The daily Caucasian. (Raleigh, N.C.) 1895-1895, 1895-03-14
THURSDAY, March nth, 1895.
THE CENTRAL ASH NFIyo OF I,.E

THE CENTRAL ASSEMBLY OF I,,5.
But few State Legislatures are
called upon to face and settle great
questions Of State policy. Nine Leg
islatures out of ten in this, and all
other States, meet and simply do
routine work, pass local and private
bills, and enact general statutes of
only minor or secondary nature.
This General Assembly was elected
on great issues, thoroughly discuss
ed from the mountains to the sea.
The people had rebelled rgainst the
management and rule of the Demo
cratic party, and against conditions |
that had been growing from bad to
worse for number of years under
the rule of that party. 1t has
been twenty years since any
General Assembly has been elected
by great revolution of public senti-
ment, and charged with enacting GER
tain great and radical reforms. Sixty
four days ago the General Assembly,
with these great and grave ques-
. tions to settle, met and began to Ia
Dor. Among those constituting the
majority and charged with the re-
sponsibility of legislation, there
were but few who have, in the past.
been prominent in legislative coun-
ellis. Over nine-tenths Of the body
were men who were part of the
plain and solid yeomanry of the
State. They knew the wrongs that
were to be corrected; they knew the
reforms that the people demanded
but they had to undertake the task
themselves, having but little legisla-
tive experience, while they were OPP
posed by men of the minority who
were skilled in legislative cunning
and device.
The General Assembly closed last
night after staying in session three
The record has 'h 6ssn faal@aHRee .
are many things left undone that
ought to have been done; there are nc
doubt things done that should have
been left undone, as is ,the case OF
every General Assembly. But upon
the whole the record is remarkable
for the immense amount of labor
done, for the wisdom, and for the
broad patriotism and progressive
conservatism shown.
The election law is high tribute
to the spirit of fairness and patriot
ism which prompted the body, ano
stands out in bold relief and striking
contrast to the partisan, unjust ano
discriminating laws by which the
Democratic party for years ha'
DISTINGUISHED the voters and per
verified the will of the people
Under the law, which this Gen
eral Assembly enacted, the right
of all parties and individuals will
be equally respected and guarded
and every Democrat in the State
whether he will admit it or not
knows that under it that there Cal
be and will be fairer expression o
the will of the people than under an.
law that has ever been on our stat
ute books.
The county government bill is an
other high tribute to the patriotism
and honesty of this Legislature. W
do not think that it is the best bll
that could have been drawn, but
is the best compromise bill represent
ing the diversion of opinion OF reF
resentatiyes from various sections Q
the State that could be passed, an
all fair-minded men must adml
that it is a vast improvement o
the up.democratic, un-representatlv
and tyranical system which the Den
ocratic party has imposed upon tn
people for more than score of year
Under the county government sy'
tenn of Democratic machine tn
people had absolutely no voice l
their local affairs. The majority {
the people of a county, no matte
how large that majority might be,ws
forced to submit to the rule an
dictation of the Democratic nj
chine, even if that party in thu
county had less than oLe-tenth
the votes. Pre- bs bly,, against tn
outrage, more than anything els
the people rebelled. The presel
county government system enacts
by this General Assembly gives IL
people of every county majorl'
rule and control of their local a
fairs. 1t goes further; it gives Il
minority, minority representation
in short the county government bi
is Democratic, but the people had
drive the Democratic party, so Cal
ed, out of power to enact Democra
ic legislation.