The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-09
(U1ld@0o G[hG Dome

The sentiment in favor of legalized
primary grows. Ex-Governor Jarvis,
who was here q few days, says that
in his judgment the Legislature ought
to pass an act having a legalized prima-
ny for every office from Senator down
to the smallest county office.
Speaking of the primary system, Col.
John $. Cunningham says:
THE primaries, in my opinion, should
be regulated by law. They are the foun-
tainhead. They must be kept pure, and
there must be perfectly fair dealing.
and no tampcring with the ballot. The
elections should be settled in primaries,
and these primary elections should be
protected by an act of the General As
sembly, and illegal voting in them should
be punished.
'Whatever promotes honesty and Sc
cures peace and good government to our
people should be adopted. AS has been
stated already. and it is true. pri-
maries invite the best men to participate
in politics, and aid in putting men in
office who will represent the best in
terests of the people and of the State"
The defeat of the anti-dispensary
folks at Fayetteville has encouraged
the Greensboro people to press for
dispensary at Greensboro with increas-
ed vigor. Mr.. A. Nj. Scales, chairman
of the Democratic Executive Commit
tee of Guilford, is the advance guard
of delegation of forty men from
Greensboro who will be here today to
urge the Legislature to establish dis
pensary. Mr.. Scales said last night
that majority Of the white voters of
the county had signed petitions asking
for the dispensary and that the advo-
Gates of the dispensary had offered to
hold n white primary at once and
agreed to withdraw their bill unless
a majority of the white men of Gull
ford voted for its establishment. There
will be a hearing before the committee
this afternoon at 3 p. m.
, Mr.. Carroll. of Duplin, yesterday in
troduced bill in the House to change
the local option law, so that elections
can be held in any month Except
presidential year, when sufficient
number of petitions ask it. When an
election is held in any town or c0un-
ty, no other election can be held for
two years. The bill also provides that
no election for local option can be held
within one month of the time of hold
ing municipal election.
Il did not know that my bill about
patent medicines would arouse so much
opposition" said DIR. Reeves yesterday.
Though | believe in the principle Of
the bill and think the day is not far
distant when it win prevail, | have
decided not to press it at this session
of the Legislature" This will be good
news to the manufacturers of patent
medicines throughout the State who
feel that the bill would cOnfiscate their
business.
Three very fine speeches were made
before the Finance Committee yester-
day morning in favor of the repeal OF
the Merchants Purchase Tax by NJ.
Charles II. Ireland, of Greensboro; Mr..
J. c. Stevenson, of Wilmington; and
Mr.. WA. Slater, of Durham. They
presented their claims with great clear
ness and showed that merchants know
how to argue their cause with as mach
astuteness as lawyers. @
The item in the report of the Treas
urer of $3.50 paid to w. II. Allen, at
torney, is misleading, as it would lead
to the conclusion that this amount was
paid ON account of employment by the
present administration. This is not
true. The amount was paid January
18th, 1897, for legal services rendered
to Governor Carr. Jr
r.. Lee Wright went to Raleigh this
morning to get Il charter for Southern
City. A couple of other gentlemen went
to Raleigh also, to fight the proposed