The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-24

porbably the best eyer enacted. 1t was
the policy Of the trainers of the law To
allow no piece OF property to escape tax
alton but not to tax single piece twice.
a number of veXatious taxes were
abolished such as the Inheritance tax
and the merchants purchase tax. The
rate upon property and poll remains prac.
ticaly what it has heretofore been, yet
Notwithstanding the fact that the Legs
lature appropriated $4,000 annually 10
the pen.tentiary TO put it on its feet
again and made liberal appropriations 10
all the institutions which needed them
and reduced no annual appropriation to
any institution the Legislature was m
abled To appropriate 100000 to the
common schools Of the State, i'm addition
to the usual taxes levied for their sup
port, and schools this year in most coun-
ties ought to be open full four months,
for the first time in the history of the
State In providing for the future edu-
cational qualification for suffrage, the
State has already begun to improve its
educational facilities to meet that re-
quiremcnt The Legislature authorized
a bond issue Of $4,000 to pay for the
deficiency made by the fusioniSt manage
mcnt Of the pcnitentiary. and has au-
thorized the issue of $4,000 in bonds for
the purchase Of certain LEASED farms
which the State has already greatly inn
proved The interest charge on these
bonds falls upon the peuitentary and
not the State. and is only about half the
rental Of the land. The enactment of
the Craig bill relieves as of what has
become heavy grievance. 1t stops thu
removal Of causes from the State to the
Federal courts. After next June no for
eign corporation will he permitted TO do
business in this State unless it ''domesti-
Gates" itself and subjects itself to the
jurisdiction of the State courts.
"The road law passed is Il good one.
1t gives local option to the counties,
and no county will hereafter be com
PEELED to wait for legislative permission
before It begins the work of road inn
provement. Each county will decide
what it should do with its roads and act
accordingly
These are a few Of the important ;ub-
iects treated by the Legislature within
GO days 1t is predicted that wncE the
laws are printed the people will be as
tonished at the excellence of the work
Of this Legislature and ! will not he
surprised if it goes. down into history rs
at once the wisest and most conserN alive
the State has ever had. In the election
Of officers its wisdom was again mani
fest. For railroad commissioners it
elected an able lawyer, a competent busi-
ness man and an excellent Farmer, repre-
senting the three sections of the State
its commercial metropolis, its great agri-
cultural left ana the tranS-m0untlm re-
gion as yet so undeveloped. For insur-
ance commissioner it elected a thorough
business and expert insurance man. It's
choice of Commissioner Of Agriculture
and of Labor Commissioner are excellent,
the Labor Commissioner being the most
popular man in the State with organized
labor. AS Democrats the people may re-
joice at the work of the Legislature; as
citizens they may rejoice even more at
what appears to be the beginning Of an
era of good feeling and Of great pros
perity.