Smyrna times., 1891-04-08
BILLS BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE
The House Defeats the Myers
Voting Mochine Bill.
PEACH YELLOws BILL PASSED.

AhO hOldi Vi IlO w biS IA AAOAlCdu
Voting Machine bill in the House
Wednesday afternoon was short and
unceremOnious. "The question is"
then said the Speaker, perceiving that
no one cared to speak, "Shall this bill
pass the House ?" The roll was called
and the first ballot reform measure OF
this session to meet its doom went
down by the following vote:
Ayes-CranstOn, Day, Elkinton, Hig.
gins HutsOn, Thomas, WaltOn-7.
NOes-Attix, Chapman, Esenbrey
Hickman. Jackson, Marvel, Morris, E.
j., Morris, r. R., Richards, Ridgely,
Tindall, West, Speaker Sirman-13.
The bill had been defeated by a
solid Democratic vote. Only one
Democrat, Mr.. Hutson, voted for it.
1t was, says the Every EUening the
position of 1889 reversed. Then the
Republican majority voted againt and
the Democratic minority for ballot
reform. Does neither party want a
secret and fair ballot when in power.
Various have been the objections
urged; that there is a cloud over the
constitutionality of this method of Vot.
ing, that we cannot part with the bal
lot of our fathers; that some meI
would absolutely refuse to vote by
machinery; that the machine was toe
complicated that the machine was toe
simple, the most ignorent negro could
vote on it, that the machine might gel
out Of order; that somebody might
break it with hammer the night be-
fore the election that the first cost
made it too expensive; that it hal
never been tested in a practical cleo
tiOn. and a dozen others. But the
controlling reason was one that had al
well be left unwritten until the out
come shows just how far those who in
fluenee legislation are willing to le
this General Assembly go in the direc
tion of ballot reform.
That this will not be further thar
some modification of the Coursey
Screen bill is the outlook just now
But this will, at any rate, be consider
ably better than nothing at all, anC
everybody admits that it will never d.
for this Legislature to adjourn withou
enacting something in this line. Pos
sibly a cOdifcatiOn of the best features
of the Graham, Smalley and Coursey
bills may be attempted-spch a com
binutiOn bill has been talked Of-bu
time will show. The desideratum is ,
bill that shall lean a little to the ad
vantage of the party in power.
THE PEACH YELLOws BILL.
Following is a summary ofthe Peacl
YellOws bill as amended and passed By
the House this Wednesday:
Section 1. Within twenty days afte
the passage of the bill the gOverno
shall appoint, in each hundred excep
Wilmington, three peach tree commits
sioners. (The original qualification
about both political parties being rep
resented on the board of commission
eTs of each hundred has been stricken
Out.)
Sec. 2. On the application of fv
peach growers of their hundred,
shall be the duty of the commissioner
of any hundred to make two careful
and searching examinations of tn,
peach orchards in that hundred; tn,
first inspection between April 18th ant
May 18th the second between Jul,
18th and August 18th; provided thu
examination of 1891 may be made a
any time prior to June lst.
Sec. 3. The commissioners shal
mark, or caused to be marked, ever,
diseased tree, and notify the Owne
thereof,
Sec. 4. Every owner shall, after sucl
notice as soon as possible, pull up, re
move aud destroy every condemned
tree, so that not q vestige thereof Ghal
remain. If the notice has been give
before June lst, the trees shall be des
trOyed before before July 10th, if prio
to August 10Th, not later than October
18th.
Sec. 8. Trees so ordered to be pul
led up and destroyed may be used 70
firewOOd.
Sec. 9. Any owner neglecting or re
fusing to destroy condemned tree
within the time specified shall he liabl
to a fine of from $40 to $50 and ais
in damages to any adjacent farme
whose orchard may be contaminatel
thereby.
Sec. Z. Immediately after July lot