Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1899-03-16
GoLDsBoRo N. c. THURSDAY MARCH 16. 1899

we SuDnIt lG TO In0 poOpls
for their ratification.
MANY other important an(
perplexing questions commanded
our attention The care for the
State institutions, educational
charitable and penal, has receiv.
ed our best attention and we fee
sure that those selected for theil
control and management measure
up to the highest standard o1
competency and fidelity. No mar
has been elected by this General
Assembly to any position OF
honor or trust for which the
people Of the State Or Of the
Democratic party will find oc.
casion for apology. We are enti>
tied to no great credit for this,
because from the mum Der of good
citizens whose names were pre-
sented to US for these positions
we could not have we'll done
otherwise.
The much vexed question of
providing by law for separate
cars for the races was much more
complex and difficult to deal with
than the average citizen thought.
We trust that the people will acs
cept the result arrived at as the
basis for something more salts
factory after two years ex-
perience.
For the first time in our his
tory the two Houses of the Cen
eral Assembly in j1int session
have been called upon to exer~
else judicial functions ia bearing
evidence and passing upon the
removal Of public ,fficers, The
terms Of the law under which We
proceeded were far from clear,
and the procedure new and I'M
tried. That the members were
discharging judicial duties in
volving the determination of
questions Of law aud fact was
conceded by all. That in the dis
charge of these duties each mem
ber acted in the capacity of
judge and juror and was required
upon his oath and his honor to
return q true verdict and judg-
ment is equally clear. Whatever
the citizens Of the State may
think Of the result arrived at.
it is clear that the principles
usually and properly controlling
the representatives Of the peo-
pie making it their duty to give
expression to the will of their
constituency could not control in
this matter; that the imposition
of such duties upon the Legiala>
ture is unwlse and contrary to
the fundamental principles of our
form of government, which pro-
Yides for the separation of the
legislative, executive and judicial
functions, is admitted, and we
have removed the provision
therefor from our statute book.
''In dealing with the finance of
the State we have endeavored to
be conservative and economical.
That there is among our people
an Industrial awakening is shown
by the large number of charters
for such enterprises we have been
called upon to enact into law. 1t
is a matter we'll worth careful
consideration whether there
should not be an improvement in
the general law providing for the
incorporation of private COM
panies and associations, thereby
saving much time which should
be devoted to the consideration of
public measures. The large
number of charters for cities and
towns sent to us from different
sections of the State show a
healthy interest among the people
in regard to the problem of NUM-
cipal government There is no
more interesting method of study
ing the history and development
of people than through their
laws and there will be few more
interesting chapters in our his
tory than the public and private
laws of 1899. That much has
been done for the Welfare of the
State, the most critical will adj
nit, that much has been left un-
done, we recognize and admit.
Gas the presiding officer fthis
House I have had opportunity to
watch with care the words and
actions of its members. I have
seen nothing said or done which
did not proceed from an honest
desire to advance the best inter