns, me executive com
mittee was increased from three to fire
members, to be elected by the Alliance.
Then by resolution the President was
made ex-omcio member of the com
mittee, thus making the commit
tee six instead of three, which di
mimsbes the risS of falling into the
nands or those who would squander
your funds or abuse your property, or
other interests. If the report of the
delegate from your county does not
inspire new life and energy, and
awaken the sleepy Subs to activ
ity, then my dear reader some
something is very seriously the matter
with your county or with your dele
egate, and we earnestly ask that a com
mittee be SDDointed to mk immprtUto
and thorough investigation.
The North Carolina State Alliance
has always been fortunate enough to
secure good officers. But the member
ship believes in rotation, and some
changes occurred at the recent State
meeting. And while good men were
in before, the Order lost nothing in
official timber, except, of course, the
valuable experience of former officers.
But it is safe to assume that the new
officials will take- to the work like
ducks to water. By reading the fol
lowing list of officers just elected the
brethren will conclude at once that the
organization never had a better set of
officials, and that there is no reason
why the good work should not go right
along:
John Graham, President, Warreo
county.
W. G. Upohurch, Vice-President,
Wake county.
J. T. B. Hoover, Secretary-Treasurer,
Wilsan county.
Dr. V. N. Seawell, Lecturer, Moore
county.
W. B. Brickhouse, Assistant Lectur
er, Washington, N. C,
W. S. Mercer, Chaplain, Currituck
county.
Geo. T. Lane, Door-keeper, Guilford
county.
James E. Lyon, Assistant Door
keeper, Durham-xounty.
A. D. K. Wallace, Sergeant-of-Arms,
Rutherford county.
William A. Graham, Trustee Busi
ness Fund, Lincoln county.
EXBCTTTyjC COMMITTEE.
J. W. Denmark, Chairman, Raleigh,
N.C.
John Graham, Ridgeway, N. C.
W. B. Fleming, Ridgeway. N. C. -A.
F. Hileman, Concord N. C.
Dr. J. B. Alexander, Charlotte, N. C.
Thomas D. Oldham, Teer, N. C.
Every one of them are good men,
either actively engaged in farming, or
closely allied with the farming inter
ests. President Graham is a thor
oughly practical man. He is principal
of Ridgeway High School, one of the
foremost educational institutions in
the State, and while not a farmer in
the full sense of the word just at pres
ent, he has always been an active Alli
ance member, and his sympathies are
with the tillers of the soil, of which
he is one.
Bros. Earner and Ivey, Secretary
Treasurer and Business Agent, have
been true blue Alliancemen, and have
held their respective positions longer
than such officers usually hold. They
will not act officially now, but will con
tinue to work with zeal out of harness
The State Alliance is safe.
RALEIGH. N. C, THURSDAY, AUGUST 19,1897.
THE RAILROAD
SO. 40
; :
n. M. rAKItnS STATE ALU J
ADDRESS OF
PRESIDENT JOHN GRAHAM.
DELIVERED AT THE ANNUAL SESSION
OF THE STATE ALLIANCE.
It U ThKfcUal a&4 Ktroa 1cib
B l! Un UtMUwt-Ue rvrs
a Uob1 Coaatitatlonal CftU.
Om,;tri and lrUgali of the Xuf h Caro
lina Fartfwr't titak Atttarwe:
Bbetukkk: At this your eleventh
annual session questions of vital inter.
est to our order will be submitted to
you for adjustment.
Owing to the election of your hon
ored President, Dr. Cyrus Ibomman.
to the office of Secretary of Stu he
felt constrained to resign as President
of the North Carolina Farmer's State
Alliance, and the duties of that office
devolved upon your vice-president.
It has been the custom of my prede
cessors, in their annual addresses, to
deal with political issues, effecting the
interest of the farmers of North Caro
lina, both titate and National. So
thorough has been their research that
you need --pct no
my hands.
It may not, however, be untimely to
briefly review the history of the Al
liance's work in North Carolina.
In our judgement the enaction of
the cardinal principles of our order in
to law would relieve the depressed Cn
nancial condition of our country, and
although we have no reason to expect
their adoption in the near future, we
have good ground to hope and believe
that the work of the Alliance will in
due time have its reward. The Alliance
is of Southern origin and its origina
tors are the worthy successors of these
slave-owning Statesmen who rendered
our country illustrious.
The Alliance originated in Lampasas
county, Texas. The first Texas State
Alliance was organized at Central, in
Parks county, in 187'J. In lBST four
hundred delegates met at Waco, and at
that meeting steps were taken to or
ganize the Cotton Belt States for unit
ed action in the interest of the farmer.
The 'Union an organization simi
lar to the Alliance" already existed in
Louisiana and the ' Wheel in Arkansas.
UEETifIG OF THE POPULIST
STUTE COOTTEE
AN ENTHUSIASTIC AND VIGOROUS
CONFERENCE OF PtQPLE WHO
WORK F0R600D GOVERNMENT.
Kpft ft'tm Krywar Bw al4
a4 Ace ! tm T MAaka.
Tba Wrk Tfcal Ha Bm. Dm4 T
Work That MutatDH.
conuission.
ft rxiopoLY seas exposed.
Some Uenlion of Whit Hit Beta
Done sad T7 hit Hu Hot
Been Don"
Pc5ti:i:3 Trjirj t: SiiMrtri lb nl tons cirt lit
Tcriff zzi T:r Cry.
CIJ
These three bodies united and adopt
ed a constitution at St. Louis in 1889.
ALLIANCE ON THE LEASE.
Denounces Federal Interference State
Affairs Bndoraes Russell.
The Farmers' State Alliance, at its
recent meeting in Hillsboro, unani
mously adopted the following resolu
tions by a rising vote :
"Whereas, the North Carolina State
Farmers' Alliance did, before its con
summation, most earnestly ; "protest
against the lease of the North Caro
lina Railroad to the Southern Railway
Company for a term of 99 years, and
"Whereas, the perservation of our
liberties demands the recognition of
the sovereignity of the States of this
Republic on the part of the Federal
Judiciary. .
"Therefore be it resolved, by the
State Farmers' Alliance in annual ses
sion at Hillsboro, North Carolina, this
12th day of August, 1897.
"First, That we protest against in
terference in State affairs on the part
of the Federal Judiciary.
. "Second, That we consider the at
tempted enjoining of the Governor ot
North Carolina from the performance
of his official duty as a high handed
outrage and subversion of liberty.
"Third, That the thanks of this body
are hereby tendered to the Governor
of North Carolinathe Hon. Daniel L.
Russell, for the noble stand that he
has taken on the side of the people in
their contest with corporate power and
corruption.
"Fourth, That these resolutions be
forwarded to his Exceilency the Gov
ernor, that a copy of same be spread
upon the minutes and published in the
Progressive Farmerand that all papers
friendly thereto be requested to copy."
SENATOR MLAURIN S ILLNESS.
The object of the founders of the Al
liance was to secure united action on
the part of the farmers of the entire
nation to protect themselves from
unjust legislative discrimination eith
er State or National.
Alchough essentially political in its
aims it was thought that relief would
more readily be obtained by the united
efforts of the brotherhood in their re
spective political parties.
It is useless to recount the rapid
spread of Alliance doctrine over the
South and Southwest, or to mention
the glorious mission of our own be
loved and immortal Polk to our bre
thren of the great West and Northwest.
The trust was accepted and thousands
joined our banners. All would have
neen well, but unfortunately, the
place-hunting politicians had joined
the Alliance, and personal preferences
and party supremacy swept away the
faith of victory. In North Carolina
the Alliance had absorbed the Demo
cratic party and a goodly number of
white Republicans. Even the negroe?
had formed Alliance of their own en
tirely separate from the whites, and
were greatly benefitted in their finan
cial affairs. This condition did not
suit the politician. In North Caro
lina, in some counties, it was made un
pleasant for Republicans to be Al
liancemen and the Alliance became
the bulwark of Democracy. The color
ed Alliances were destroyed by Repub
lican politicians. Thus the Alliance
received its first blow in North Carolina.
Owing to the wide spread influence
of the Alliance literature and the great
dissatisfaction of the laboring masses
Mr. Cleveland was elected President
in 1892.
Well posted as to Mr. Cleveland's
political views on the silver-question,
thousands of Democratic Alliancemen
in North Carolina protested against
his candidacy, offering to support the
State Democratic ticket if the ehalice
of Clevelandism was taken from their
lips. Their wishes were not regarded,
and trickery and treachery were re
sorted to for the purpose of destroy
ing the Alliance. Enemies of the Al
liance with unblushing effrontery ad
vocated the adoption of the Alliance
demands as the platform of the Demo
cratic party. These demands were
read and adopted amid jeers and
laughter. The Alliance was stabbed
in the house of its friends. Party
fealty and family ties swept thousands
of true Alliancemen off their balance.
Our charter was repealed, and for its
restoration, and the restoration of a
free ballot to a free people, the mem
bers of the Alliance almost to a man
cast their votes with Jthe People's
Party and the Republican Party.
These things are now of the past and
we stand ready to-receive with open
arms all former brethren of whatever
political party.
Our Alliance principles have dis
rupted the two old political parties,
and caused the creation of two
new parties, the People's Party and
the Silver Party. They have forced
to the front the irrepressible conflict
between "Manhood and Money." The
combat is on and Republican institu
tions are at stake. On the one side are
the giant corporations with their mil
lions of accumulated extortions, mak
ing and remaking Senators, bribing
Legislatures, nominating Governer,
andlnaming the Judges of our States
and Federal Courts. Owning the
transportation of the country, they
control the country. On the other
side are the plundered masses unor
ganized, divided, groping in darkness.
Only the inborn love of liberty that
animates the angio-saxon heart will
save our country from revolution and
ruin. A National Constitutional Con
vention is our hone. Senators, the
. Iu response to a call by the chair
man the Peoples Party State Kxec
utive Committee met in Kaleigb on
Wednecday, August 11th.
The call for this meeting was made
in compliance with the expression of a
general sentiment obtained and crys
talired by a wide correspondence
among Populists in the State, and when
the ti ne came for themeetiog there was
a la e and splendid delegation of rvp-
rcsru-.auve i opiums present De
sid the members of tb com
mit ' . la addition to this, many
let r v?ere received from Populists
who could uot be present, but who
new thought at I rote wrda of encouragment and con-
tiuns that occurred to them. All these
come in for a full share of considera
tion. The meeting was characterized by a
spirit of harmony and unity that could
not he surpassed. The discussions
and interchange of opinions were
marked by deep interest and' earnest
ness. The -one thing that was more clear
than anything else was a spirit of de
termination to push, push, work, work,
until all organized opposition to good
government in this country should be
overthrown. That this work must be
done by the Populist Party was and is
a settled and unchangeable conviction
in the minds of the members of the
State committee and all others who
were present, and there was not the
suspicion of a thought that such great
work could be left to the care of
either of the old political parties.
The Peoples Party has undertaken a
work which no other organization in
this State or country has honor and
honesty, courage and manhood to un
dertake, and the Peoples Party is more
than t ver determined to push forward
that great work. It is quite clear
that the Peoples Party is also
MOB E ABLE THAN EVER BEFORE
to light the battle it has begun,
for every report made in per
son or received by letter showed an
unwavering front everywhere and con
stant accessions to the ranks. There
has never been a committee meeting
of any kind in North Carolina in which
there was as much harmony, determi
nation and exhilarating enthusiasm as
were shown in this last meeting of the
State Peoples Party Executive com
mittee. The members of the committee and
visiting Populists all arrived by the
afternoon trains on Wednesday. A
few hours were spent in greetings and
general conversation.
At 8 o'clock Chairman W. E. Foun
tain called the committee to order in
the courthouse the attendance being
too large to permit accommodation in
any oruinary room or office.
The first procedure was a call of the
to
re!tla a ta EMSTt
Tae r le Am CM
haas lease Thm
riato Vi
Wskk
MUt
SENATOR BUTLER EXPOSES THE TRICK.
Congressional Districts and a request
for rt ports from the members of said
districts And aiso from any visiting
gentlemen.
All the reports were interesting and
enthusing. They were heard with
marked interest until nearly 1 o'clock
a. m. Along with the reports were va
rious suggestions all of which were
subsequently crystalized into a ring
ing and exhilarating address which
will be found elsewhere in this paper.
At about 2 o'clock a. m., Chairman
Fountain appointed a committee of
five to draft the sense of the commit
tee and visitors as it bad been ex
pressed in the general conference. The
members of this committee were :
Capt. A. S. Peace.
Dr. Cyrus Thompson.
Hal M. Ayer.
Capt. J. U. Sherrill.
V. J. Mc Art bur.
This committee was requested to
report to the full committee on Thurs
day morning at 9 o'clock.
x THE REPOET.
The committee of five was not able
to meet the full committee promptly
at the hour appointed, but at 10.30 the
following was submitted, and was un
animously adopted :
wit
Orvee
Among the suggestions made la the
address issued by the People Party
State Committee last week was ooe to
the effect that the Railroad Commit,
toners should be elected by a direct
vote of the people. This ofgestioo
was made because, in the opinion of
the committee, the Riilrrad Commis
sion had not dealt with tbe matters
which have recently come before It.
Among these questions were an in
crease In tbe assessment of railroad
property and a reduction In passenger
and freight rates.
Tbe questions came before tbe com
mission on tbe 12th of last July. At
the meeting held then, tbe Governor
and some otber citizens, by special in
vttatton from tbe Commission, present
tbeir reasons for believeing that there
should be an increase of assessment
and a reduction of rates. At tbe same
meeting tbe railroad corporations were
strongly represented by prominent of
ficers and attorneys. While tbe Gov
ernor and others addressed tbe Com
mission by communication, tbe rail
roads addressed tbe Commission in per
son and by word of mouth.
Associate Justice Walter Clark was
one of tbe gentlemen who addressed
tbe Commission in writing and fa
vored a reduction In rates. In bis pa
per he made a statement (thinking he
was correct) that llaj. J. W. Wilson
and S. Otbo Wilson, Commissioners,
bad appeard before tbe legislative
committee and opposed a reduction of
rates.
At this point Commissioner S. Otbo
Wilson filed tbe following statement;
"The statement in tbe paper of Hon.
Walter Clark, in the matter of refer
ence to rates and taxation before tbe
Commission to-day, I beg to say that
the. statement that two members of
this Commission, Maj. Jas. W. Wilson
and myself, the only two members,
appeared before tbe Legislative Com
mittee and opposed a reduction of
rates. I .do not know his authority,
but so far as 1 am concerned tbe state
ment is without foundation."
After hearing the arguments offered
by-ttrosewbo addressed tbe Commis
sion in writing and those who ap
peared in person. Commissioner 8.
Otbo Wilson offered the following
resolution which was adopted:
Whereas, It is the desire of this Com
mission to have a full discussion of
the tax and rate question, and
Whereas, all parties appearing were
invited to do so in writing, and as ver
bal speeches and evidence was given
by those representing tbe railroads.
Therefore, We invite Hon. Walter
Clark, His Excellency Governor Rus
sell, Joseph us Daniels and any others
to come before the Commission, re
view tbe evidence taken by steno
grapher and reply to same."
In the meantime Commissioner Otbo
Wilson was advocating a market! In
crease of assessment in the valuation
of railroad property, while at the same
time advocating that any assessment
should be such as would be unjust to
He Hu Thrto
Rcniicg Hcstingi, at
CoSCCfd.
WsJtsboro Kiwt a;i
Waal tm Urn mm SrfM as
TtsU IU.lt om asa la
Wka Ik Tmmml ! V
With IV TarttT a4 lr SUeta. ffc
014 Stlac 4 M..Hh Alvaf
U( la ! a4 f4 la r -arat
II alia DniMt ta MaHare
Tfca t-apallete Kwssw PatHealaaila.
SIXATUK Hl'tLKK AT WAtfKtsMIKO
(Clipped from WaJeaboro I low bey.
Last Thursday was Populist diy at
Wadeeboro. Tbe courthouse bell rang
at 11:45. and lo fifteen minutes every
seat in tbv court bouse bad been ailed,
and still they came, until all tbe stand
ing room in front of tbe bar was ailed
with an earnest and Interested audi
ence who bad come to bear tbe speech
of Senator Marlon Butler, lie began
peaking at 1J o'clock atd spoke for
two hour.
The local politicians of the G. O. P.
bad evidenly been asking the Senator
what be was tbsre for, and what object
he had in view. lie was Introduced
by Dr. A. A. Msjnsrd. Mr. I'.utler
began by saying :
"You may ak why I came to epeak
to you at this time. 1 have bn bard
at work for two long years. You may
want to know wby I did not rest. 1
should have been glad to have rested,
but there is need of more work. 1 have
come, now, and I have come because 1
think you would rather have issues
discussed now dispassionately than
when in an excited campaign. Tbe
machine politician wants thing to be
quiet till the election time is close
and then depend on wboopmg 'em
up with noise, torch-light proces
sions and whiskey.
He then referred to the last Legisla
ture. He bowed bow the monopoly
Democrats and Republicans, together
with a few "black sheep from tbe
Peoples Party, had acted together and
voted as the corporations wanted them
to vote, thus defeating a great many
measures that would have greatly ben-
ntted ana protected tne wealth pro
duce, s oi tne Mate, -vte rot a le
black sheep in the People's Party, aald
the Senator, "but every one of tbem
who bss been unfaithful to bit trust
has been expelled from tbe Peoples
Party and branded as a traitor to the
party. The men who sold out to tbe
gold trust under Cleveland have not
been repudiated, but many of them
stand high in tbe councils of the party
and have been promoted to official po
sition." "When tbe Democrats nominated
Bryan I thought I saw hope of a return
to tbe original Democracy of Jefferson
and Jackson. I have not the prejudice
be unjust tol'n me mat. wouia not want me Lemo
the railroads. He had offered and filed cratic party to get back to tbe princl-
tine-lPles or Jenerton. air. Hotter here
MADE and the
THE FUTURE.
WORK FOR
THE RECORD
Your committee into whose hands
the direction of the Peoples Party has
been placed, uow that the storm and
strife of the political battles of last fall
are past and the result i seen, desire
to congratulate the party on its won
derful success at the polls, and its mar
velous achievements for good in the
legislative, executive and judicial de
partments of county and State and Na
tion. We have secured to the citizen tbe
right to cast one vote at all public
elections and to have that vote counted
as cast.
We have taken tbe public schools
out of the hands of partisan politicians
and restored them to the people.
- We have given the right of local
self-government to each county in the
State
We have redeemed the State's educa
tional, charitable and penal institu
tions from the tbralldom of political
bias. -
We have removed the-udiciary of
the State to a safe distance from tbe
arena of partisan politics.
We have lifted the State government
out Of tbe old ruts ot bourbonism and
placed it in the hands of the people.
By our endeavor these fundamental
principles and primary rights of Amer
ican citizenship have been re-estab
lished in our State, and many others of
kindred nature which flow therefrom.
- But your committee would be dere
lict in its duty if it did not warn you;
that if these blessings are to be pre-
retsined counsel of corporations and J served to us and transmitted to poster
(Continued on third pegs.)
Store Serions Tbaa at First Supposed
Got. Ellerbe Summoned to his Bedside.
Columbia, S.C , Aug. 14. Go v. Eller
be this afternoon received a dispaich
from George M. Crossland, Senator
McLaurin's private secretary, from the
Senator's home in Bennettsville, stat
ing that Senator McLaiiin's illness is
more serious than was nrst supposeu,
and summoning the Governor, wbo is
a personal fetend of tbe Senator, to
his bedside by the evening train.
CHINA BORROWS EIGHTY MILLIONS'
Pays Five Per Cent, and Gives a Valuable
Hallway Franchise. ". s
Shanghi, Aug. 14. The preliminary
contract for tbe indemnity loan of 16,-
the liooley
trusts, will never- voluntarily submit
their election to a direct vote of their
countrymen. No income tax will ever
be constitutional so long as the Federal
Judges are elected for life by the
money power. The Alliance offers the
remedy tor all these wrongs. The
Constitution of . the United States as
compiled by our revolutionary sires
was perfect for their times. The State
constitutions irom tne same u rains auu
these we have been forced to amend
time and again. At the time of the
adoption of the Federal Constitution
our territory was a narrow strip along
the Atlantic, our population not much
over three millions. Today bur nation
spans a continent and our population
is more than seventy millions. Then
vaiiroarift and telecraDhs were un
ity, it must be done by and through
tbe organization of the Peoples Tarty.
The nolicv of the general government
established alike by tbe old parties, has
built up monopolies, and these monop
olies have in turn preyed upon the ma
terial interests of the country until
there is great destitution, oppression
and want in this land of plenty.
And the cry of distress has reached
the ear and heart of the American
neonle.
In 1892. a long-suffering people re
jected, at the ballot box, tbe Republi
can party which had inaugurated -a
revenue and financial system fostering
trust and combines. . But the Demo
cratic Dartv being again in power, fed
the neonle on broken promises while
carried out the DOiicy oi me
they carried out
w.o.n Tha nnvtr nn natronaire ou Krouoiicin uariT.
Kiiunu. r .. - - - I F . - . . . I
the President was inconsiaeraoie ; now i Ana now mat no republican panj mvu
t, j;gMiiiug mn ntrronire man iur i la aeain in control ui uawuuai susin, i
us uioyvuuvu r d - i 7 " . . . .. - - . . :
crowned head in Europe -The power itner e is but ntue ground to nope ior
the following resolution as designating
his position : .-
Resolution introluced before the Hoard
of Railroad Commiioner$by Railroad
Commissioner, Hon- .S'. Otho Wilton.
Resolved, That in assessing rail
road property, steamboat and tele
graph property, both franchises and
tangible property be assessed at such
figures as are reasonable bj;h to tbe
State and companies.
That the valuation of such franchis
es and property be an amount approx
imate to a principal which, at 6 per
cent per annum, would yield the
amount of the net earnings of such
property.
That whatever sum such franchise
and property may earn as income
from operations, shall be considered
as interest on a given amount of valu
ation and whatever sum tbe net earn
ings of such franchises and property
will pay 6 per cent ptr annum upon,
sball be held to be the value of such
franchises or property for assessment.
Provided, that in cases where a fran-
bise or property - or both, whose in
come from operations does not equal
the physical values on the basis of per
centage above named, such franchises
and property shall be assessed at such
value as said property is worth as
items, viz: value of iron, ties, struct
ures etc.
That in calculating net earnings, no
operating expenses shall be consid
ered nnless tbe total charges for tbe
current year shall be in proportion to
the life or duration of property or parts
of property yielding-same. To illus
trate: it a road iuu miles long, suan
in one year lay 20 miles of 70 pound
steel rail, tbe life of same being 29
years, only 5 miles shall be charged to
operating expenses unless some oiner
department of improvements shall be
less than tbe natural wear and tear of
said road.
Iftberlanset fourth in this resolu
tion had been adopted, the railroad
corporations would.bave been assessed
at about fifty million dollars; and this
would not have been unjust, for tbe
railroads io the State according to
their own reports are making 6 per
cent per annum on fifty millon dollars
after paying taxes and all salaries, op
erating expenses etc.
But tbe matter oi assessment was
deferred, and the question or reduc
tion of rates was taken up. Although
tbe Commission bad, by adopting tne
resolution of S. Otbo Wilson, invited
the Governor and other citizena to re
view tbe facts presented by the rail
roads and reply to them, these citi
zens were not given tne opportunity
to do so. Before the railroan side was
written op to it could be examined
and replied to, a majority oi tne com
mission decided that there should be
no reduction of rate. This action was
not concurred in by Commissioner S.
Otho Wilson.
Commissioner S. Otho Wilson main
tained that the first thing to do was
to settle tbe matter of assessment, and
after that to take no tbe question of
the reduction of rates and fares but
be did not make a protest and pot it
on record. The Caucasia thinks be
should have made a vigorous protest
and set forth officially in a minority
btatemeht his reasons for favoring a
of. freight and
000.000 f 180.000.000). which
synidcate has been negotiating, witn i lodged in Lis hands is enormous anu is i netier umes
neng jajen, was sigoeu on August i dangerous to iineny. muuoiumj
for him to discharge nis uodmhu
tional duties and consequently the ap
pointing power is. exercised in a grent
measure by the .corporation a ai d oj-Iy
a small part by the president.
13, and on the same terms offered by
the Hong Kong And Shanghai Bank,
namely,-five . per. cent, at ninety-five
years, besides giving the syndicate the
option to construct the Shenghai-Soo-Chow
Railway.. It - is rumored, that
the Belgian loan has collapsed.
It is growing more apparent each
year, that if relief is ever given, by
national legislation, it. must come
thronf h the Peoples part v.
In view of these facts and tbe logi
cal : conclusions to be drawn there-
ContJinued-on 4th page.
(Oontinud on fourth page.)
Tm Caucasian does ooe agree with
bim In this position. The first thing
the Commission should have dose was
to reduce freight and passenger rates
to the gold standard issue, ana ura
increase tbe assessment of railroad
property to a Just assessment in viaw
of the rates and fares so fixed.
, Cton tinned on
referred to tbe manner in which Mr.
Bryan's nomination was received by
many of tbe old line Cleveland Demo
crats of tbe South.
When Mr. Bryan was nominated
the machine Democrats (goldbogs in
disguise) were a sick as if tbey had
taken epicac These men would get
behind the door and corse Bryan and
free silver and then get out before tbe
rank and file and swear they liked It.
Bryan is too honest for tbem.
My friends, these machine politi
cians have made up their minds that
W. J. Bryan shall not be tbs nominee
of tbe Democratic party any more and
there is a scheme on foot now to turn
him down and get some goldburg io
disguise and nominate him on astrad
dle platform that can bs interpreted
to suit any locality or any political
faith that exists in tbeir party." Here
Mr. Butler referred to Maryland where
tbe leaders of tbe Democaacy last year
whooped foa. Bryan and this year met
in convention and fixed up a platform
like the Cleveland platform and now
tbey ay tbey ve got "harmony." These
Maryland leaders of Democracy re
fused to let tbe convention pass a res
olution endorsing uryan.
The same kind of scheme Is now
going on in North Carolina, and I
have come here to warn you again.
There is a scheme now to sidetrack
the money question and cry barmo
ny." Tbe scheme is to shift tbe issaes.
The man and bis Issues are going to
be shifted if this scheme is allowed to
succeed. What have tbe daily papers
been saying? Tbe Charlotte OS
server is a gold Democratic news
paper, and a monopoly paper. Tbe
news and Observer is a free silver Dem
ocratic, and a anti-monopoly paper.
Tbey were on opposite poles some
time ago, but a consultation, or a cor
respondence bas brought about aa
agreement to bring forward tbe old
sham issues tariff and the ne
gro. They are drorplng tbe is
sues about wbicb tbey differ
ed and are' attempting to revive
tbe negro and tariff racket the same
old chesnuts tbey have been using for
20 years -tbe tariff nationally and tbe
negro locally. Tbey have "cussed"
"tbe nigger" (when it suits tbem to
curse them) and then take him
round to tbe back door and of
fer Liai a drink of liquor for
bis vote when tbey need his vote. la
otber words, tbey love bim wben they
want his vote and hate him when It's
to their advantage to 'cues" him.
"You've got some Democrats to this
county wbo have a State reputatlea.
Tbey have been op to Washlagtoa.
Have tbey ever told yoo that tbe t
naocial question was a leading
irsue 1 Have tbey ever told
too of tbe ruinoa and blighting effects
of a contraction of tbe currenc)f They
never said one word about the real issue
unlit we made it so hot for them they
couldn't stand It, and then they came
out and said: "Oh, yes, that eo, we
always knew that was so."
Tne f pester speas a seajia
trusts. lie said au parties were gotag
to curse the trusts in the nextcasa
paign. Mr. Cleveland Im his last lav
augural address had snore to say
against trusts than aay President ever
baa, JCT nis aaminisirauoa wwa ran wj
trusts and nsoaopoliss. McKlaley, a
man elected by trusts, like Clevetaad,
denounced trusts, out waat sua u
mount to? These agents of trusts
d sou see trusts to fool the
Thev nasa aati-trast laws that are
worth the paper they are writtesi oa.
-Tttm .Mens. tor war aeo im pewpiw mm
tbe same anti-trast speeches as art
das would he delivered by DctXthe
Democratic aad IlepobUcaa polltiriias
'-.?
that ttoj have always bea Mtiic
Ttoy wxa!4 be eve aaoee frMi te
ever la 1swtreffwi taste tt ji-i
beitt IW; eaa aat tbey eey
Tbe IVeftea Party r4lta la
oalj erased r otferei tar trw. lb
-wsrrlty f ssMMtey e.re I be etiat
of tracts. With pleaty aosy a4
a J est reetre! of tbe ct tre
fxriallca trusts eaasnat etlt. Yms
ra Boot remove tbe etll wittet ffag
te tbe rout of iu
It i a matter f time, aed a ry
hurt time, uetil efe ato will r.irw
every rail ma 4 la ttve L'etted MtUt. J
lierpnt Morgan. the CesacUl agent
of tbe Ketbsebllds la ,o4e.
bas atae railroad system. ls:
tbe New York. New llstra A
Hartford; the trie system; Tb
Big Four; tbe Iteadiag; t sw
York Central; the Lehigh Valley;
tbe Chesapeake & Ohio ; tbe rtUr
Parifie and tbe tioetbera Kallaaj.
New this is what makes Iruaia .
prices sad lack ot moey, with tbe
rallrvade la tbe hands of the
gold trast. Tbe baaks aad rH.
roads own tbe country t-dat.
Now It is thee railroad nea aad tk
men that want otlier rues brMiti
forward. Hut I tell ym tbst tiuthiag
ill real ore prosperity eirept ae
money aad JuMer transportation. Tb
men wbo control tbe Instrument of
corn me roe money aad tbe aaa f
transportation are the mo wtxtroa-
trl frusta.
Tbe beet tariff tbe world tur
aw will not restore prosperity. i.r
ill tbe worst tariff you err eaw
cause the hard times that are ro
upon us.
Senator iiuMrr referred brunt teiiw
tendency t tbe uoaey power to grt
control of erhoote aad churches. He
said: Mine of tbe noil dan crow
things yoo have to-day la Ibe attemt
Of mooopoliee to get hold ot or
schools aad churches and !-( n the
sources of truth."
It is imtMiasible for us to da Justice
to Senator Butler's peach by attempt-
log to even gtve a synopsis of it. lie
was listened to with the rlueeet at
tention and bald hia audteoce rlweely.
Very few left the. bouse while be ws
peaklog, notwithstanding many of
tbem bad to stand for want of seats.
VOTES AMD COM MB BY.
The crowd was sober and quiet sad
were evidently there to learo some,
thing sod Det to engage la any af tbe
wild demoastratior-s that usually
characterlae a Imt raMc re shirt
parade aad blowout, and tbe speech
was such as tbey wanted to tear. Tbey
were so sober and quiet aad that the
Charlotte Observer's eorreepoadeat
waa. It seems, amazed at It, and mis
took the earoealmsa and Intense la
terest aa a "lockout of entbuaiam."
He evidently thought a crowd's loter-
eat should be measured by tbe amount
of noise tbey make. But the fact l
Senator Butler requested tbe audi
ence to be quiet as be was not feeling
well.
The Charlotte Observer qooted Mr.
Butler as ssyiog that -bia party
the market ready to faee again wb
will bid?" This report is absolutely
entirely false, ile aald no ocb thing.
He did say that tbs People Party
would make a fight againat monopoly
rule aad for tho principles for which
the 40 true sad brave Populists stood
in tbe last legislature agaiaat eoeb
fearful odds and In tbe face of so mocb
temptation, aad that If wo party would
join tbem la the figbt, tbe Peop'ee
Party would make the figbt la lb
middle of tbe road aad that he would
canvaM this State from one end to the
otber in such a contest.
Col. Oliver II. Iocbery,-tbe old wsr
horse of tbe Pee Deo" occupied a
on tbe stand with tbe epraker. Tbe
Colonel was well pleased with the
speech and afterwards aald that be
pronounced it unanswerable, that tb
Senator "left very few cracks opeo."
CoL Dockery left tbe Republican party
in the lata campaign for tbe saw
reason that Teller and others left
it. He is a Mneolo Republican of tbe
old school aad is a better Democrat,
nearer In accord with the teachings of
Thomas Jefferson, than any machine
Democrat Io this Stat to-day.
Coogresemaa Hbuford accompanied
Senator Butler here from Kaleigb and
formed acquaintance with a number
of Populists here wbo were very favor
ably impressed with him. Us and the
Senator left oa tbet:11 trala for Ca
tawba county. Mr. Boiler epok at
Newton Saturday and at Concur J Moa-dsy.
A 6REAT SPEECH.
a V
Crawde fueaet-Llve I
aad the Bcaesaee mt the Peoste'a
Large
Never before la an off political year
aad outside of aa active cam pal ga has
there been soch a large cwrwd gather
ed at Newton to bear a political speech
as assembled there Lat Hatarday to
meet Seaator Mar Uo Boiler aad tar
bim peak. Oaly a few time lathe
history of tho eouMy has there bee
so large a crowd to bear a speaker.
There were at least ljfctio peopl at
tendance, aad some estimated tbe
crowd much higher than that. The
speakiag was aaaoonosd to take piso
la the cowrt oooe, dot as ine oaan
which will bold 1JDQ0 people
forteblr and 1JX crowded, was
well filled aad several hundred poopi
were unable te get In, It eras decided
hast to have the peaking oa the out
side, i a tbeoourt yard.
Ho. A.(Xbefsrd called the crowd
toarrtbrr, aad iatflwdneed flea. f C
Caldwell, of StaieeviiK who aaads a
brie, latrodactory peach la which
he stated that Senator BaUer la an
speech in Congress had saved eneogh
to the tax payors te pay tne salary of
230 Congrnesmeu one year, aad referr
ed to him as -tho feautaia head front
which floere that living truth which
every patriot loves to hear.
w rrgrrtusat wa are anaaie u give
aaeief synapsis aad a lew aoat-
anator BnUeVe
eta4 tVct bva
tick, t&at twa years a-e he was
fc the rec-Ja to C-fat far their.
rirtxs;tlmt ia tfaetat-em and
toria
xsejlijtras nun sullen
the people, nis work
Urea with
to the ayes of
aa chatratan of
(Gewtlnaed aw Si
V
-
4