The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-09

mony with the will of the people and
make it meet the conditions of this
State.
Legislation along new lines is always
experimental and must under the con-
structive mind of the legislature and the
courts be moulded into form to meet the
will and needs of the people.
OF course the ever-recurring subject OF
public roads received due consideration.
Under the guidance Of Prof. Holmes an
act was framed which it lis believed II
given fair trial, will adjust itself to
the various conditions and needs of the
State. Road-building is the work of
years and not of days. Military neces-
sity or the most enlightened public SEN
timent must exist to bring about this
most important work in the economy of
civilization. The law enacted is elastic
and can ne enforced only as demanded by
the local constituencies. The impor-
lance Of good roads in North Carolina
cannot be exaggerated and the man
who shall succeed in arousing the peo-
pie to recognition of the necessity for
work ON this line will be entitled to, and
after wearing his life out in their SER
As an indication of public sentiment in
regard to the liquor traffic we find that
thirteen dispensaries were established
To this subject the legislature gave
much thought 1t refused to repeal any
laws or take any step backward. We
may look for a continued agitation and
probably an increasing demand for deg
islation of this character. Like all sub
In
sentiment of the people there must be Il
recognition of the fact that 1T Will not
down ut any mans bidding. 1t may be
that a statute providing for local cleo
lions w. afford Il solutions of it.
1t is a significant fact that the number
of dispcnsaries and the number of grad
ed school Dllls enacted were the same.
Thirteen towns and cities We're given
permission to vote upon the establish
ment of these schools / think that
every election held during the past
spring has resulted favorably to the
schools.
The general school law received care
/ full consideration and attention and the
Objectionable features of the law OF 1897
were repealed or amended. 1t is to be
hoped that the school men at some time
in the near future will discover the Sc
cret for making a school law which will
meet the demands of the people and pro-
mote public education. 1t would seem
that some plain and simple provision
was sufficient and when adopt
ed should be given a fair trial.
The subject of municipal government
by reason of recent events has become
one of intense interest. a large num-
Der of charters We're revised. Many
towns and cities secured new charters.
There has probably not been SO large il
| demand for legislation upon this sub
| ject for many years. 1O6 charters were
enacted or amended. The Supreme
| Court having held that under the Con
| stitution of 1875 systems of county gov
ernlnent were not required TO be uniform
many of the Eastern counties demandei
| special acts increasing the numbers of
commissioners and magistrates and fill
| ing the vacancies by the Legislature
| to the system of county government es-
| tablished in 1877. While the peculiar
conditions temporarily existing would
seem to justify this class of Legislation
1t must be conceded that upon principle
| it is not to be commended as a pefma-
| nent system. While there should be a
suff Gent elasticity to secure local gov
ernment to meet local conditions there
shauld be constant effort TO bring about
practical uniformity. The election Of
magistrates and commissioners in one
county by popular vote and by the Gen
eral Assembly for a neighboIing county,
| and this subject TO constant change. is
certainly open to serious objections The
desire on the part of towns for local I'M
provements such as water works, lights,
/ paving the streets, etc, is shown by the
| large number of acts passed permitting
| the people to vote upon the proposition
! for issuing bonds for such purposes. The
constitutional provision in regard to the
method of enacting this class of legisla-
| ton was carefully observed and we hope
| that the public credit may not receive
further attacks by reputation of mu-
nicipal indebtedness by reason of the
| infirmity Of the acts under which the
| bonds We're issued.
| The health officers of the State called
] for several measures. A carefully pre-.
pared law for preventing the sale
| of adulterated food was enacted. A
| law was also passed for better securing
pure water for the people.
i liz dIlulStIld1 IcNlNal III IilC botdLN NNii'
ed for the passage of more than the usu-
| al number of charters. Of these l02
were enacted, providing for the build
| ing of railroads, cotton mills and other
| industrial enterprises. Twenty banks
were Incorporated. The Bar Associa-
| ton can render no greater service to the
| State than by instructing it's committee
on legislation to prepare for the consid.
Grafton of the next General Assembly a
| company or corporation act. The vast
number of bills of this character usually
prepared by the attorneys for the promo
| tiers cannot in the limited time given to
| the General Assembly receive the care
| full consideration which the best interest
| OF the State demands. AS is we'll known
| to the profession quite a number of the
| States have found it necessary to pro-
hibt the granting Of charters by special
acts. 1t frequently happens that ex-
| tensive and dangerous powers are given
| to corporations by these ,epecial enact
ments, winch would never find their way
| into the charters granted under the gen
eral law which should be carefully ex-
amined by the Attorney General before
being issued by the Secretary of State.
Private legislation is a serious him
! ORANGE to the prOper consideration of i'm