The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-03-09
FROM THE STATE CAPITAL,
Doings in the Legislature During the
Past Week.
tFrom Our Special Correspondent

RALEIGH. n. c.. March 6, SO.
The Legislature to-day made a
shrewd move. Instead CT resolving
to adjourn sine die, it resolved to take
a recess until July 5th, 1900. Bv
this time the operation of the numer-
Gus laws passed at this session will
have been tested and if any work a
hardship or if any radical changes are
required. they can be made at that
time. Therefore if any mistakes are
made they may be remedied before
the general election in that year.
The Legislature has been working
rapidly for the past ten days and has
disposed of a tremendous amount OF
work. Wednesday will see practically
all the necessary and important legis-
lation completed. The law provid-
ing for the new suffrage amendment
to the Constitution, the law provid-
ing for special cars for the races, and
the new election law, have all been
passed, and are now acts. The cleo
ton law is about the same as the old
law, only that it provides for State
and county board of elections.
The new school law provides for
a county board of education and for
township and district school com
mitteemen and is in some respects
different from any educational law
formerly in force in the State. An
amendment providing for State adop-
tion~of school books was defeated and
county adoption will prevail, as at
present. The school book publishers
have made a hard fight before the
Legislative committees, and two con-
Germs have made the proposition to
exchange new books for those now in
use without cost, provided that their
text books would be used by the State
hereafter.
The State Corporation Commission
succeeds the old Railroad Commits
sion, and S. l.. Rogers, of Macon, E.
c. Beddingtield, of Wake, and Frank
Mcneil, of New Hanover, are the
commissioners. S. L. Patterson, OF
Caldwell, was elected Commissioner
of Agriculture, j. r. Young, of Vance,
Insurance Commissioner, and G. G.
Cherry Keeper of the Capitol. The
new board of directors of the A. Il NJ.
College has been named, and also the
board of Internal improvements.
The plan of a syndicate to buy the
Atlantic and North Carolina railroad
and extend it West failed because OF
the opposition of the Eastern counties
to the sale.
The revenue and machinery act
makes a number of changes in the
present methods of raising revenue.
The merchants purchase tax is abol-
ished and in it's place is a graduated
tax on capital invested. Bank and
corporation stock will no longer
escape taxation as it is to be taxed at
the place where the bank or other cor
poration is located. A graduated
tax on theatres and other amuse-
ments is also one Of the features OF
the bill. Circuses are taxed 5000 for
each performance and $50 for each
side show, which will keep them out
of the State.
An omnibus liquor law was passed
to-day prohibiting the sale of liquor
within two miles of scores of churches
Nine dispensaries have been estab-
lished by this Legislature, and petit
tons for others have been depressed.
There are three hundred bills undis-
posed of on the calendar this morn
ing.
To-day bill was passed providing
that tht appointments made by the
Governor should hold good only to
the next general election.
The long hard fight of the Gov
ernor against the Wilson's has at last
been settled in the Wilson's favor,
and they have displaced the Russell
appointees. The new Commission
will take possession in April.
The Republicans and Populists say
they will make hard fight on the
Constitutional amendment, but the
Democrats claim that it will be adopt
ed by large majority. The case OF
Capt. Day, who is sueing for his salary
as superintendent of the penitentiary
has been decided against him by the
superior court, Judge Brown, and he
has appealed to the supreme court
Messrs. Pearson and Abbott, of the
Railroad Commission, will sue to re-
tain their seats, but it is regarded
as futile case.
The Legislature has accomplished
more work than any other Genera
Assembly in many years, and as &
whole its record will probably meet
with general endorsement.