$1.00 a Yeap, In Advance.
"FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY, AND FOR TRUTH."
Single Copy, 0 Cents.
VOL XII. .. PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY APRIL 5, 1901. " . NO. 5.
BILL A HP'S LETTER.
The family is the most important
institution upon the earth. It is the
hope of the world. Its influence is
greater than that of kings, emperors
or cabinets. Parents and children
gathered around the hearthstones in
separate families make up commun
ities, and they make states and na
tions and choose their rulers. As the
families are, so is the government
good or bad men unmarried men
are merely individuals and feel no
great responsibility outside of their
individual comfort and welfare. 'But
parents are concerned for their chil
dren. We live for them and would
die for them, consequently we want
good government that will protect
them. But it is not every family who
feels this deep concern. From my
window I see the homes of many
neighbors and can count on my
fingers those whose presence is a safe
guard to the community, and the
rest are of but little consequence. If
they were to move away it would not
add to our peril. So it is in all com
munities. The few protect the many.
So it is in the church and state.
Twenty members of our legislature
control its legislation. Ten members
of an average church membership
give the church its character. Sodom
was destroyed because ten good men
could not be found. If all men were
good we would have no need of courts
or prisons. But for every church
that is set on a hill there is a jail in
the valley. I hear the preacher call
ing and the be'l tolling from the one,
and imagine I hear the devil calling
from the other, and he cries out as
the sergeants did in the old muster
language, "Oh, yes! Oh, yes! All
who belong to Captain Satan's com
pany parade here." And the people
are going and coming all the time
some to one call and more to the
other. But as the devil can't be
heard afar off, he goes about calling,
and even invades the sanctuary and
calls aloud while the preacher is
preaching.
"Man never erects a house of prayer
But what the devil builds a pulpit there,
And 'twill be found upon examloaiion
The devil has the largest congregation."
His pulpit is always at the rear end
where the young people love to sit,
and you can tell how popular he is
by the number who sit there.
I was ruminating about this family
institution and its great importance
in the world because I have been
reading about it in the Aprocrypha,
which is one of our family Bibles. I
heard a preacher say once that a Bible
with the Aprocrypha in it should not
stay in his house. Well, it took
1,826 years to exclude it from the
Piotestant Bible, and most of it is in
the Roman Catholic Bible yet. What
is called a sacred canon was not estab
lished until the sixteenth century,
and for centuries before that almost
every great theologian had his own
catalogue of inspired books as he be
lieved them. For 300 years only
ten of Paul's epistles were admitted.
The Book ot ot. James ana tne lteve
lation of St. John were excluded. So
were Esther and Daniel end Jonah in
the Old Testament. Luther tried to
have Hebrews, and James, and Jude,
and the Revelations of St. John ex
cluded, but failed. But all differ
ences of opinion seem to have been
harmonized at the council of Trent
by all Christians and the Aprocrypha
was left in, i ot as an inspired part,
but to be read for religious instruc
tion. In 1826 it was excluded from
the Protestant Bible, but it remains
in many of the old time family Bibles
and is in one of mine. I dare to per
use it sometimes, especially "The
Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach,"
which is called Ecclesiasticus, which
has fifty chapters and is as full of
maxims and morals and instruction
for the family as are the Proverbs of
Solomon. Addison says that if this
book had been left in the canon or if
it had the name of some great Greek
philosopher, it would have com
manded the admiration of mankind.
To my mind it is the condensation of
wisdom for family government. It is
as pointed and pungent as anything
as anything that Solomon ever wrote.
This Jesus was a better man than
Solomon. He lived and wrote 300
years after' Malachi, the last of the
prophets. In the close of his narra
tive concerning Moses and the
prophets, he says of Solomon: "By
his body he was brought into subjec
tion and didst stain his honor and
pollute his seed and brought wrath
upon his children, and his kingdom
was divided." I never did have a
profound admiration for a man who
said, " Rejoice, Oh, young man, in
the wife of thy youth, and be thou
always ravished with her love," and
then goes off and marries 300 wives
and takes 790 concubines. His pre
cepts are good, but his example was
bad, very bad. My doctrine has al
- ways been that a man has no more
right to two wives than a woman has
to two husbands. Let him stand by
his marriage vows. This is the in
junction of Jesus, the son of Sirah.
As a sample of his wisdom let me
quote:
"A man that breaketh his wedlock,
saying, 'Who seeth mef am I not
compassed about with darkness,' ,he
forgetteth that the eyes of the. Lord
are ten thousand times brighter than
the sun."
"Blessed is he who hath a virtuous
wife, for the number of his days shall
be doubled."
"A silent and loving woman is a
gift from the Lord."
"A fool will peep in at the door of
the house, but he that is well nur
tured will stand without."
"Do not banquet upon borrowed
money."
"Commend not a man for his out
ward appearance, for many kings have
sat down upon the ground, and one
that was never thought of hath worn
the crown." '
"A friend cannot be known in pros"
perity, and an enemy cannot be hid
in adversity."
"Use not much the company of a
woman who is a singer lest thou be
captured with her voice."
"Rejoice not over thine enemy
when he is dead."
'Lend not to him who is higher
than thyself, but if thou lendest count
it Jost."
'.'Sit not down with the wife of an
other man in thine arms, for it will
bring thee to destruction."
"Son, help thy father in his old
age and thou shalt have joy in thine
own children."
"Have no fellowship with those
who are mightier and richer than
thyself, for how can the earthen kettle
and the pot agree."
"When a rich man speaketh every
man holdeth his tongue and extol it
to 'the clouds, but if a poor man
speak, they say, 'what a row is this?' "
j "Build not a house with another
man's money, for it is like gathering
stones for the tomb ot thy burial."
"A thief is better than a common
liar."
"Accustom not thy mouth to swear
ing nor to the naming of the Holy
One."
"Against him that is niggard of
his meat his neighbors shall murmur."
"Keep a sure watch over a shame
less daughter lest she make thee a
laughing-stock and a byword in the
city and a reproach among thy
people."
Whether this book be inspired or
not, it i3 full of devotion to God and
gratitude for His goodness. The Old
Testament Hebrews canon was made
up and closed before this Jesus lived,
or perhaps Ecclesiasticus would have
been embraced in it. It is certainly
entitled to as much consideration as
Solomon's Song, for there is not a
vulgar or lascivious expression in it.
This much about the Aprocrypha
will answer some inquiries I have re
ceived, two of them from preachers.
I have a long letter from my old
friend, Bishop Turner, concerning
that recent publication of William
Hannibal Thomas; that bill of indict
ment against the negroes of his own
race. He denounces Thomas. His
opinion is that some learned white
man wrote the book and paid Thomas
for the use of his name. He says
this is the opinion of those in South
Carolina who know this scapegallows.
He says "I am well acquainted with
him; knew him during the war. in
front of Richmond, where some
southern hero shot off one of his
arms, and it is a pity he did not shoot
his head off. He is now receiving an
exorbitant pension from the United
States government. If there ever
was money paid to a dog, it is
paid to him. If the white people
of the south knew half as much
about his rascality and villainy
as he has told mer they would seek
his blood. If our preachers are so
bad as he represents them, what did
he stop for and join the party of the
devil. He was one of the preachers
of my church and will be until hell
opens her arms to receive him," etc.,
etc.
I have been following Bishop
Turner's course ever since the wrar,
and have never known aught against
him as a man or a Christian. In the
year 1866, when our people at Rome
were under the oppression of a Span
ish captain, one De la Mesa, Bishop
Turner acted as a mediator and tried
to make our condition more tolerable.
He made a spech at Reese's Spring,
near Rome, that we all commended,
and did his utmost to prevent that
Spaniard from exercising his foul
domination anil tyranny. Ever since
then his pen and voice has been for
peace between the races. 1 am
pleased to speak of him. as "my
friend." Bill Aep.
A Woman Cuts off Iter Ears and None
and Inflicts Other Wounds.
Toledo, Ohio, March 31. Temporary
insanity resulted in the most horrible
case of self mutilation ever recorded
here.
Mrs. Braidschneider, a comely Ger
man matron, was taken to the hospital
yesterday afternoon, so mangled by
her own hands, that he most intimate
friends could not recognize her.
' Both ears were cut off close to her
head, end of her nose hacked off, one
cheek cut out and the other cut and
slashed, and a piece of flesh gone.
All her toes had been cut from her
right foot. Her arm, from the wrist
to the elbow was stripped of the flesh to
the bones, only cords and ligaments
remaining in prominence. The weap
on used was a pair of scissors.
War between Russia and Japan is re
gar ded in London as an increasingly
probable condition.
AGUINALDO CAPTCUEU.
Baltimore Sun.
General Funston, of Kansas, accor
ding to a Manila dispatch, is now en
gaged in a project which promises to be
the"greatest and most romantic achieve
ment of his eventful career." With a
handful of officers and men he has gone
to a remote point in the Island of Luzon,
where, by the use of strategy, he hopes
to capture Aguinaldo, the leader of the
Filipinos. Genaral Funston is a re
sourceful man aB well as a courageous
soldier, but the Filipino leader is not
lacking in astuteness himself, and in the
contest of wits which is now in progress
there is apt to be some clever manceuver
ing on both sides. The dispatch gives
full details of General Funston's plan
to bag the Filipino commander-in-chief,
thus indicating that the censoiship at
Manila has been relaxed or the censor
was napping. General Fuston'ii strategy
seems to have been the product of pains
taking study, and if everything turns
out as he expects, Aguinaldo will be
brought to Manila by the Kansas warrior
and his little band of scouts. It should
not be forgotten, however that there is
many a slip 'twix cup and lip" and that
carefully arranged plans have been
made several times before to capture the
wily Filipino leader, but have failed at
the last moment. Aguinaldo is among
hia friends, and experience has shown
that they lose no opportunity to advise
him as to the movements of his ene
mies, although professing to aid the
Americans in the pursuit of the Filipino
leader. General Funston will add new
laurels to his fame if be succeeds in his
mission, but if he is a wise man he is
not counting his chickens before they
are hatched. He will bear in mind the
score of times in which his British
friends haye had DeWet cornered in
South Africa only to find a few days later
that he had broken loose in some remote
point, to their great loss and discomfi
ture. General Funston is too shrewd a
man, doubtless, to make his rabbit stew
before he has caught the rabbit. If he
is not, "the greatest and most romantic
achievement of his eventful career" is
apt to evoke derisive smiles from his
enemies in Kansas when he returns
empty-handed to Manila.
Manila. March 23. General Fred
erick Funston's daring project for the
capture of Aguinaldo in his hiding
place in the province of Isabela, island
of Luzon, has proved completely success
ful. Aguinaldo was captured there March
25. The United States gun-boat Vicks
burg, Commander E. B. Barry, with
General Funston and Aguinaldo on
board, arrived here this morning.
Washington, March 28. The news of
General Aguinaldo's capture by Gener
al Funston was received everywhere in
official circles with intense gratification,
but perhaps nowhere did it create more
satisfaction than at the White House.
The first official news to reach the
Executive Mansion was General Mac
Arthur's dispatch announcing the cap
ture, which came about midnight last
night. This morning the President
saw Admiral Remey's cablegram and
the press dispatches.
The cablegram from General Mac
Arthur reads: "General Funston has
just returned from an expedition to
Palanan, province of Isabella, where he
captured Aguinaldo, who is now in my
possession at Malacanan. Particulars
later."
General MacArthur later cabled ad
ditional details of the capture of Agui
naldo. The most important statement
in his cablegram is as follows: "I hope
for a Bpeedy cessation of hostilities
throughout the archipelago, as a conse
quence of this stroke. As a result of a
conference now in progress, it is prob
able Aguinaldo will issue an address
advising a general surrender, delivery
of arms and acceptance of American
supremacy."
General MacArthur says that all
credit must be given to General Fun
ston for the capture of Aguinaldo and
recommends that he be made a brigadier
general in the regular army.
Manila, March 28. Aguinaldo, who
was captured by General Funston and
brought to Manila on the United States
gun-boat Vicksburg, was brought
ashore at 3;10 p. m. to-day and taken
before General MacArthur, at the Mal
acanang. Hw talked freely, but seemed
ignorant concerning recent events. He
appeared to be in good health and was
even cheerful. - He lunched with the
officers of General McArthur'a staff
and was then escorted' to the Anda
street jail. Aguinaldo's capture was at
tended with considerable difficulty, an
insurgent major being killed at the
time of the event. Twenty rifles and
a number of important papers were captured.
Vetoes IHormon ItUI.
Gov. H. M.Wells, of Utah, has vetoed
the Evans bill, the one passed by the
Legislature to prevent prosecution for
polygamy except upon complaint of
some member of the family involved.
The Govnor said he was compelled to
veto the bill by the recommendation of
his oath of office; the requirement of his
duty as he understands it and the con
viction of hia best judgment and con
science. The State convention of th
North Carolina Funeral Directors
Association will be held in Wilming
ton May 21 and 22. Mr. W. L. Bell,
of Concord, is the efficient secretary
of the Association.
JUDGES NOT GUILTY.
Judges D. M. Furches and It. OT.
Douglas Acquitted or livery
Charge Against Tliem.
Cor. Charlotte Observer.
Raleigh, March 28. The high court
ol impeachment at noon to-day, by a
vote of 27 for to 23 against conviction
on article 1 of the impeachment
charges, exonerated Chief Justice D. M.
Furches and Associate Justice R. M.
Douglas from charges that they had
violated the laws and conbtitution of
North Carolina by issuing a mandamus
to compel the payment of $800 salary
to Shell Fish Comm'esioner White.'
The votes on each of the other four
ailicles of impeachment follow: Article
2, guilty 26, uot guilty 24; article 3,
guilty 26, not guilty.,24; article 4, guilty
25, not guilty 25; article 5, not guilty
34, guilty 16. Thirty-four .votes were
required for conviction. There were 11
Republicans and Populists in the court,
all of whom voted -for acquittal. An
average of the above votes, shows 26 for
acquittal to 24 for conviction.
The clerk then read article 1 of im
peachment. The vote on Baid article
was ayeu 27, noes 23.
Guilty Alexander. Arrington, Ay-
cock, Bray, Broughton, Burroughs, Cal
vert, Foy, Gudger. James, Justice,
Lindsay, McNeill, Miller, of Pamlico;
Morrison, Morton, Scott, Smith,
Speight, Thomas, Travis, Vann, Ward,
Warren, Webb. Woodard 27.
Not guilty Brown, Buchanan, Cand
ler, Crisp, Currie, Dula, Foushee,
Glenn Henderson, Leak, London,
Long, Marshall, McAlister, Mcintosh,
Mclntyre. Michael, Miller, of Caldwell;
Pinnix, Robeson, Stikeleather, String
field, Sugg 23.
Democrats voting noe guilty were
Brown, Currie, Foushee, Glenn, Hen
derson, Leak, London, Long, McAlis
ter, Mclntyia, Stringfield and Sugg.
benator Henderson then offered a
judgment as the will of the Senate that
the respondents, D. M. Furches and R.
M. Doughlas were found not guilty on
all the articles of impeachment.
Adopted. Ayes 40.
At 1:45 o'clock Senator Morrison
moved that the court adjourn eine die
and forever. Adopted. And the court
adjourned.
Immediately on adjournment an im
mense throng pressed forward and
shook the hand of the judges in con
gratulation. There had been no de
monstration whatever during the two
hours of taking the vote, the president
having announced before the taking of
the first ballot that none would be per
mitted. There was" band clapping when
the court had been announced adjourn
ed ssiue die.
ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT.
In substance the five articles of im
peachment are as follows:
Article 1. That on or about October
17, 1900, Judges Furches and Douglas,
with Chief Justice Faircloth, now de
ceased, under color of their offices, did
unlawfully and in violation of the con
stitution of North Carolina, in the case
of White vs. Auditor, cause to be is
sued a mandamus compelling the pay
ment of claim of salary to Theophilus
White, shell fish commissioner.
Article 2. That on the same date
as above the said judges "did usurp
legislative authority, and, to assume to
themselves legislative functions, and
intending to bring the General Assem
bly of North Carolina into disrepute,
public scandal and disgrace, unmind
ful of the high duties of their office as
members of the said Supreme Court of
North Carolina, and of their oaths of
office, and in contempt, disregard and
defiance of the provisions of chapter 21,
public laws of 1899," did cause to be
issued the mandamus aforesaid.
Article 3. Caarges a violation of the
law by the issuing of the mandamus
after the passage of a resolution of the
Legislature, in adjourned session, for
inquiry into the shell fish matter.
Article 4. That the judges directed
the issuance of the aforesaid mandamus
not in conformity to law, nor according
to the ordinary course of practice of the
courts.
Article 5. Charges the judges with
deciding the office-holding cases in a
mannev to nullify the action of the Leg
islature, and to suit the purpose of the
said judges.
Fumes Kill Engineer In Tunnel.
The crew of an eastbound freight
train on the Great Northern road were
overcoaie by fumes while passing
through the Cascade tunnel near Seattle,
Wash., a few days ago. The engineer
brought the train to a sudden etOD when
half way through because he felt him
self losing consciousness.
The conductor, engineer, fireman,
and brakeman were found lying on
the side of the track by parties sent to
the rescue. Engineer Bradley was dead
and the others unconscious. Bradley's
body was lying in a water ditch a short
distance from his engine. The others
were scattered along the track where
they had fallen in their efforts to reach
the entrance. The rescuing party put
them on stretchers and carried thera to
the mouth of the tunnel where the
fresh air revived all but Bradley.
This is the second accident of this
nature in the long tunnel, since it was
opened to traffic, but is the first in
which lo6S of life has occurred. The
ventilation is poor and fumes from tbe
locomotive cause the trouble.
STATE NEWS.
M. H. Justice, Esq., is to be the judge
of the new fourteenth district.
Another case of smallpox was found
in Charlotte Saturday.
Hon. A. M. Waddell was renomi
nated for mayor of Wilmington at the
primary on the 21st,
The State Printing Com mission com
posed of the Governor and State officers
has awarded the contract for the State
printing to Messrs. Edwards and
Broughton and Uzzell, who submited a
bid jointly.
Chief of Police Orr, of Charlotte, with
a number of officers made a raid on a
gambling den in Charlotte at 1:45 a. m.
Sunday and captured seven citizens at
the very act of poker playing for money.
He marched them off to jail from
which they were soon afterwards re
leased on bail.
Mr. John Davis was thrown from a
wagon at Woodleaf, Rowan county,
Friday and his head was badly cut.
The horses became frightened and in
attemping to stop them he was thrown
from the wagon and the wheel ran over
his head, cutting a gash about six
inches long.
The Salisbury Truth-Index says that
two year old" child of Bill Walker,
colored; -inr Union- tQwnship, Rowan
county, was burned to death last week.
It was left alone while its parants were
out fighting a forest fire. Its clothing
took fire, it crawled to bed and the bed
was burned. The parents returned in
time save the house.
The Salisbury Sun says the decision
in the Wilkes county bond case will
doubtless result in a suit being brought
to invalidate the bonds issued by Salis
bury. Gold Hill and Morgan towsbips
to aid in building the Yadkin railroad-
from Salisbury to Albemarle. The
bonds issued by Stanly county to aid in
building this road will also be declared
invalid. A suit in regard to them has
been pending for several years.
That was a remarkablo murder in
Polk county. Three white men, des
peradoes, had secreted themselves with
the purpose of firing from ambush on
some negroes. The nature of their
grievance again the negroes is not
stated, but while they waited for their
game they quarreled about who should
have the first shot, and two of them fell
on the third and killed him. Thus the
negroes escaped.
Intense excitement was created in
Winston Saturday evening by fire
breaking out in the jail. The prisoners
became terribly alarmed and were
taken out through the smoke scream
ing. One colored man lost his reason
and had to be carried to the town lock
up. " It was thought for some time that
one prisoner had escaped, but this was
a mistake. The fire was extinguished
before serious damage was done, though
considerable water was thrown into the
building.
Killed Husband Unaware.
Vienna, March 31. A highly
romantic tragedy is reported from a
little countv town in Hungary.
A few days ago a poorly-clad man
knocked at the door of a woman's resi
dence and begged for shelter for the
night. Touched by his forlorn appear
ance the woman took him into the
house and gave him a small room for
the night.
Before retiring the man handed the
hostess a small package, requesting her
to keep it for him until the next morn
ing. She took the package and prom
ised to put it safely away, but when the
strange visitor was asleep, curiosity get
ting the better of her scruples, she
opeued the package.
To her surpriee she found it contained
a number of bank notes of large denom
inations. The sight of so much wealth
fired her cupidity and finally led her to
murder the sleeping man with a hatch
et. Then she determined to remove the
body in order to conceal the evidence of
her crime, but on approaching the
curpse, she made a horrible discovery.
In the countenance of the dead man
she recogized for the first time the fea
tures of her own husband who had left
the country to seek a fortune in America
some years ago.
Call to Cotton Growers.
Col. E S. Peters, president of the
Texas Cotton Growers' Protective Asso
ciation, has issued a call to cotton grow
eis of every county in Texas to meet at
their respective. court houses on the first
Saturday in April to agree on a reduc
tion in the acreage of cotton. In his
call President Petere says: "If the
cotton acreage of the South be increased
the price for the staple will go below 6
cents in the fall, which will result in
the greatest firancial calamity that has
befallen the Southern farmers in years.
Now is the time for action, because the
price for the Btaple will be fixed accor
ding to the acreage planted this epring."
A Natural Thermometer,
Father Do you use a thermometer
when you give him his bath? Nurse
Sure Oi do not. If th' baby turns blue,
Oi know th' water's too cold, and if he
turns red Oi know it's too hot.
The Lexington Dispatch says that
Mr. It. T. Pickens, of that town, will
be a candidate for congress in the
seventh district in 1002.
MANNED AND MANAGED BY
NEGROES,
The Outlook.
The Charlotte Obierver'8 correspond
ent, Mr. Bryant, who recently showed
so clearly that the failure of the Vesta
Cotton Mill in Charleston was not due
to the employment of negro labor .
since it had failed twice, when eiapld?
ing white labor now reports an inter
esting visit to f ayettevme, IN. c, where
there is a silk faciory not only manned
but managed by negroes. The mill is
owned by a Northern firm the Ashley
& Bailey Company which has large
mills at Pater son, N. J., and also at
Columbia and Marietta, Pa. Its North
Carolina mill was built two years ago,
and has been managed by Mr. T. W.
Thurston, a mulatto formerly employed
in the Paterson mills of the company.
He has a white foreman in two depart
ments a young German in charge of
the reeling, and a young Englishman
in charge of the weaving but the rest
of his hands are colored. The mill, aa
described by Mr. Bryant, is a three-
story brick building, well lighted and
well kept, with over two hundred em
ployees, who are as neat as their sur
roundings, and work with an animation -showing
pride in their position. The
discipline of the mill, he says, is of an
unusually rigid sort. As in all the mills
in North Carolina, the employees are
mainly girls and boys between ten and
eighteen yeare of age, and the manager
insisted upon having the Tight-tO- cor-
L .1 -L :1 ! il .IJ t I 71 -v
rrc:L . khh i.iiiifi it. 1 1 in t.i l h n n-iHiiiiinHi
way, if he took them into his . mill.
The colored . people of the town, how
ever, made no objection to this, and the
number of applications was so great
that he was able to Belect for the work
only the more promising of the appli
cants. The friends of the manager in
eist that he has never resorted to whip
ping except where boys have been guilty
of the wanton destruction of machinery.
Some of the whippings have occasioned .
scandal and have been severely criticis
ed in the newspapers of neighboring
towns. Nevertheless, says Mr. Bryant,
tho mdnarrav t r- mill ia arstrlri n nr in
the belief that he is bound to maintain
military discipline, not only to make
his mill a success, but to prove the
capacity of his race. Among the mottoes
about the mill, Mr. Jsryant noticed the
following: "Our battle-cry Remem
ber the failure of the Vesta Cotton
Mill;" and "We fight not against flesh
and blood, but against ignorance and
idleness." "At first," says Mr. Bryant
"the people of Fayetteville feared that
the employment of colored labor in the
mill would cause racial trouble, but ;
they are now convinced that it is a ,
good thing for the town, from-two" """"
standpoints: It takes the young negro
from the streets and makes a'good citi
zen of him, and it pays out about four '
thousand dollars a month to be spent
for food and clothing." Mr. Bryant
reports that the mill is already a de
monstrated success. The owners of the
mill, however, more cautiously refer to
it as an experiment which promises to '
be permanent. If negro labor can do
only man but manage a silk mill, it
future success in the making of cotton
is assured.
An Unfortunate Situation.
Raleigh Post.
Under the Constitution no munici
pality can exempt any property from
taxation. This is not only the plain
letter of the Constitution itself, but has
been so declared by the Supreme Court
to be the intent of the people as express
ed in the Constitution.
In the face of this comes a case from
Waxhaw, Union county, in which a
most unfortunate and as justly claimed
"morally unjust" situation ia developed.
The Monroe Journal tells us: "Two
years ago, or such a matter, the Rodman-Heath
cotton mill was built in the
own of Waxhaw. Believing that such
an enterprise would do much towards
building up the town, the city govern
ment agreed to exempt the mill pro
perty from taxation for a period of ten
years, and, we believe, a contract was
drawn to this purpose. When a new
board of Aldermen was elected it re
fused to recognize the exemption con
tract, and the mill company was called
on for the city taxes. It refused to pay,
holding that the contract is morally if
not legally binding. An effort was
made to have a bill put through the
Legislature so amending the town limits
as to leave out the mill property. The
city demanded the tax; the mill refused
to pay.
''Tuesday an attempt was made to
levy on the mill property, but it proved
unsucceisful. The mill men were raady
for them, the doors were closed, and
the officers of the law were kept out.
But there was a car of yarn ready for
shipment standing on the track and this
was neizrd, levied on, and advertised for
sale.
The cotton mill property is valued
at $52,786. The tax levied on this is
f 136 67 twenty-five cents on the hun
dred dollars' worth.
"Wednesday the mill company took
the matter before Judge Robinson at
Charlotte, who granted them a tempo
rary restraining order enjoining; the
town of Waxhaw against selling the
property Beized. The matter . will be
heard by Judge RobihBon at Lincoln
ton April 3. At that time the defend
ant town of Waxhaw will be required
to ehow cause why the restraining order
should not be continued until the trial f
of the cause."