The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-02-02
FROM THE STATE CAPITAL.
Doings In the Legislature During the
Past Week.
(From Our Special Correspondent

tFrom Our Special Correspondent
RALEIGH. \. c.. Jan. 80. '99.
Senator Brown. chairman of the
committee on penal institutions, SAYS
that the state of affairs in the peni-
tertiary is even worse than was sup
posed. He claims that it will take
100000 to put the penitentiary on
its feet again. 1t is stated officially
by the members of this committee
that not only were the States funds
squandered, but the guards and some
OF the officials were in many cases too
drunk to attend to the duties of their
position, and in several instances
female inmates were seduced by those
in authority over them. There is
now not the slightest doubt that this
Legislature will wipe ont the present
regime in the penitentiarv to the last
man. The Senate to-day decided to
proceed 70 the election of directors of
the States prison on February 3rd.
and the House will doubtless agree
in this resolution. Twelve new direc-
tors are to be elected at once.
Tertiary has started afresh the report
that Gov. Russell is to be impeached,
though nothing has yet been done
looking to such action.
The government of numerous coun-
ties has been taken out of the hands
of the FusioRists by the increase in
the number of county commissioners.
But to-day bill was introduced to
restore the old system of county
government; the Legislature to elect
the magistrates and the magistrates
the commissioners. This plan is very
acceptable to the Eastern counties
but it was never popular in the West,
and will probably be strongly opposed
bv some of the Western members
One system may be adopted for the
East ndranOther for the West.
The special committee appointed
to frame the proposed amendment to
the Constitution to limit the suffrage
has made it's report, and the measure
is now under consideration by the
Democratic caucus. For Article vi
an entire new article is substituted,
giving the qualification of voters. 1t
is modelled on the Louisiana plan and
embodies practically all its features.
1t provides an educational qualitica-
ton by requiring all electors to be
able to read and write and under
stand the Constitution of the State.
This is provision of the suffrage law
of most of the Southern States. But
it goes further than that, and enables
the illiterate white man to vote by
providing that anyone whose ances-
tors voted previous to 1861 shall not
be debarred from voting by this
amendment. However, all who come
under the provisions of this last
clause are required to be formally
registered before the year 1902.
OF course this amendment will be
submitted to the people under a new
election law. This law has not YET
been presented, but will probably b,
passed on the order of the Walton
law that has worked so we'll in Vir
ginia.
Mr.. Clark sons bill to establish :
State textile school has been favorabl
reported by the educational commit
tee. Another proposition is to com
pei the board of directors of the STATE
Agricultural and Mechanical Colleg,
to establish a textile branch without
additional expense to the State.
Former Senator b. f. Aycock, 0
Wayne, is most frequently mentioned
as the probable superintendent of thu
penitentiary. Mr.. S. l.. Patterson
the former commissioner. is fire.
quently mentioned as John Il. Smith.
successor in the Agricultural De
partment. There are candidate:
galore, but as one of them remarked
when any candidate says he has 4;
large number of Legislators pledged
to him he is doing some fancy lying.
The members are giving mighty few
pledges to anybody.
The Legislature has decided to in
vestigate all the State institutions
and they will take charge of them
When they are through there will be
few remnants of Russellism left tC
tell the tale.
The case of the deposed Wilson's
has created great dea! of talk the
past week and there were severa
very hot sessions of the special com
mittee. Attorney Bynum's attack OIL
Gov. Russell was one Of the sensa
tons of the week.
Locke Craige's bill requiring al
foreign corporations to become do
nestle corporations passed the HOUSE
by large majority. 1t will b'
strongly fought in the Senate, though
1t is opposed by all the railroads an'
telegraph companies, and their in
/ tluence is potent
JOHN WILBUR JENKINS.
H. Thomson calls attention to
/ nice line of new dress goods just re