The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-04
The New 8oht/1 Law
THE HOUSE BALKS : 4DLY ON ITS
ADOPTLCN.
COMPLAINS That the Machinery is Too Com
plicated and Ask Re-Enactment of
the Old Law of 1898.

The other day it was predicted ii
these columns that the Solons now here
grinding out laws, would, if they didn't
strike snag, be on their way home by
Tuesday
This latter prediction may yet come
true. But the aforesaid snag has been
struck.
Yesterday afternoon the House
saddle-bagged itself on the edge of a
hidden reef, and at the latest advices it
was still Dinioned there-a Jagged hole
in its side and the water gaining on the
pumps.
That reef is the new school law, and
the point on which the ship of legislation
stuck was sections IL and Is, which pro-
vide for the appointment of township
school trustees by the school directors
of each county; also that this county
board of school directors shall on the
second Monday in January ana the sec
ond Monday in July of each year appor-
ton the school fund of the county 10
the various townships in said county per
capita
The House didn't like this county
board of school directors" and it said so
individually and collectively. 1t sav0red
TOO much of the Fusion law, declared
one. 1t was a complicated piece of ma
chinery, said another; and It's as ul-
| necessary as it's complicated and more
costly, chimed in a third.
Give us rather the good old simple
| Democratic law of 1888" said whop-
ping big majority.
And as the craft was about to tip upon
| its nose to go down a plea was made to
| let it stand till this morning to see if
| the water couldn't be baled out and
something done to repair the injury. As
| the remaining time is too short to permit
| the building of an out-and-out new law,
this may save it.
| We shall see, for it is to be considered
| again this morning.
! The bill was first taken up at the
morning session as a special order, and
was put on its third and final read
| ing.
| The bill was explained hy Mr.. Craig,
of Buncombe, who pointed OUT the differ
ence between the provisions of the bill
and the old law.
The first fifteen sections of the act
were adopted. then the Honse adjourned
to meet again at 4 O'Clock
At that hour the bill was again called
up, and barring the passage Of few
local bills, its consideration consumed
the whole afternoon.
| No sooner had the section providing fer
| township trustees been read than Il
storm of protests arose. Several amend
ments were sent forward. One proposed
| to take out the whole section, another
to strike out the word trustees" wher-
ever it ocurred, and still another pro-
posed to recommit the bill to the com
mittee with instruction TO report back
the old law of 1898.
| All of these were, after discussion,
voted down except the one presented by
Mr. Davis. of Haywood, to strike out
| the word trustee" wherever it occurred.
| The vote on this was A to 81.
| This adopted they were about to go back
| and adopt the amendment of Mr. Thomp-
son, of Onslow, recommitting the bill to
the committee with instructions to report
back to the House the law of 1893.
| This motion was about to be put and
carried when it was pointed out that the
| Legislature being practically at an end
and much work remaining to be done, it
was no time to be swapping horses if by
any possibility the bill before the House
| could be patched up so as to do.
! For these reasons the bill went over
| till this morning.
During it's consideration yesterday q
very strong speech was made in support
of the bill by Mr.. Craft, of Buneombe,
| chairman of the Committee on Educa-
ton