The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-08
NORTH CAROLINA.

RARELY A QUORUM Observation-Disclosures
FOR "a STANDING ARMY" AND OTHER
pIIIs-NEw BOARD OF AGRICULTURE-THE
NORMAL sCHooL-FIRE, ETC.
tCorrespondence of the Richmond Dfspatch.l
RALEIGH, March 6, 1888.
There Is an express provision In the
North Carolina Constitution that IL the
General Assembly sit longer than sixty
DAYS in ordinary course OF public business
1t shall do so at the personal expense OF its
members, and not at the charge oil the
public treasury. 1t Is now experiencing
the wisdom Of this proviso. The result Is
that there is hardly quorum OF its men,
bers in the halls at any roll-call, and the
danger Of the Republicans getting control
OF legislation is imminent. At least IT was
imminent until last night, when the I'M
favorable action OF the Democratic caucus
in regard to the election law, the pro-
visions Of which / wrote you some time
ago, released them from the contning ana
worrying duties OF watchers and sent some
OF them home rejoicing.
The effects OF enforced attendance on the
sessions after the per diem has ceased eX-
tends not only to members, but to their
families, it would seem. There is an cpl
demic OF sick wives, babies, mishaps.
casualties, and bedeviments that urge
members to repair at once to their hearth
stones.
The revenue bill is now in the Senate,
and has had its pro fOfmd reading there.
Its logical construction Is said to be better
than usual, and IL it is not disiolnted by
amendments 1t will give general satlsfac-
| ton.
A STANDING ARMY.
The Senate and House made a night OF II
Monday night, and elected about 1000 JUS
tees of the peace, and to this garrison OF
neace-soldiers it added. by IN appropria-
| ton OF $3.50 per annum to twenty-five mill
tary companies. quite standing army.
The State Guard, as IL is called, is like q
Texans pistol-it is not often wanted, but
when il is, it is wanted like -. Sono-
Lody will begrudge the citizen-solders
their slim allowance.
The bill recasting the
BOARD OF AGRICULTURE
became a law yesterday. The Board is
now constituted OF the Governor, the presl-
dent OF the Agricultural College, the
president of the State Agricultural Society,
the master OF the State Grange, Patrons OF
Husbandrv, and member from each con-
gressional district. Governor Jarvis, DR..
Kemp Battee, Colonel L. VI. Holt, and Mr..
W. Il. Williams hold over by virtue OF
their offices. The new members will be
Messrs. X. w. Wharton, OF Beaufort; A..
G.. Brooks. OF Wilson; J. A. Oates, Of
Sampson; W. Forney Green, OF Frank
lin; L. w. Anderson, Of Stokes; John
Robinson, OF Arson; A. LeaZer, OF Ire
dell; Burwell BIanton, OF Cleveland; and
G. ID. Smith, Of Macon. Exactly why a
change was made does not appear, as
no charge Of ncompetency was made
against the old Board, and a ma
iority OF it are retained. 1t is
not obvious that the Board has been IN
creased except in number. But it will do
well enough. Attached to the bill as a
rider was a proviso that ought to come i'm
the revenue bill forbiddng any municipal
corporation taxing fertilizers that have
paid the State license tax. The Attorney
General has given an opinion that such
tax is illegal, but various towns and coun-
ties have not regarded the opinion, or pro-
badly never heard Of it, and have annoyed
dealers and interfered with trade.
THE FREE-PAss FLUTTER
HIS SuDHlu'Ns Dlli HIS HOIlt 10 tic
House, where, If it is not killed. it will be
amended out Of recognition and will come
home in such an absurd shape and had
form that it will suicide. The House
passed
RAILROAD COMMISSION BILL
yesterday by vote Of 81 to 81. II pre-
yides for the regulation OF freight and
passenger tariffs BY three commissioners,
who are to have salaries OF 81 800 acl, To
he paid ont OF the treasury. The Senate
tabled its railroad commission bill, ana may
lay out the House bill side by side with it.
or it may pass it, because it cannot be deaf
to the very emphatic expression OF popular
opinion which its action has called out.
The number OF bills on the calendar,
mostly private bills, is not larger than
usual, and their failure to pass will not
work any serious inconvenience to any,
body.
THE NORMAL-sCuOOL FIRE.
The st. Augustine Normal School build
ings were destroyed by fire yesterday after
noon. The school is a corporation for the
education OF colored teachers. Ii has an
endowment from northern sourcc-a leg
acy from some philanthropist-an was or
ganlzed by the late Bishop Atkinson and
DR.. Brinton Smith, who was poisoned. it
was suspected, by his daughter in 1874.
The loss is about $4,000, and there is an
insurance OF $500.
Mr.. George w. Swepson is dead. He
was man OF large capacity for business,
and accumulated great wealth. HIS con-
nectlon with the great fraud in the special
tax bonds and his killing Of Mr.. Adolphus
Moore destroyed his usefulness as a citizen.
and cast shadow over the last years OF his
life.