The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-09
Messenger Bureau,
Raleigh, n. C., December 6.

'o
State Labor Commissioner Hamrick
furnishes your correspondent with the
preface to his annual report for 1898.
1t is the twelfth report of the labor
bureau. He says:
North Carolina is today the Massa-
chusetts of the south and exceeds any
other southern state in the value and
number of manufacturing establish
ments This great movement towards
becoming a manufacturing community
deserves especial encouragement, for
with our climate, Water-pOWer and 9TH
er facilities for profitable manufacture
ing, there is no reason why this should
not become the greatest manufacturing
state Of the union. Our farmers have
already realized The value of the man
ufaCturing plants which have been es-
tabllshed in their midst, for these
have given them a ready home market
for the products Of their toll.
North Carolina has been signally
blessed ~ the total absence of labor
disturbances, strikes or other troubles
between employer and emplOye, but
with the enormous increase in our
manufacturing establishments we may
at any time be called on to meet a dis
turbance of this kind, and hence it
would be advisable for the Legislature
l to confer on the commissioner power
to act as arbiter in any disputes that
may arise between capital and labor,
and also confer on him pOWe to dis
charge duties similar to those which
some of the great manufacturing states
of the north have imposed on officials
of a similar class.
In cotton, tobacco and furniture fac
tories alone there are employed $4,000
persons, and hence at least 234, 900 per-
sons are directly dependent on these
industries for existence.
with the great increase in cotton
manufacturing in North Carolina there
has come a demand for a textile
school, to give instruction in this line
of manufacturing and to enable our
factories to secure native skilled en-
plOyes. A school Of this character
could readily be added to one of the
state educational institutions and the
cost would be trit1ing in comparison
with the benefit it would be to the cot
ton mill operatives in the state. South
Carolina has in this respect set an eX-
Ccllent example.
"Referring to agricultural matters.
the labor commissioner says: If our
J farmers could only be induced to re-
duCe the present acreage of cotton one
half and plant a greater variety of
crops they would very greatly improve
their condition and prospects,
The supreme cOurt yesterday after
noon heard a long on the
question of the vote for sheriff III
Granville county, the tie vote between
Fleming, democrat, and COZart, popu-
list.
Judge Dossay Battle, the new judge
of the eastern criminal circuit court,
is this week holding his first court in
Halifax county. \
The agricultural department report
up to December LIST shows Il balance of
$27,471. The commissioner says that the
appointment of six extra inspectors
his year was the cause of the cOllec-
ton of some $40, 900.
There are scores of parties and wit
nesses here attending the federal dis
trict court. Many of them are the
toughest looking citizens to be seen.
The governors plan to obtain dis
charges for about one-fourth of the
men did not materialize, as he ban
doned his trip to Washington by rea-
son Of his wife's sickness. The fist of
officers of the First regiment is now
complete, the governor having made
the appointments for Company M, OF
Charlotte. Captain Chadwick resigned
- and First Lieutenant w. a. Erwin sue
Aceeds him; First Sergeant Harry Page
becoming first lieutenant and Corporal
Samuel NJ. Bell second lieutenant.
1t appears that there will be no lack
of applicants for legislative offices, but
at the same time no ruSh and scramble.
Some of the populist leaders are
calling for mass meetings of populists
III the various counties, to "reOrganize.'
The general impression is that the par
ty has ceased to exist.
One of the interesting questions be-
fore the attorney general is whether
the state, out of it's general fund, OF
the penitentiary out of Its own fund
shall pay the expenses of recapturina
escaped federal convicts. The COVER
ment will not pay. The auditor de-
Clines to draw a warrant on the gen.
eral fund.
The programme of the health con-
ference of the state board of health
with the people of Winston tomorrow
is well arranged. 1t is the annua
meeting.
The attorney general argued in the
supreme court today the question
whether on appeal from the crimina
circuit court the trial is de nOvO OF
upO questions of law passed upon il
the criminal circuit court.
f. X. Bryan. of Wilmington. is
among the attorneys in attendance up
on the supreme court.
The corrected and certified vote fol
congressman in the Sixth district is a;
follows:
Bellamy. Dockery
Dem. Rep.