The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-05-16
OUR RALEIGH LETTER.
CONSIDERABLE ANXIETY FELT OVER THE
LEGALITY OF THE REVENUE ACT.
Possibility of an Extra Session of the
Legislature-A. & NJ. College COM
mencement-TwoN Noble Old Romans
Various Matters of Interest.
From Our Regular Correspondent.

-
RALEIGH n. C., May IS, 1901
During the past few days there has
been considerable anxiety in administra-
ton circles up at the capitol building re-
garding the legality of the new revenue
act-and the fact that the question in
wolves something like a half million dol
lars of the States income from taxes
during the next two years is enough to
set the State officials by the ears.
The cause of the trouble is the alleged
discovery by Wilmington lawyers that
some of the numerous amendments to
the bill made by the Senate land after
| wards agreed upon by the conference
amended bill should have again been put
upon its second and third readings and
passed on separate days in both houses
| latter being so amendedD in order to
make its passage legal. according to the
requirements of the Constitution, and
that the Supreme Court will SO hold if
| the law is attacked and taken into the
| Court.
Leutenant-G Turner the Pres
ident OF the Senate, appears to be in
clined to this view; indeed, he goes so far
as to state that he called attention to
this very matter on the closing day OF
the session and advised the course sug-
gested above. The writer of these lines
(who reported the proceedings of the
Senate, and whose recollection is clear
concerning these amendments, some of
which We're unquestionably very impor-
tant), without assuming to pass upon the
''materiality" involved, or essay to ad-
vance an opinion on the legality or Con
stitutiOnality of the proceeding, is con-
4<Nt %hD4
| view and statement are correct. Several
able lawyers here hold the same opinion.
Governor Aycock, and other equally as
able lawyers as those referred to, take a
contrary view, however, and do not
think the act invalidated by the failure
to again put the bill on it's second read
ing after being amended that the amend
ments all related to clauses in the orig-
nal bill and merely changed original pro-
visions. They add that previous revenue
bills, probably all of them of late years,
have been passed as the last one was.
AS TO EXTRA SESSION OF LEGISLATURE.
1t was proposed, when the question
was first agitated that the Governor
should call an extra session of the Legis-
lature. as the readiest and most effective
remedy. But Governor Aycock did not
take kindly to the suggestion. believing
it to be unnecessary The Governor
time and attention have been so fully and
completely taken up during the past week
by the school book publishers (who have
been arguing for all they are worth to
convince the School Book Commission OF
which the Governor is chairman, that
their respective publications are the best
to adopt that he really has had very
little time or opportunity to give proper
f thought to any other important matter
At this writing it looks as though a
lease agreed" will be made up and takel
to the Supreme Court for adjudication as
early as practicable. If that Court does
not uphold the new revenue act, one OF
two alternatives will result: Either the
old revenue bill of 1899 will have to be
. accepted or an extra session of the Legis
latiOn will be necessary. The act OF 1899
enforced during the years of 19O1-'O2
will fall short 100000 or more each
year of raising the amount of revenue the
bill of 1901 was designed to raise Con
sequently many of the important appro
priatiOns for this year and next could
not be paid. So, with many, an extra
Legislative session, with all it's attendant
, expense and temptations land $50 forth J
, would be the preferable alternative
With Others it would not be- Thus il
will be seen that an extra session is not
an impossibility, and even a probability
OF the near future
\. & NJ. COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT.
Two weeks hence the North Carolina
College OF Agriculture and Mechanic
Arts will close it's twelfth scholastic year
the term just ending having been one O.
the most successful in the history of the
college. President Geo. T. Winston, the
excellent Board OF Trustees (now yclept
Board Of Visitors, under the new law
and the able faculty are certainly to be
congratulated upon the splendid work
accomplished and the success and grow
ing popularity of the ga. & NJ" that
have attended their efforts The institu
ton was never in better hands and never
> has it had as bright an outlook for such
! unparalleled success and widened range
of usefulness as it enjoys today.
The commencement exercises begin OF
, Sunday, May Goth, when Rev. DR.. J. j
Lafferty, of Richmond, will preach the
baccalaureate sermon. On Monday
9th, the Alumni Grafton will be delivered
by Edwin Speight Darden, B. S., of the
the class of :95. On Tuesday the Annua
Address by United States Commissioner
of Labor, Carroll d. Wright, OF Washing
. ton. Commencement exercises proper or
ednesday, when degrees will be con
ferred upon the graduating class, etc.
TWO NOBLE 'OLD ROMANS
General Ransom's address at Greens
boro on Memorial Day is highly praised
He is a remarkable man. Though nearly
so years OF age, he is still erect as ar
I Indian in stature and does not look q
day older than 60, while his eloquence i.
as pntrancino- as when no served in th.
United States Senate. General VIM. r
) Cox is another noble ''Old Roman of the
same type, and of whom the above
words may be applied with almost the
same correctness. with the word Congress.
used in lieu of Senate. General Cox 0ike
General Ransom again, in that he is now
managing his large plantation in Eastern
North CarOlina) is now president of the
: State Fair ASSOCIATE ton and is actively
interesting himself to give US fine exhi
bition next October. In Secretary j. E