Newspapers / The Raleigh Times (Raleigh, … / March 9, 1912, edition 1 / Page 2
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THE RALEIGH DAILY TIMES, SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1912. !.I SECKWITH COMES 1 surrender that right when they adopted the constitution. ' That act as interpreted, places in t!:o hands of the an "l-tlonder" sec retary of a state board the ultimate power of appointing and fixing in j fees the compensation of a county officer, who has superior control of largo interests of the county, and that too without: consulting the wishes of the people as to their choice and contrary to the legally established policy of the county agair.st the vicious and corrupt fee syslcm county officers. Let us see if it does not, by J quoting here from the act itself: AlirPTlAW AC DirUTCl "l'-'vileil, that U the county board UUfcjllUll Uf iUUfllJ-of health of any county shall fail - ! to elect a county superintendent 1 within two months of the time set in Issue Not One of Men But of Kislits this r.ction (which the county board ' . '....;;,. 'of health, for causes best known to . Older Than the Constitution ' I the mselves, proniptlv proceeded to County Commissioners AlmU- by fUr t0 do) tho secretary of the llu' Lew us Interpreted Hut They J statp i)0ari 0f health shall appoint Have an AhidiiiK Faitli That the ' a county superintendent of health, Replies to Dr. Rankin In the County Supsrintendent of Hsslth Matter Spring Medicine There is no other season when medi cine is so much needed as in the snrine-. The blood Is impure and Im poverished a condition indicated by, pimples, boils and other eruptions on the face and body, by deficient vitality, I loss of appetite, lack of strength. ) The best srjrinsr medicine, according ' to the experience and testimony of thousands annually, is Hood's Sarsaparilla It purifies and enriches the blood, cures eruptions, builds up the system. Get it today in usual liquid form or chocolated tablets known as Sarsatabs, Rights of tho People to Manase Their Own Afiairs Shall Not he rernmncntlv Abridae'.l Not At rail! of a Writ of Mandamus. To the Editor of The Times; In an editorial commenting on the county attorney's communication in the McCuUets case, you said he "missed the point". Maybe so. But in aheiliim the woods he ( the county attorney' unmasked, and drew the lire of a heavy battery supporting the line of attack against the rights of the people of Wake county to govern themselves and to attend to their own local affairs. But, unless the unmasking of the Dr's- batterv riled him, there was and is no cause for a rise of temper ature in the otlice ol t tie secretary of the state board of health; for "1 am not mad, most noble Festtis; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness" appealing to Caesar that the people may know the inwards of this matter.' The vital issue in the MeCuller's matter shall not be clouded by hot vapors blown into the face of the county attorney, or obscured by dust flung at the heads of the county commissioners. The issue is not men but measures. And it is the iniquitous measures contained in the "health act," that the secretary of the state board of health boosts unanimously upheld by the supreme court, to which the peo ple felt constrained to hold that the enactment of chapter 62 of the pu! lie laws, of 1911, "was a valid ex ercise of legislative power", the court did not hold that it was a just exercise of that pov.er. With all due deference that a lawyer owes the opinions of that high court, that act, as interpreted, deprives the people of Wake county of their inalienable right of local self-government, 'and in great meas ures takes away their constitutional control of the penal and charitable institutions of the countyand ought to be, if it is not, unconstitutional and void as contravening the spirit of local self-government which under lies the constitution and is itinerant m the people, for the people did not by- the county" both of which powers the said secretary of the state board of health very' promptly exercised without consulting the county commissioners, the ones most interested, although they, through their chairman, asked to be consid ered as being interested for the ;:ounty in both the officer and his pay. The choice of the secretary Ceil upon that one whom the county boaul of health, having failed to re elect, Intmblv petitioned the secre tary of the siate board of health to appoint. Of course! The county board of health having authority under the act, to f'11 the vacancy oeeassoined by Dr. McOul lers' declination to qualify upon the May election, and after the board .1! commissioners had recognized his title to the office under thu; elec tion, but had declined the ptopo sitton of the county board of health to approve a salary pi fS&ul-.Ou .to be paid by the county, but ha.l ap proved vof. a salary of $600.00 a year a just and reasonable i't:. pei;sa;ion for the work to be done the questions naturally arises: Why didn't they re-elect Or. M'.-Cullers? or Why their delay, for two months in electing another, till Or. Hani-ins. power of appointing attached I'.t; d became operative'.' and why humbly petition, as to a superior, Dr. Rankin to appoint Dr. Mi-Cullers', and to fix his fees after MeCullrs had eliminated himself by declining their May election? 'Tis here the people smell the nig ger in the woodpile, and ask: How Cum? Was the county board of hcr.lth fearful of the people's disapproval of its choice? Was the salary of fees demanded by their chosen one more than tliev thought the people w.rikl stomach? Or fearing to face the peo ple with their choice and his hills lor fees, did they deliberately shield themselves from Wrath to come 1" hind the secretary of the sla. board of health? Who does not owe his lucrative office -to the favor of the people, and cannot be called to ac count by them for appointing a man to office and fixing his compen sation on a condemned fee basis and on an excessive amount, many times greater than the $600.00 a year salaiy that others, just as good, were willing to accept as compensation .'or their services. That high-handed invasion of and disregard of their constitutional rights forced the commissioners to call a halt and to defend the -suit brought against the hoard of com missioners by Dr. McCullers. Tho commissioners did not seek to be gin the light. -They have acted in self-defense, in the interest of ihe county. But the secretary of the state board of health says: "1 respectfully submit that this body (meaning the county board of health 1 compares favorably in abilty and devotioi to the peoples interests with the Wake.1 county board of commissioners, or even with their learned legal ad visor, so zealous in the protection of the peoples interest." Why throw that handfull of dust? Who lias questioned their ability or devotion? Let it be granted that th y excell in these virtues; yet, if the acts and the words of the secretary of the state board of health ne taken, the fact remains that they failed to discharge a legal, official duty, thereby shifting their sacrti! responsibility for the health of Un people, to the hands of the secre tary of the state board of health ivho (and what moie could be said) con dems them after this fashion: "Be it observed, that under the law the county authorities (meaning the county board of health) have two months in which to provide an of ficial whose duties are literally vital to the welfare of the public. Failing in this ample time to discharge this important function of their otlice, the state steps in, overrides official inertia or breaks a deadlock and gives .the county, a legally respon sible official with authority to pro tect the health and lives of the peo ple. And this is what Mr. Beckwiih terms an interference with local self-government." And 'Mr. Beckwith is correct; for by contrived negligence, procured concert of action, political coward ice of combinations or fear of re sponsibility, the ultimate choice of a county health officer in every county ami the fixing of his salary or fees is put into the hands of a mere sec retary of a state board, and the peo ple are thus deprived of selecting their own officer or of fixing his pay. But they have the inestimable privilege and pleasure of paying the bills. . And with this privilege left them by this "health act," the. people ought to be content. Are not their backs broad? Surely they ought to be glad to pay fees that will enable their county doctor to ride to this ramp and from that institution in JgY telephone, you can make definite ap pointments, prepare a "keepable" pro gram for the day, and thus triple the value of your time and the amount of your profits. The telephone line leads you directly and instantly to the man you wish to meet. The important business men in forty thousand cities and towns have Bell telephones. We connect with the long distance lines of the Bell system, thereby giving our patrons universal service. Are you a subscriber ? CAPITAL CITY TELEPHONE CO. UNIVERSAL SERVICE. REASONABLE RATES. style bentting the appointee oi me secretary of a state board. The secretary of the state board of health, in his four column com munication, quoted a part of section 9 of the "health act". But he did not quote the following pregnant i rroviso: "Provided;, that the county superintendent ol neann snan nave the right to emplov and to fix the compensation of any other regu larly registered physician of his county, to perform any or all ot the duties pertaining to the jail, county home, or convict camps when in his judgment it is desirable to do so." Read that oVer; and read it yet again, and then go back and gently and piayerfully, if you can, glide through that provision, word by word, and then wonder at the sub lime patience ol" boards of county ommissioners. In the words of the in mortal Vance "My Cod, Aber- nathy!" Here we have the appointee of an appointee (neither of whom s answerable to the people) given discretionary pov.vi- to appoint yet another officer ami-to fix his fees without limit to -anything. And yet the county covnmi.-;-ioucrs pay a fee salary of $25:ii..int or more- pliin whatever the county superintendent of health may see lit "to !ix" tot that other doctor, and be glad its no worse, or go to j.iil. They boast Unit the supremo court ha's upheld t'-,e validity of theif act and gloat over what they allege is the failure of the board of commis sioners to place ii barrier between liese appointees and the treasury of the people, and threaten with a perempory will ot mane.anuis ana thus, by implication, with the jail the commission! rs of Ihe people if they dare refuse approval of their bills. To their intei pivtation of their act and of the opinion of the court the boards of county commissioners has not yielded and will not assent, if they follow the advice of the county attorney, till 'such time as they shall have exhaused every- legal means of resistance at their command. We believe i he people of Wake ire willing that their chosen com- ssioners should- spend the public money in (lefemlnig tne peoples right to choose their own local ser vants, fix their pay, and manage their own domestic - affairs. They would justly condemn their ser vants for failure to defend to the uttermost any attack on the right of the board oi' i ommissioners to watch over and saieguard the coun ty treasury agamit spoliation even under the specious guise of protect ing the public health. Now the county attorney has no personal quarrel with any. The is sue is fur aboVe 'mere persons. It involves rights older than our con stitution that wore hoary with age before the Boston tea party; lights fought for and won back; by ville and town and Mark from King, and baron, and abbot, who had with iron hand or lying tongue, by force, or fraud, taken them from the people: lights that our forefathers, even here, thought worthy of being main tained with treasures and Mood ai Alamance, at Moore's Creek, at (! nil- ford courthouse,' at Kings -Mountain and made good at Yorktown the right of local -self-government and he control by the people of their own money. The extortions of t he fee system (again attempted to be fixed on us by this secretary) of paying officials was one of tho main grievances that led to the legulator troubles of our fathers. The board of county commis sioners while bowing to this act, (for law it is, tho of questionable parentage! as interpreted by the su preme court, in recognizing Dr. Mc Cullers' title to office still have an abiding faith that soon again thecon stittitional "right of the people of the county to mannge their own affairs shall not be abridged or denied except under' the pressure of a plain and positive requirement and when no alternative in the law is admis sable". We devoutly pray that the court may soon return to the sound law of that opinion. And in the words of a learned associate justice of our supreme court, used in Jones v. Coriinassloners, 135 N. C, 223 we pray Tt may soon again be held to fce "without precedent in thl state, if the legislature should as sume to know the wishes and inter ests of the people of any county bet ter than the county commissioners". In this case, it la not the legislature only, but a board of health and a secretary of a state board who have assumed to know the wishes and in terest of the people of Wake coun ty better than the county commis sioners, the duly elected servants of the people and answerable to them for the proper management of the affairs of the county. In conclusion I want to say that I assume full responsibility for having the board of commissioners not to recognize the authority of the secretary of the state board of health to appoint a county superintendent of health and to fix bis compensation on a fee basis, to be paid by the county, contrary to the legally es tablished policy of this county, till they were compelled to do so by the order of the supreme court. I also have advised them not to surrender, without a light to a finish, the there tofore supposed right of the board of commissioners In Its sound dis cretion to disapprove and not al low payment of any disputed claim or demand against the county, un til the juatnesi ami' reasonableness of the claim or demand had been de termined. I shall continue to advise them, so long as they ask my advice. I shall never advise them to tamely surrender the people's right to local self-government the right to con trol their purely local affairs into the hands of any one man or body of men, under any pretext what soever.. When the courts unquestionably decide that they have not the dis cretion to approve or disapprove claims against the county, but that the board of commissioners is a mere auditing committee whose only duty is to add up columns of fig ures; to see that ihe addition, sub traction or multiplication is correct, then I shall advise them, but not till then, to be afraid of a writ of mandamus. H. C. BECKWITII. Piles Cured in O to 14 Days. Your druggist will rernnd money If Pazo Ointment fails to cure any case of itching, blind, bleeding or pro truding piles In 6 to 14 days. ROc. Some people seem to get a lot of pleasure out of not having any fun in life.-. - v. . :-. ...... . fl OSS OF APPETITE is I the first sisrn of a tor- JLal pid liver. It is followed by coated tongue, bad taste in the mouth, sick! headache and constipation. Putt's Pills Irestore the appetite by gently regulating your liver. I Susar coated or olain at! a " . . i I your druggist. A coniplctc line of 1912 Spalding Base l;iU (ioi;Um xhimtion at ' , ; TOYLAItt), ' 8-10 E. Hargett St. Phone No. 438. Xevv York, March 7, 1012. KALKKiH 1KYILY. TIMKS, R'ileis.h, X. C: I'lcasc announce for mc through your estremoil paper fop the ladies and it will lieniul vicinity, that I have had the? good fortune while In Xew York, to buy an excellent line of Todies' Suits, Coats, Messclim- ami Silk Ih esses, at prices far lu-low their worth and which I am sending home today by K.tpress. These Roods are in evtiy respect first-class, liav h::ving been made by one' of Xew York's most famous lui-ase.-i nnel compris:" al! this Spring reason's latest styles ami coloring-. This will be good news anil a Rreat saving ot- (he ladies anil it will ho well v.o'.th their lime to call at 4IU1' store anil inspect (hose e. Hent values. Yours truly, S. GLASS, Iidies' I'lii-nisliin-i Company, 11 1 Kuweit St., lialelgh, X. C. Try Pocahontas Nut, prepared especially for Ranges and Cook Stoves. More economical than wood. gJOHNSON & Johnson . Rale,i g h ,N.C. Life Insurance Company of Virginia S (INCORPORATED AS A STOCK COMPANY IN 1871 BY THE STATE OF VIRGINIA) HOME OFFICE: RICHMOND, VA. OFFICERS: 1 JOHN G. WALKER, President T. W.H. PEMCHRTON, First Vice-President W. L. T. KOOERSON, Second Vice-President E. D. HARRIS, Secretary i JOHN SIDNEY DAVEM'OilT, Jr., Actuary ' H. CAliri.L TABR, M. D., Medical Director RUUINAI.D alLHAM, Treasurer .. A. S. Hl'RT, Auditor COK' & I'ICKRIilX, General Counsel I.Ml-UflC l863-li)lTS4760' lo90-234,547.66 IB9.2-S 473.S20.Z (694 -S SSI .7.94. 3 I '1895-S 591 ,38d.5e S 712,931.92 i7a2iZ.4.- DIRECTORS: C JOHN 0. WALKER i T. VM. PEMBERTON V. L.T. ROQERSON JNO. M. MILLER. Jr. A. S. HURT ' BRADFORD H. WALKER LAMION C. ROSE E. D. HARRIS T -. LANDONV. WALKER 4896- e7 I89S -S852, 409.03 1899 -S 93700.79 1,087,272.02 J90I-S 1,151, ee2.87" y902rS 1339,214713 1903 -S 15 S 0.293 JBOr J904-SI,68LO54.3& 1905 -S 1869,888.47 1905 -S aG98369.72 l9Q7-.$g32 L824a 19Q8-Sa458. S 60.07, 909' 8 9 1 G - & 2,785 .737.44- riWEITY FIVE YEARS GROWTH I - . . . . - . . 1 " " i FINANCIAL CONDITION, DECEMBER 31, 191 1 ASSETS Bonds and Mnrlcaue !.o.in on Real Estate. ... .. Railro'd end Slnct Railway Uonds (Market Value',... Snte lionds i.Mnrkct Value). . . , . . Municlnal lionds -(Market Vsluc).- Miscellaneous Itoi.di ( Market Value) . ..... Real Estate (Market Value).'. Bank Stock (Market Value) "'. Miscellaneous stocks (Market Vahie) Loans on Collateral Loans on Company's Policies. - Cash in Bulks on Interest ... .." Cash in OI!l,cs and in Banks not on Interest. Interest and K.nli Due and Accrued Net Uncollected and Deferred Premiums and Premium and ell other Asteti. TOTAL ADMITTED ASSETS. .... ... . , Notes , .t5,S9.!F8.40 .. X2.4M.U) l47,7V.fJ . IB I, Mil. VI . 7.,C7.!0 . 350.I.W.W OJ,7.'0.ftO . 4,0014) . 2j.mi.no I'I7,2M0 ,i 3-9.2I7.WI . I7,.87 M.SM.23 57,378,7J4 LIABILITIES Rescue, Actuaries' 4 rcr cent., American Ji and i per a,. ce""Jndard IndustrlUjJ percent S,6j,SS4(M All other Llabiiltlct. , . , J4J.7JIJJ Total Liabilities. Capital Stock Surplus...... ........3 4O0,oM.C0 I,OOJ,WI.1)I W.97I.2S5JJ Surplus of Assess over Llal-llltles TOTAL. . . JI.403.68I.9I $778,9674 havriVtt. h-A ttat ll other Ual'iMtir-8 p oWlfcT on" ya-mm'tti, 5' "WU haV our" Jie true linancial oondltion ot tho Company on DoMuTbor n, lull. that the above btalomenl of Attett ltd liabilities uorreotly sou forth Iilchtnonil, Va., January C, 1912. H. B. BOODAR ft SON, Certified fubllo Acoountunts. STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DURINO 1911 -' $2,943,748.46 Insuranco In Force. ... . . . . ........ .... ....,.$ 178,011.03 Increase in Insurance In Force.......... M04,874.56 Total Number of Policies In Force....... ' 242,728.48 Increase in Number of Policies in Force. . $ 1 ,040,393.42 Death Claims, Etc, Paid to Policyholders. Total Payments to Policyholders Since Organization - . Premium Income. . . . . , Increase in Premium Income. . . . Qross Income. Increase In Gross Income. ...... Increase in Assets. ',..'., ... $78,499,874 00 . . . $ 6,059,500.00 568,463 26,169 ... $ 1,07201.17 SI 1.M9 251.74 A. Re Goodwyn, Supt., 239 Fayotteville St. Raleigh. N. C. ' G. F. Hall, Gen. Agf., 619 Realty Bldg Charlotte, N.C.
The Raleigh Times (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 9, 1912, edition 1
2
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