The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-14


clumsy business of the sixteen some
things for something nobody knows
what The Board of Agriculture was
established in 1924. and as an aged and
respected institution should have been
spared the hand of the axemen. But no.
If they say they want to separate the
A. and M. College from the Agricultural
Department, SO as to put the college
among the educational institutions-aIl
right. This seemed all right, if the al
legged policy of hands off toward educa-
tional institutions was to prevail towards
this one. But the separation was easy,
as the Board of Agriculture having been
a parent of the college could well exist
now separately of it as it existed before
the creation of the college.
The Senate Judiciary committee, accord
ing to the rule, ought to be a crusty ,musty
embarrassing legal affair. On the CON
trnry, the contributions in the way Of
comment by Frank Ray and Chairman
George Smathers, keep away the drowsi-
ness that is usual in such committees
There was yesterday among the bills
considered before this committee a rather
unique and interesting one. to permit a
divorce to be granted to a young woman
under the following circumstances: A
man over 60, three years ago, eloped with
a girl about is, who lived mile or so
from his own home. Within half hour
after the ceremony, the pater
famihas was ON the scene and took his
daughter back home. Since then the two
have not met. The last Legislature
passed q bill intended to cover this case,
buta when the divorce proceedings were
ripe, it developed that the husbands de-
fence was abandonment by the wife, and
the suit failed. Now this bill is made so
as certainly to cover the case, which, it
seems, stands alone in the course of hui
man events thus far.
The committee had before it yesterday
the bill to make railroads carry bicycles
free, when Ray remarked that there
was no more reason why bicycle dudes
should not pay the freight than any one
else. The bill was smashed, OF course.
But with all the pleasantries that COM
nfingle SO please ntly among the members,
Chairman Smathers, with that SAVIOR
faire that makes him so many friends,
only tempers business with banter. For
example, to show that he is strictly bust
Mr.. Anderson yesterday arose and asked
to be excused. Mr. Smathers very kindly
put the motion of Ray not to excuse him,
which was carried, three to nothing, by a
rising vote, whereupon Mr.. Anderson
dolefully but resignedly took his seat. 1t
made good-natured laughter, but it was
business, just what the Democrats are
Al Is II
A lot Of fool bills were squelched,
but not without careful examination and
consideration.
Chairman Smathers says the Fellow
Servant bill has been made a special order
before the committee for Tuesday after
noon at O'Clock.
We learn from Mr.. G. Il. McKesson
that DIR. I. T.. Jeter, Morganton's popu-
lar dentist, is in luck-that he has fallen
heir to n fortune in Germany by the
death of a rich relative there Morganton
Herald.
II feel" said Il member of the Legis-
Iature yesterday, very much like the
fellow who was induced to run for an
office in Georgia. After he was elected
he solihoquized thus:
mo, | shall never run for office again,
not il / know it. For three weeks after
| took the stump did not see my family,
and during my absence at that time fell
fellow who was shipping watermelons for
me p0cketed the returns for four car
loads and skipped the country; a tramp
rode away ON one of my best horses; my
wife invested $500 in bicycles; my young
est daughter ran away and married
man for me to support, and all our mu-
tual relatives came to congratulate my
wife on the honor that had been con-
ferred upon me and incidently 10 spend
the summer. Those three weeks cost me
in round numbers $500, to say nothing
of the son-in-law, who threatened to be
permanent, and the Office for which | was
striving is worth just 5000 Il year.
won't be elected, however, and I'm -----
glad Of it. But this has been campaign
of education to me, for in 1T have learned
how much Of a fool really was"
The publication of the following letter
from L. L. Smith, Esq, one of the ablest
members of the last Legislature, though
delayed, must be published now, for it
shows the stuff he is made of:
Gainesville. n. c., Jan. %, 1897
In your issue Of Saturday the 23rd inst,
Mr.. Mccall, in his argument in the
Mecklenburg cases, is reported as stat
ing that Mr.. Smith, of Gates, was kept
in his seat in the last General Assembly
for the reason that thirty days notice had
not been given"
1t is true the case went off on that
point, but the real reason that / was re-
tanned in my seat was because my con-
testant's own evidence disclosed the fact
that he was defeated by IS majority, and
/ had positive proof that was elected
by $50 majority.
I wish to repeat here what / have be-
fore stated, that il / had had no other
right to my seat than the failure of my
contestant to give me the thirty days no.
tica of the contest 1 would not have re.