- Transcription
Carolina Fruit and
Truckers Journal.
Z. W. WHITEHEAD, Editor and Gen'l Manager.
Wilmington, N.C. July 30 1913,
Hon. Locke Craig, Govenor,
Raleigh, N.C.
My dear Sir:-
I am inclosing herewith an editorial from this paper under date of July 10th and one under date of July 25th., together with communications from different sources with reference to the policy of hiring out the State's convicts to railroad companies, payment therefor to be made in stock of short line railroads. I am opposed to this policy, as my utterances in the two editorials herewith inclosed will indicate, and the communications printed in our last issue show that the State at large agrees with these ideas.
I am frank to confess that I was amazed at the idea of any such a loose leaf method of doing business, for if the State's convicts are to be hired out they should be paid for just as anything else is hired out and paid for or sold. But I believe that the State's convicts should be put to work on our public highways, there their labors will benefit the people ar large. Or course I appreciate the fact that the building of these short line railroads is of great convenience to the communities involved, but the people of one section of the State are under no obligations to be taxed for specific benefits to the people in another section and I do not believe that there is any good or valid excuse that any one could give for the past policy of hiring out the State's convicts to short line railroad corporations, to be paid for in stock of these companies, for as you are well aware the stock in such companies is often times rendered valueless because of the fact that the same railroads have to be bonded to insure their operations and completion. Therefore, if the short line railroads want these convicts they should put up the money to pay for them, but the public roads and public highways is the place where the convicts ought to be worked, and while the present contracts were doubtless made by your predecessor they are wrong, and I am one of the kind who don't believe that there is any defence for the perpetuation of a wrong after it has been established. Therefore, all contracts now in existance for hiring out the States convicts and accepted payments therefore in short line railroad stocks should be cancelled and that without delay.
I have been a warm supporter of you for several years for Governor of North Carolina and while the lamented Aycock went down as the great Educational Govenor and Bob Glenn immortalized himself as the Prohibition, or cold water Govenor, I hope you will go down in history as the great Good Roads Govenor, and I know of nothing that you could do which would add more lasting fame to your good name than the building of the public highway from Wilmington to Asheville and through other parts of the State,. With kindest regards and best wishes, I am,
Very truly yours,
