The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-21
Messenger Bureau.
Raleigh, y. C, February Is.

Raleigh, y. c., February II.
The scene in the house yesterday dur
ing the passage OF the suffrage amend
ment bill will not soon be forgotten.
The enthusiasm OF the democrats was
great. \ leading negro who was seen
soon afterwards said he did not dcplore
the passage OF the bill and hat he be
lieved the people would by a large ma
jority ratify the amendment at the Dolls
on the first Thursday in next August.
when IL will be voted on. He also said
he thought il would be a powerful slim
illus 10 education.
The amendment viii pass the senate.
1t requires thirty OF the fifty votes in
the senate. Your correspondent is told
that not over six or seven votes Will be
cast against il.
the democratic caucus some trouble.
Ii will probably Be out OF the way, how
ever, during the next five days.
The Jim Crow car" bill Is talked
about daily and Mclean. of Harnett.
and some other democrats are clam
orous TO dispose OF il. 1t is said there
is more opposition To il in the senate
than in the house.
The Stevens antitrust bill went
through the house under pressure. 1t
is, held up in the senate, in order 10
give business men another hearing upon
it. 1t is said Senate Osborne will fight
il. There was some bitter opposition
to il in the house.
The Craige bin, requiring the "domes-
tication'' of foreign corporations doing
business in this state. does not fix any
license fee. At first 81, 600 was named.
and then $500. The desire appears 10
be simply TO get the corporations 10 do
mesticate themselves as quickly as pos
sible and as cheaply. The idea is not
- - h.s - AA.1nal1 FhnnN -
surrender any and all right Of appeal
to the federal courts.
= In 1918 Josiah Turner was public
printer. In 1895 the state paid him
81, 900 due by reason of a difference in
measurement of printed matter. But
it did not allow him interest. To-day
the committee on claims reported a.
vorably a bill to pay him interest,
amounting TO about $1,000. Turner is
here. He is so years old, and does not
appear over 90.
The resignation Of w. II. Day as pen
itentiary superintendent takes effect
mex Monday. 1t simplifies the situa-
ton. He has yet a suit on hand to see
whether he is really entitled TO the Of
fee. The management Of the peniten-
tiary will be in the lands of the execu-
tive board, as it was twenty years ago.
Day had made a promise to Senator
Glenn that he would abide by the de-
clSlOn OF the uernOcratlc caucus.
The school book fl, ght seems to be
not yet ended. Last night the COM
mittees on education decided that they
would let the present system stand if
the booksellers would cut the prices &c
per cent. 1t appears that not all would
agree to do this. One firm agreed to
cut 80 per cent. and one 20 per cent il
given the whole contract, and also to
replace with new books all the old ones
now in use or on the booksellers shelves
in this state. The book fight was never
more bitter than it is this year.
The insurance bill was yesterday af-
ternoon finally agreed on, and insur-
ance men say it satisfies all of them
save those who represent assessment
companies, as a section of it requires
that the policies in such companies
must plainly state IN their face that
they are on the assessment plan. The
rate of taxation is 2 per cent, on gross
receipts. 1t was 8 per cent. when the
! bill was introduced, but the finance
I committee consents to a reduction to q
which is the old figure. The wording
of the bill makes il plain that there
will be a commissioner Of insurance.
1t does not appear possible now that
the Legislature can adjourn before
March LIST or 2nd