The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-29
WHY MEWBORNE GOT OUT
AND WHY JOHN r. SMITH sue
CEEDED HIM.
MASSEY EN- ARGes ON pARLoR CAR SEATS
A Cempa son Of The Expenditures of Special
Appropriations by the Democ and
fusi,nsts JJhn r. Smiths
Version IT, ay,

version IT. ay,
Today will finish the first round of the
Agricultural Department investigation,
as Senator Brown and Representative
Gattis are each called home by private
business.
missioner of Agriculture, was examined
by the committee yesterday, and John
II. Smith, his fusion successor, tele
graphed that he would arrive this morn
ing in response to a summons. Secre-
tary t. X. Bruner was examined yes
terday morning.
Mr.. Mewborne was examined particu-
larry with regard to the reasons for his
resignation as Commissioner of Agri-
culture and the appointment of John Il.
Smith to succeed him. He said that he
had resigned at the request of Governor
Russell, and that Smith was not what
he considered an ideal man to manage
the affairs of the Agricultural Depart
ment. Mr.. Mewborne gave his testi-
mony very freely and without any APP
parent attempt to eyade or conceal.
Secretary Bruner was examined, of
course, mainly with regard to the con-
duct of the department under the former
Democratic administration and as to
facts he had ascertained from the
records of the succeeding administration.
Mr.. Bruner stated that it had always
been part of his duties to prepare the
report of the Board of Agriculture to
the General Assembly, and that he had
at no time received any extra compensa-
ton for that work. He thought $50
ample remuneration for preparing the
report if prepared by an outside party.
This was the work for which Loge
Harris received $50.
As to the number of fertilizer inspec-
tors employed he thought 8 or 4 in the
fall and or in the spring an ample
force to do the work.
One matter of considerable interest that
was brought out was the way in which
special appropriations were used under
the old Democratic regime, and under
the control of the fusionists. Under the
Democrats in 1895, 90 and 81, total
of $5S, 76o.30 was voted by the board as
special appropriations for the three fiscal
years. This sum was disbursed as fol
lows:
1UHstluttAUi VI II ldlRt dHlieA T. P1-,DUU.oD
Publication of North Carolina
and its Resources" ....... 100000
Installation of heating plant. 100000
Horticultural Building. ... 100000
Loans to A. & NJ. College. -. 100000
Two lots adjoining Board
property -. -. ...... 100000
Analytical work at Expert
ment Station. -. 1890. 100000
Work on Museum. .... 100000
Farmers Institutes. -. 80. 100000
Miscellaneous. -. .. 165.30
Total. -. -. -. SOS, 765.30
Thus it will appear that $4,000 of
the total was put into permanent inn
provements. and So, 1850 went to the
Experiment Station for analytical
work for the three years.
Under the fusionists S37 ,509.94 was
voted as special appropriations and of
this nothing went to permanent improve
ments except such as was devoted to
changes in the museum, or at least that
is what the record shows. Or the
amount $4,000 extra went to the analy-
teal work of the Experiment Station for
the TWO years.
The rest of the special appropriation
seems to have ben expended, so far as
ascertainable, for incidentals