The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-16
TO GET NEGRO IMMIGRANTS.
An Act of the Legislature Providing for
Building Hen-house We'll Away From
the Main Building.

There is a law, passed by the last Leg
islatu that has been appropriately
dubbed "An Act to encourage negro inn
migration to the town of Sparta, Ale
ghany county.
This must certainly be its effect, if not
its object. The bill provides that from
and after its ratification no hen coop,
chicken house or fowl roost shall me
built erected or otherwise constructed
within one hundred yards of any dwell
ing or other place of residence.
The passage of this new law has not
been generally made known throughout
the State, but whenever it is, it is expect
ed that there will be such rush of color
ed Immigration toward Sparta as Will
brighten this little mountain town as she
has never BEEN frightened since Shep
Digger wandered over its hills writing
that classic epic, 1.-The Balsam Groves
Grandfather Mountain" or Rev. III
Budgcr stood on stump in
it's court house square and told
of his sudden and miraculous
conversion from the glorious sun
light Of Democracy to the dense darkness
of Replblicanism.
The good people of that neck of the
woods, l say, will be startled, astounded,
as the dark host, like an Egyptian plague,
comes and settles around them. But they
will come. Already, l. am told, the West
Raleigh Chicken Stealing Association is
debating the question of moving the
basis of it's operations to that favored
spot, where the high fence does not COM
pass about and the popping pistol does
no modest or make afraid.
Now l would not for moment be so
bold as to say that the passage of this
law was n sort Of scurvy trick played
upon us by the good people of Sparta to
rob us of some of our colored citizens.
1t may be that it is trap set by the
Republicans of the Stae to lure the color
ed voters of Tennessee and Georgia over
the line, to help that party out in the
next election. If so, the place was well
chosen. Sparta is not far from any of
these States. And now that this law has
been passed, it must be colored mans
paradise.
Its chicken coops are now out of
the range of amy ordinary gun and the
midnight squall of the fowls disturbed IN
their rest will no longer disturb the rest
kOf their owners.
| can suggest but one amendment to
this law. To complete this paradise for
people Will
pensities it is only necessary to add the
words: And no watermelon patch shall
be situated within less than five hundred
yards of any dwelling, camp or other
place Of residence"
That does the deed and completes the
Eden. Chicken in winter and water-mel-
on in summer, what son Of Ham could
ask for more?
Another bright idea of some mountain
statesman is the law in regard to the
killing of turkeys in Macon county. The
Act, as enrolled, forbids the killing of tur-
keys in Macon county between the first
lof September Now, when is between
| the first of September"
| The new Revenue and Machinery Act,
as printed, contains a number of typo
graphical errors. Most of them are I'M
important, but here is one, concerning the
sale of whiskey, that is of very great
Importance In section "a are found these
| words: Nothing in this section shall
prevent any person selling wines Of his
own manufacture, at the place of manu-
| facture or within one hundred yards
thereof, in quantities of not less than one
quart of SPIRITS in not less than one gal
flon."
| Or course it should read, "Or spirits
in not less than one gallon"