The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1901-01-15
GOV. RUSSElL'S MESSAGE
CONTINUED from First Page.)

Continued from First PaGe.)
ration. 1t should be made creditab!e
" the state by improvements in the
JliIdings AID grounds and the better
of the inmates. !
HE BOARD OF PUBLIC CHAEI-
TIES.
The report of the Board of Public
harities is presented herewith. and
he attention of the General Assembly
is called to it's recommends tons.
THE PENITENTIARY.
Attention is called to the port OF the
Superintendent of the Penitentiarp
rom which t appears that tho institu-
ION ought '" be self-supportine in the
ilture.
The LEGISLATURE some years ago. by
special enactment. created what Is
known as the "Criminal or Dangerous
Insane Depa, mem" and located it in
he west ..nd IF the penitentiary build
ing. This. the management of this in
stitution thinks. with all good citizens
Who have given serious thought to the
matter. was a grievcus mistake. There
AN be no such thing as an insane
criminal. fo, an insane person cannot
, ommit crime and the few unfortunates
Who are slowed away in one corner of
he States prison are perhaps no more
1ange rous than many of those confined
N the hospitals at Raleigh. Morgan
ton and Goldsboro. cit is discrimina-
ZION that should not be made. The de-
partment is , menace to this institu-
ion, its establishment an injustice to
these unfor.unates.
STATE, CI-AJ,D
The State Guard has steadily in
creased in usefulness and is now on
splendid bass The appropriation from
he General Government has been more
han doubled during the past two years.
This fact has made possible much
better equipment for all the companies.
No encamp,.,ent was ordered during the
past year on account of a lack of funds
for this purpose. Annual encampments
are of vital importance TO the Guard,
and ample provision should be made
for holding them. Whenever the troops
have been needed to aid in the enforce
ment of the law. prompt and most Ell
ficient service has been rendered. The
time has come in our history when
spirit of just 'ibcrality should be mani
tested toward the States military
forces. North Carolina is far behind
her sister states in the matter of APP
propri atoms for supporting her State
Guard. This condition ought not to
exist.
THE STATE; BOARD OF HEALTH.
The attention of the Legislature Is
especially called to the eighth biennial
report Of the state Board of Health.
The attention OF, your Honorable Body
is particularly called to the report Of
the committee of that Board transmit
ted herewith upon the subject Of the
ventila ton Of the State Capitol
The Board of Health during the last
two fiscal years has performed more ia
vorabIe services in the lines of it's par
ticular employment than it has ever
performed in any similar period here
tOfOre.
1t is earnestly hoped that the Legis-
lature will make liberal provisions for
the continuance Of the work of this
very important Board.
LITIGATION INVOLVING STATE
INTEREST.
The railroad litigation, in which the
State has ie en- concerned for the last
four years. has been more extensive
and important than that in which il
has ever before been engaged. 1t has
chiefly arisen through the action OF
the Railroad and Corporation Commits
sions. The questions presented to these
Commissions. their decisions and the
consequent litigation. have been Of
vital interest to the people, involving
great principles and large sums OF
money. They have, of necessity. beer
attended with expenses somewhat com
mensurate with these interests.
tom i0o tif,,, Il y,iy nc
the last two years has been that which
arose in the passenger Rate Cases.
the Telegraph Rate Case" and the
RAILROAD and Telegraph injunction
Tax Cases.
The Railroad Commission reduced
passenger "a les ON the Wilmington an,
Weldon Railroad from three and one
fourth to two and three-fourths cent
per mile for first class. and from TIVE
and three-fourthS to two cents pc
mile for second class passengers. Thi
applied to intra- state traffic only. Thi
reduction MS intended as a test case
the railroads being understood TO den.
the power IF the Commission to MAX
suth reductions. The Wilmington an,
Weldon Rail. DAD Company prompt.
obtained an injunction from the UnIte'
States CircIt Court and several hear
ingS were lad in the cause. The LegiSla
ture of 1897 passed an act which seem
ingly abolished the Railroad Commits
sion. TIL" North Carolina Cor
pOratiOn Commission. its success
sor, resto' ed the former rates
It subsequently increased tn
, assessment of railroad prOpert
in the State. Serious litigation enSueC
and pending its result. the Corporatio
Commission deemed it wise not to con
, tinue the contest as to the passenge
rates for the present. So the case va
, terminated without prejudice to the fu
. ture action of the Board.
This case. IS a test case, inv olVcd tn
: right of the State to reduce the pas
senger fares on every railroad in tn
. State, and thus presented question
reaching far into the future. Thes
2 large and important interests fully jus
tilted the employment Of special coun
sci in the premises. Their service
4 have been a1uuOuS and the Compensa
c ton which they have received is deem
cd rea Sonable. a history of this lit