Orange County observer., 1899-03-23
POU ON THE LEGISLATURE.
He Reviews Some Of the important
Measures Passed.
AGREAT WORK ACCOMPLISHED
The Body Remarkably Earnest and Sober
Questioned Great Wisdom ia the EIee.
ticn of Officers.

No man in all North Carolina is bet.
ter acquainted with the work done by
II Legislature than James II. Pou,
Democratic State Chairman Simmons
Law partner. Mr.. Pou, speaking to the
Raleigh correspondent of the Charlotte
Observer said:
The Legislature which adjourned
Wednesday, until June cf next year ac
complished a colossal task. 1t was
remarkable Legislature. The laws when
printed will show more satisfactory
twas rem arkable In three respects
It was the sobe:est body of
lawmakers ever here; not a
member was seen drunk during
The entire session. II was the most sc
rlous Legislature on record. Until Its
work was done nothing that approach
ed levlty was seen IN its proceedings.
Lastly, 1t was tie most laborlous Leg
lslature and it accomplished more than
was ever before done n 60 days. By
the proposed con stitutional amendment
1t enables the people to make white
supremacy permanent If they desire
to do so. 1t has reorganized tho va
rious Institutions and departments.
Besides the mere political work Of the
Legislature, it has passed great nun
Der OF wise laws. 1t has estab. b.ished
Department of insurance and has codi-
tied all the insurance laws Of the State
and hos ampllfied these laws until now
III this class of legislation North Caro-
lima ls abreast Of the most progressive
States and protection against the vast
loss from dishonest and lnsolyent insu
rance companies is assured. The pro-
bate laws of the State have been care
fully collated and can hereafter be
found in one chapter. The same i'm
rrovement is made as to laws regard
ing mechanics lions. Now these are
carefully collated. The same course
has been pursued with regard to the
law OF negotiable instruments, the
new law, likewise in one chapter,
ing North Carolina into line with
the commercial States. The same
has been done as to the insanity
laws; the railroad commission act is
enlarged and in far more efficient form;
tne separate Car Law, fair to the people
and the railroads, aud without abolish
ing second class rates; the State Guard
is provided for and for the first time
the bill was supported by all parties.
The new election law is a great work
aud there is what has all the while been
needed, that is separate law for cleo
| tlcns in towns, cities, counties and
| townships The Agricultural Depart.
| ment is re- organized and all laws relat
ing to it coditied and it is gwen power to
| esteElish an emigration bureau and
! elect commissioner therefor. The
school law is very complete. The town
ship is the unit, but the old system of a
| committee for each school district is re
| established. The school authorities are
| permitted to apportlon the funds so as
| to give each race schools of the same
| length o. term, but they are permitted
to take into consideration the fact
that negro teachers can be employed
| at much less than white teach
ers aud thus they do away with
the waste of giving negro teach
| ers higher salaries than necessary
1t is probable that the adoption of this
cction Of the school law was the IN
Iucement not to adopt the amendment
TO the COZ Institution proposed IN the
Stubbs educational bill, which really
meant negro money only for negro
schools, which had a favorable corn
m.ttee report and many strong cup
porters in the Legislature The rev
enue law is probably tho best ever
enacted. It was the policy OF the
| trainers of the law to allow 40 piece OF
| property to escape taxation but not to
AK single piece twice. A number OF
| veXatlous taxes were abolished, such
| as the inheritance taI and the Iner
| Giants purchase tax. The rate upon
| property aud poll remains PRACTICAL :
what j. has heretofore been, ye- not
wIthstandIng the fact that the Leglsla
ure appropriated $4,000 annually tt
| be penltentfary to put 1t on It's fee
.gain and made liberal approprla
t.ons to all the institutions whlct
needed them aud reduced ns
| annual appropriation to any instl
otion the Legislature was enabled
10 appropriate 800. 900 10 the comm Oh
schools CT The state. in addition to th'
u,ual taxes levied Tor their support. ant
,cGoo!s this year n nostcountles ough
Q be o,en tul four months. for IL
| lirst time in the history Of the state
| In rroyi1ing for the future edncationa
! qualification for suffrage, the state la
.llealy begun to improve ITS ednca
J | tional facilities TO meet that require
Leut. lhe Legislature authorized
,ord issue OF Sll0. 90 TO laE for II
| ietciencv Of the penitentarv. and
ua~ authorized the ISSUE Of $50 |
1ol- Is for the purchase OF cer'alu lease
farms which the State mas e:resd
greatly improved. The interest cnAFs
na these bonds falls upon the petite
,.arv and not the State snd Is on
about half the rental OF the land. les
: lr- taw OF the important 81 !ec
treated by eleg;s.ature with z - ca:
7 Il tue election OF officers Is ",sdo
i vas sya.n manifest. Fox railroad co..
MISSIONS !. elected an able lawyer
= | collnetent business man and ln exec
le.st farmer representing the three 'se
: rtous ot tie State-i's conmerci
uetrorolis, It's crea. agricultural Il
and the trans no1taoe region, as )
: 80 undev4.oped. 2or insurance eci
Z missioner il elected thorough -:
Eess ana esrer. INSURANCE mai