The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-10
1T WAS NO "SNEAK" BILL
Its Purpose Declared and its Effect
Fully Explained.
IMPORTANCE OF OUR TIMBER INTERESTS
Some Startling Figurers as TO the Quantity d
manufactured Timber That is An
nually Shipped From This 10
Other States.


called to some of the comments upon a
bill which 1 introduced during the last
General Assembly, and in justice to my
self, / have, upon reflection, concluded to
recite the facts concerning the passage
of bill; and desire to say something fur
ther about It's merits before / conclude
this communication.
On or about the 18th February by re-
quest, | drafted bill entitled "A bill to
be entitled an Act to promote the Manu-
featuring Industry of North Carolina"
The language in the body of this bill was
in exactly the same language as is con-
tanned in the bill which was introduced
and passed later, and about which much
is said, except that part of the later bill
referring particularly to Beaufort county
Between the dates of February 18th
and 9th, devoted much time in explain
ing the merits of the bill to many OF the
members of the House. and the existing
conditions in my section of the State
which gave rise to the necessity of such
BILL until I was thoroughly satisfied
that the sentiment of the House insured
its passage. During this time, | also
showed the bill and explained the
same to- and discussed the merits of it
with, several of the Senators and not q
one Of whom. as / now recall but ex-
pressed himself in favor of it, and some
very warmly. Some assured me of its
passage if the same passed the House.
On February the 9th / introduced
the BILL it being H. B. No. 1853. 1t passed
its first reading and was referred to the
Judiciary Committee. 1t went to Judge
Graham's division of the committee and
was reported back to the House, on
March End, favorably. During all of this
time / never let an opportunity slip to
impress, the Importance of it's passage,
upon many members Of the House.
On March the 4th / called it up from
the calendar and spoke in it's favor, be-
ing supported by Judge Graham and
others. Mr.. Smith and others opposed
the bill. But after the bill was under dis
cussion for two or three hous it passed
its second reading with good majority
as / had expected. At this point, think
it was, Mr., Smith requested the bill
returned to calendar that he might
have more time to study it and / con-
scented to this. In the course of the dis
cussion of the bill it developed that the
opposition was of the opinion the bill was
q good bill had it passed % or 80 years
ago, but to pass 1T now would require
large milling plants to be moved into
the State from points out of the State
where they are now operating
The next morning the newspapers spoke
of the bill and debates upon the same,
and as a result. by return mail l re-
eeived letters urging the passage of the
bill, and among them came information
that the North Carolina Pine Associa-
ton" which had recently met in Norfolk,
Va, had sent or would send a strong
lobbying committee to Raleigh to have
the bill re-referred to committee and kill
it, IL possible Knowing that from my
canvass among a majority of the mem
bers OF the House and from an expressed
vote uDon the bill, after an exhaustive
debate of two or three hours upon the
floor, the sentiment was in favor of the
BILL and knowing that members who are
ardent supporters of a measure will fire.
quently vote to re-refer bill to q COM
mittee; and knowing further that, at
that late hour in the session to re-refer
q bill to a committe meant. on account
OF eongested calendars before committees
or possibly other delays, it's failure to
pass before adjournment of the Legislature
lin view of this information and the con-
tingoncies mentioned above at this june
ture having a copy of the bill, | drafted
at once new bill making Beaufort coun-
ty feature amendment and emitting The
same "An act to prohibit the telling ~
trees in certain streams in Beaufort
county" This bill | introduced, at once,
it being H. b. No. 2060 and referred the
same to the calendar. so that. should
the first H. B. No. 1853 be re-referred to
committee and l should find later in ses-
sion, that by delay or congestion of cal
endar before committee, the bill would
not again reach the House, ] would, then,
call UP H. B. No. 2060 and fight it out on
the floor There was only a few days be-
twee nthis point and time for adjourn
ment. While / was temporarily out of my
seat H. B. 2060 passed and when l re-
turned to the hall finding the second bill
had passed. / at once went over to the
Senate and informed Senators from the
Second District, as | always did when bills
introduced by me passed the House. At
ter this / did not further press the first
bill
Now. Mr.. Editor, it may be interesting
and possibly surprising to many to learn
of some of the facts which l have taken
the trouble to collect from some of the
best informed mill men in this section OIL
the State, concerning this timber ques-
ton. / am told that a fair estimate
of the cost Of labor. for manufacturing
lumber, is 50 per thousand feet; | am
further told. by parties who ought tot
know, that from about Is counties in this
section, at least one million feet of logs
annually are shipped out of these coun-
ties into Virginia and there manufactured
into lumber That means for each daily
shipments of logs from this section toI
manufacture the same into lumber the
labor alone will cost $4,000; or to manu-
! zacture into lumber the annual shipment
of logs, from this section into Virginia,
hhe labor alone will cost 100000. have