The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-13
so SAY THE LEGISLATORS
A HOT FIGHT OVER IT IN THE
COMMITTEE.
HAS BEEN Dis USED FOR TWO DAYS
A Bill Beiog Drafed Repeating All fxsmp'
tons from Jury Duty and Providing
fJr Pwgiag List Disabilities
Of Mar ei Women.

The old countyofficer-fee straw was
again threshed over yesterday By the
House Judiciary Committee.
KS on Wednesday the discussion arose
over the bill introduced by Mr.. Allen,
of Wayne, providing short form of
chattel mortgage and lien bond com
bined securing a debt already contracted
and providing for future advances Of
supplies.
The sentiment of the committee SEEM
cd to be unanimous in favor of reduc-
ton. but chow much" was the rock on
which they split.
The fee for registering the old chattel
mortgage was Los; for the lien bond, it
was 30 cents, making the registration
and probate fees for the two $1.3o.
Judge Aliens bill combines the two and
fixed the fees at 80 cents. Over this
80 cents the battle ragged for two days.
Some said it ought to be 80 cents, 9th
ers 40, others so, and still others GO.
And finally IL conts-30 cents for regis
tering and Is cents for probate-was
agreed upon, and will be reported to the
House today
Mr. Brown, of Stanly, objected to the
40 cents for the reason that the fee for
registering a lien bond is so cents and
it would be hard to convince the people
that the new form of mortgage and
lien bond combined is not the old-fash
toned lien bond, and they would get
the idea that the Legislature had raised
instead of lowered fees.
Mr.. Moore, of Jackson, raised the
same objection.
Mr. Allen. of Wayne, said he thought
the way to settle the difficulty was to
make the bill apply only to certain
counties-such as want it. 1--WE want.
it in our section. My people will under
stand the difference between this and
the old lien bond or chattel mortgage. If
the bill is to be passed / want it passed
Mt once so that the people may get the
benefit of it. for their lien bonds and
chattel mortgages for supplies are now
being given by the farmers"
Mr.. Gattis, of Orange, said this new
form would take the place OF the chat
tel mortgage, and reduce the fees of the
register in some of the smaller counties
very materially. He would, therefore.
ask that Orange county be excepted
from The bin.
Mr.. Craig of Buncombe pointed out
that under the present arrangement
the farmer, in order to secure Il back
debt and continue to get supplies. had
to give chattcl mortgage, which it
cost $l.05 to register, and lien bond,
which it cost 80 cents to register max
ing $1.35. This bill. reduced these fees
to Is cents. For this reason he favored
the bill. Let those who are more in
favor of the county officers than the
farmer except their counties from this
bill and go back and explain to their
people why they have done it. AS for
me, I'm for the farmer. | don't care if
there's not but one farmer in Bun
combe county who would be benefited
by this bill, | would put my county in.
And in answer to the objection of Mr..
Brown I want to say that the farmers
in my county have sense enough to
know the difference between chattel
mortgage and Il combination of a chattel
mortgage and a lien bond.
Mr. Macintosh suggested that the
farmer would have very little TO say
about the form used, that usually be-
ing determined by the merchant to whom
the mortgage is given.
Mr.. Allen: 1--WE never known a mer
chant advancing supplies who would
advance $1.05 cash when IS cents would
do as We'll"
The committee decided to report the
bill favorably with the fee so cents for
registering and IL cents for probatine.
Another bill to the same effect was
hot int. Nv nv hrN An Of
Brunswick, for the reduction of the fees
OF the register Of deeds one half.
Speaking in support of his bill, DR..
Mcneil. declared there was a strong
sentiment in his county in favor of a
reduction of the fees of register. Often,
he said, the orders issued by the commits
sioners amounted to only some ID or
90 cents, and yet the register got %
cents for the work. Besides this he gets
his per diem. Then the marriage IL
cense fee and the tax return fees, he
argued. were far too high.
Mr. Robinson thought there was de-
cidedly too much disposition on the part
of this Legislature TO reduce fees of
county officers He, however, agreed
with DIR. Mcneil that the % cents paid
for issuing every order or script was
: TOO Ducu.
Mr.. Winston thought that if this bill
| were passed the Legislature ought to
adopt a uniform deed
Mr. Moore: THAT would be imprac-
ticable"
Mr. Winston: "Why, of course, and if
you do it the lawyers will have to quit
writing deeds. too"
Mr. Carroll, of Alamance. wanted his
county Incorporated in any bill to re-
duce these fees for issuing county orders.
On motion of Mr.. Gillian the bill was
reported to the House with the recon-
incubation that it be referred to the
Committee on Salaries and Fees with
Instructions to draw bill adjusting fees
of county officers on a just and equitable
scale.
| A bill providing for a purging of the
| iury box every two years, beginning
next year, was discussed by Messrs.
Giles. Winston and Rountree.
! Mr.. Giles, the introducsx of the bill,
-o,,.a coz ON goo oror., x,ao ,.