The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-05-23
OUR RALEIGH LETTER.
SCHOOL BOOK QUESTION STILL UNSET
TIED AND INTEREST UNDATED.
Negro Financiers and Mill Operatives
Proposed Amalgamatlon Of Cotton
Mill Operatives-Our New Governor
Various natters Of Interest.
CFrom Our Regular Correspondent

(From Our Regular Correspondent
RALEIGH. N. G., May 20, 1901.
The school book question is still I'M
decided, still unsettled, and meantime
there is a good deal OF talk about the
school book matter in general and the
letting OF these contracts in particular.
The subcommittee are at their homes
pursuing their usual avocations, and the
members of the commission proper are
trying to catch up with the business of
their offices, up in the capitol building,
which accumulated during the two or
three weeks they were considering land,
report has it, undoing to large extent)
the work OF the subcommittee and max
ing preparations to sit down upon a
large percentage Of the latter's recon-
mendations.
This very pronounced state of inactiOn
during the past week has given oppor-
tunity and been an incentive to many
people, particularly teachers and friends
of education" to discuss the situation.
What some of them are saving may be
judged from the following extract of a
LEARNED discussion of the subject over
heard in a hotel lobby last night:
Funny thing to me-all this sO-called
secrecy" said one.
"Got one funnier'n that" responded
another What does all this talk mean
about overturning the recommendations
of the subcommittee, selected especially
on account of their fitness to select the
school books? Then, too, you know
Jump now will give the book trust firms
the biggest part OF the pone My! but
that's queer Why those fellows fought
the Aycock bill for all they were worth
feed a lot O the best lawyers in North
Carolina to help EN-, too; and now after
doing all they could to defeat State
adoption we are about to be told that
the full commission is going to award
them the contract for five years to fur
nsh the books-most of them at least.
What do you call that sort of business?
After putting us through the financial
sweat-box under the old system for
years and bleeding the children of the
State through high-priced school books,
10, they turn the trick under the new
deal and are to get another whack at us!
I'm amazed
I'D be amazed, too, if We're not more
of an optimist," interrupted third party.
LAS it is, I'm going to refuse to believe
what hear and what you have just said
till | get it authoritatively. If ever get
IL CH1U way oAdll we " CSaSC VI CillILC-
ment that will make many teachers as
well as Others, pretty sick
And away they ratified off an hours
| and yards of comment-much OF it pretty
severe. Occasionally some one would
edge in a word favorable to the so-called
'book- trust" and then half-dozen
would Jump on him and "lambaste' him
till he took to his heels or gave in. It's
all very amusing to "a man up a tree"
But it's mighty serious and important
thing for the thousands of school children
| who hope to receive most of their educa-
ton during the life of these contracts
the next five years-and it is hoped and
believed that those in charge realize this
fact and will be governed accordingly.
PROPOSED AMALGAMATION OF MILL OPE-
RATIvEs.
Some OF the Southern cotton mill opera
tives who attended the meeting of North
ern textile workers at Holyoke Mass,
last week, are back and talking up the
proposition advanced at that meeting by
the New Englanders as per cent. of them
'furiners') to "amalgamate'' the South
ern and Northern labor organizations
and get all the Southern mill hands into
it. A mill official said this to me today,
in reply: "The one great object of this
scheme is to cripple the Southern mills in
the interest of the New England mills.
Ii any Southern operative is so blind that
he cannot see what disadvantage such a
result would be to him, and what an
advantage it would be to the foreigners
be made a fool and tool of by the latter
and to suffer for it later Take your
choice, gentlemen-whO's right?
VARIOUS MATTERS
We have new Governor OF North Car
DINA today, and have had for the last
three days-Lieutenant Governor Turner
| acting during the absence from the State
| of Governor Aycock. The latter left for
New York Saturday, where he this (Mon-
day. evening delivers an address before
the North Carolina Society," composed
| of Tarheel residents of the metropolis
The North Carolina Masons at the
meeting of the Grand Commanders at
Greensboro, elected d. E. Allen, of Char
lotte, Grand Commander, and John C.
Drewry, of Raleigh, Deputy Grand Com
mander. The Grand Chapter, at it's meet
ing at the same place, elected D. E. Allen
High Priest, and John c. Drewry Deputy
High Priest. The Mobiles of the Mystic
| Shrine held grand banquet here on the
night of the 18th, also. which was q
great success. Next year they meet at
Winston-Salem.
The North Carolina Bar Association
has decided to hold it's next annual meet
ing at Wrightsv!lle June 26th-2Sth, and
| an interesting program has been ar
| ranged.
At the meeting of the Grand Lodge of
Odd Fellows, held at Asheville, r. W.
Murray, of Greensboro. was elected
| Grand Master, and J. +. Griffith, of Win
| stOn, Deputy Grand Master The next
| meeting will be held in Greensboro.
Today Secretary to the Governor Pear
sail. observation-disclosures Macon and
| Inspector General Balm will go to
Wrightsville to locate a site for the en-
| campment OF the State Guard which will
take place during the month of July.
exact dates yet to be set.
The Board of Aldermen of Raleigh on
| last Friday night ordered an election to
be held July Sth on the proposition to
| issue 800. 900 in bonds for street and
| city improvements We have already
voted and expended $15O,OOO for the
| same purpose and this issue will COM
| plete the work. Then Raleigh will be
| equal to any city in the South in it's
| beautifully paved and macadamized
| streets and sidewalks and lovely parks.
| LIE lie " men mas Deen gong The rounds
| OF some OF the Northern newspapers to
| the effect that North Carolina would not
license any more negroes to practice law
| or medicine. was refuted last week when
the State Board of Medical Examiners
| met at Durham and examined nine
| colored applicants and licensed several OF
| them-all who successfully stood the e1-
! animation.
! By the terms OF the will OF the late Mrs.
| Virginia B. Swepson (relict OF the late
GeOrge w. SWensonl who died here los