The news & observer., 1901-01-26

: UNDER THE DOME. :;


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Yesterdays Charlotte Observer says:
, #. L. Osborne. Esq. who recently spent
week in Raleigh, is of the opinion
that the most important matters that
will come before the Legislature are:
Cd the school book bill: (2) bill to
abolish the Criminal courts and increase
the Superior courts from II to 16; CD
the bill to create the Code commission;
(4) the continuation of the 800, 900 APP
preparation ior schools: and 90 a bill
to increase uhe subjects of taxation
without in~re asing the general rate of
taxes
A bill has been introduced in the House
Of Representatives by Mr. Simms of Wake,
TO settle a debt due by the State of North
Carolina to Mrs. Martha Mordecai, eXecu-
tor of Henri Mordecai, deceased. This
is the last one of the claims against the
State for money loaned to Jonathan
Worth, State Treasurer to provide funds
for the maintenance of Insane Asylums
and other State public institutions. This
was one Of the claims which was examined
by an auditing committee after the war,
and separated from those claims which
were made against the State on account
OF the war. The Legislature has hereto
fore made fair and equitable compromises
OF all the other claims of this kind and
the present General Assembly will doubt
less make a Just and equitable settlement
OF this claim.
The papers generally are discussing the
bill of Mr.. Craig, endorsed by the State
Bar Association, to abolish the Criminal
courts and, create four additional Superior
Court Judicial districts. The Chowan
Roanoke Times, writing of the bill, says
"Our reference to this matter is not for
the purpose of opposing this measure at
this time. as we are not sufficiently in
formed of tho needs of other counties for
more courts but to cali attention to the
fact that Northampton is now provided
for more courts than there is any necessi-
ty for and that our terms should be les
sened instead of increased. Northampton
could, with considerable saving of taxes
spare two or three weeks to some county
having a crowded docket. This county is
now provided for two terms of Superior
court year OF two weeks each and two
terms of Criminal court of one week each.
Our superior court idSlS lIOLl one " hNC
days each term. Sometimes not a single
case is tried requiring a jury, as was the
case when Judge Bowman was here last
year. For over two years no term OF our
Superior court has continued for over one
week. An ideal arrangement for North
ampton would be three or four terms of
court a year of one week at which all
cases both civil and criminal. could be
disposed o..
Editor J. D. Watts. of the Statesville
Mascot, is first and foremost, friend of
the children His paper this week says:
THE public school question is the fore
most one before the Legislature And il
the members of that body listen to the
plausible and eloquent pleas of able men.
who are buttonholing them and stating
the needs of their institutions with so
much force and do not provide for the
education of the boys and girls of the
State in the public schools, they will be
apt to hear something drop when they
get back to their homes. The children
have no special pleaders in Raleigh. prob
ably. but the manhood of the State is
back Of them. Provide for the public
schools, care for the insane and then do
The best that can be done for other de-
serving causes.
Charity and Children evidently does not
believe in women using their influence in
public way for the proposed reformatory
for in this weeks issue it says
I'VE see It stated that two ladies ap-
peared before legislative committee the
other day and made addresses in favor of
a reformatory. We had some hope of the
thing until now.
It must be gratifying 10 all BERTHE coun-
ty people however much or little sCme
may differ in political faith or opinion
to note the high stand taken by the Hon.
Francis .. Winston, their Repres antatiye,
in our State Legislature and incdently
iii the Inauguration of Governor Aycock.
Mr.. Winston is one of the leaders in the
Assembly and his counsel is sought by all.
He is eminently fitted for such and our
people knew it when they renominated
him Combined with his ability is his
enormous amount Of energy-all of which
we will stake our all, ne possesses more
than any other man in the Legislature.
He is prominent in fact. is leader in
every move for the States good. 1t would
be wise to keep him there so long as he
will go.-Windsor Ledger.
Representative L. l.. Smith, OF Gates
county, believes in caring for erring chill
dren, but he is not in favor of the propo-
sition to make an appropriation for the
establishment OF Reformatory that has
been agitated of late. Mr. Smith has in
troduced bill that embodies his views.
II is as follows:
The General Assembly Of North Caro-
lima do enact
EectAnn 1. That whenever any person,
under sixteen years Of age, shall be con-
victed in any court Of the State, OF any
crime the punishment for which is now
Imprisonment or hard labor on the roads
or streets, or on any county or State
farm, the mayor, justice Of the peace or
Judge before whom any such person may
be convicted may, in his discretion, in
stead of such imprisonment at hard la
Dor, permit the parent of such child, or
other person standing in laco PARENTS.
TO inflict. under the direction OF the Oft
Ger in charge, such punishment as a par
nps lou a