The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-12

Among these new bills were the fol-
lowing:
10 create Code Commission.
10 repeal Fayetteville dispensary law.
10 repeal the Election law.
10 repeal law for electing magistrates.
40 pay judges of election in certain
counties.
Tp amend Article 10 of the State Con.
stHution.
TO pay officers and State witnesses
when no true bill is found.
To fix the maximum number of en-
ployes for the General Assembly.
40 request Congress to establish two
hght-beacons in Pamlico Sound.
The amendment proposed to the Con-
stitution (Article 10, Homesteads and
Exemptions) is to reduce the personal
property exemption from $500 to $500,
and make the value of the homestead
1000 instead of $1,000.
Mr.. Boushall's Code Commission bill
provides for a commission to collate, di-
gest and revise the public statute laws
Of the. State, upon the same plan as
that adopted by the last Code Commits
sion. Their work is to be submitted to
the next General Assembly for its appro-
val. No commissioners are named in
the act. neither is the salary fixed. They
are empowered to appoint a clerk, and
the Secretary of State is directed to
supply them with such books as they
may require.
During the consideration of the calen-
dar, four resolutions were adopted, six
bills were passed on third reading. two
IN second reading and eight bills on the
calendar were referred TO proper COM
mittees.
Among the bills passed the only one
OF importance was that providing for IN
creasing the number of commissioners
In Edgecombe county from three to hive
The Board of County Commissioners Is
authorized to appoint the two additional
commissioners at their next meeting anu
they will hold office until the next cleo
ton. After that, five commissioners
shall be regularly elected every two
years.
The debate of the day was on an act
to repeal chapter 1913, Public Laws of
1897.
This law. for whose enactment Col.
John s. Cunningham. of Person county,
is said to be responsible, provides that
fire insurance companies shall not charge
a higher rate on risks than is charged in
Virginia.
Mr.. Gillian, Of Edgecombe,. the author
of the act to repeal this law. said that
there was no way of enforcing such
statute and it had made North Carolina
the laughing stock in insurance circles
He had taken the trouble to investigate
and he had found that there was no
fixed rate in Virginia.
Mr.. Foushee, OF Durham. opposed the
proposition to repeal the law. Its en-
actment, he explained, had been secured
by Col. Cunningham, who lived on the
North Carolina Virginia line. He had
property on both sides the line. Previous
to the enactment Of this law he had
paid one-half per cent. more on his
North Carolina property than he had on
his Virginia property, hundred yards
or so away. Since the law complained
Of had been put ON the statute books he
had been paving the same in North Car
DINA as in Virginia.
The law. he said. had compelled the
insyfance companies to reduce their
rates on farm property in this State,
and he therefore appealed to the Legis-
lature not to repeal the law.
Mr.. Holman, of Iredell, also thought
the House had better go slow. There
was need of some legislation restraining
insurance companies, since ali competf-
tion among them is surpassed by one
great trust or corporation-the South
tern Tariff Association.
Justice, of Mcdowell. explained
. that iuf1uaucpd fha commit
~nding the passage of this
tee. he said. did not
ton on fire insur-
to rates, but
loper way, and
s. ,omebody would
-preh, al TO do that he
would
Mr.. Leaf. of Swain. agreed
with Mr.. JUS, A the view that it
put us in an unlavorable position to
make Virginia our standard as to rates.
Mr.. Stevens. of Union, was unwilling
to repeal the law until he got something
better. Insurance rates. he said, were
fixed by the South Eastern Tariff Asso-
citation.
Mr.. Willard. Of New Hanover, said
the bill was absurd as each company in
Virginia had a different schedule of rates
and that in some parts of Virginia the
rates were higher than In other sections.
III the Virginia rate is applied to North
Carolina will you take the higher rate or
the lower one? The law is absurd. If
you want to regulate rates you can't do
it by such lava sort of go-asyou-
please act
Mr.. Ransom, Of Mecklenburg. opposed
repeal, and expressed the opinion that
the law had been productive of some
good and certainly of no harm in this
State.
Mr. Holman, of Iredell, moved that
the bill he referred back to the Commits
tee on Corporatins.
Mr.. Rountrec had doubts as to the
constitutionality of the law, if tested in
the courts, and he therefore favored ref
erence of the bill to the Judiciary Com
mittee
Mr.. Craig saw no reason to refer the
BILL The law he said, seemed TO him
Il useless and a senseless one. He
wanted no acts to compel enforcement
Of Virginia laws: he wanted a North
Carolina law. and as for him. he was
willing now to pledge himself to vote
for some law to put reasonable restric-