The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-01-24
OUR RALEIGH LETTER.
INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS AND COM
MENTS ON MEASURES PENDING
IN THE LEGISLATURE.

INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS AND COM
MENTS ON MEASURES PENDING
IN THE LEGISLATURE.
The Legislature and Its Work-Questi0n
of a Reformatory for Young Criminals
Bill to Secure Uniform School Books
Election of Senator Simmons-AycOck
Great G0vernor-The Dog Tax Again
Care of the Insane-Subject of Labor
Legislation-Minor Mention.
(From Our Regular Correspondent
RALEIGH. n. C., Jan. p, 1901.
During the past week the General AS
sembly has passed a number OF more or
less important acts, while as many more
are in the hands of the committees or on
the calendars of the two Houses.
Those of special interest to the readers
OF this paper are noted in the Legislative
summary of the editor, and a repetition
here would be superfiuous.
Some OF the most important bills OF
general character yet to be considered
are:
Senate bill providing for the establish
ment of a Reform School :or young de-
generates, introduced by Senator Brough-
ton, of Wake. 1t is the intention OF the
two committees on Penal and Charitable
Institutions to hold a joint session early
this week and give this measure and the
subject generally earnest and full cOnsid-
Grafton. 1t is-hoped and believed that
Reformatory institution that will meet
the demands and needs of the State will
be provided for during the session.
int do
signed to provide literally for the public
free schoos-one of them appropriating
as much as $500, 900, another $3.50, 900
and another 800, OOO-and l find upon
enquiry that the legislators OF all parties,
are disposed to vote as large an appro-
priation as the State can find the means
to provide
On Friday Senator Travis, of Halifax,
introduced a meritoriOus bill designed to
provide four months school in counties
not now having them and appropriating
5000, 900 to carry out the provisions of
the proposed act.
UNIFORM SCHOOL BOOKS.
The bill introduced last Friday by Sen
ator Ayceck, OF Wayne, to secure a
uniform series of text books in all the free
schools of the State is another highly i'm
pOrtant measure. That such q law is
necessary seems to be recognized generally
and this bill, with probably some
changes, or similar one, will doubtless
become q law.
The bill contains excellent provisions,
and among other things provides for a
State Commission, OF which the Governor
is to be eX officio chairman, with the
State Superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton and three members of the State
Board of Education as the other men,
bers; bids are to be received and con-
tracts awarded to lowest bidder for a
satisfactory series of school books for
five years, and the price must be as low
as the same books are furnished to the
schools of any other State. Machinery
| is provided for the proper distribution of
the books and all public free school
teachers will be required to use the books
adopted, etc. All this means cheaper
school books-and that is what has been
needed in North Carolina for many years
The competition among publishers, it is
hoped, will be lively-despite the ''boo..
trust, for that does not include all the
school book publishers, believe
ELECTION OF SENATOR SIMMONS.
Tomorrow the Legislature willformally
elect Hon. Furnifold NJ Simmons to be
United States Senator and his six years
term will begin March 4th. At the Dem
ocratic caucus he received the unanimous
vote OF the Legislators present. Senator
Simmons was called to his old home in
Jones county last Friday by the death
| OF his mother, who had been i'll for some
time, but will return in q few days.
The Republicans will bestow the empty
honor OF their votes upon Hon. Richmond
Pearson, of Asheville. Whether the five
Populists will vote for him is not known.
Ii they do, and all the anti-Democrats
are present, Pearson will receive only %
votes OF the ITO in Joint session, at best,
and if the Pops cast their votes for
Butler, Pearson cannot get more than "a
Five votes for Butler. What a change
in conditions from those existing in Jan
uary, 1895.
AYCOCK A GREAT GOVERNOR
The present occupant OF the Executive
| Mansion is going to make the greatest
Governor North Carolina has had, in all
our history, in some respects-Or else dis
appoint great many people All indi-
| cations now point to the fultilment of the
| first prediction and the realization Of the
hopes and belief of those who know him
| best.
Never had there been in North Carolina
such great public demonstration as
that which attended the Inauguration of
| Aycock as Governor; no Governor ever
| entered upon the discharge of his official
duties under brighter skies, with more
| sympathetic and inspiring surroundings
| ana promising prospects; few have had
| larger opportunities to prove themselves
than will come to him, and 1 make no
| doubt that he will be found equal to
every demand and rise, in full-grOwn in
tellectual stature and patriotic purpose
TO the heights OF every occasion.
| Pralse--naught but praise. of the high
est quality and unstintedly bestowed-of
his inaugural address, has been accorded
by the stranger in distant States as well
as by all his home people. Governor Ay-
cock is aiming high, but he will reach the
| mark. Let every good citizen do his part
to uphold him in his noble purposes and
assist him as best we can in the accom-
! pllshment of them.
| Five thousand people attended the
| initial reception of Governor and Mrs
| Aycock and the remaining State officers
| and their wives at the Executive Mansion
the evening OF the inauguration day. No
| such extensive affair OF it's kind ever oc-
Cured in North Carolina previously
THE DOG TAX AGAIN.
! That perennial question OF the taxation
or not OF dogs is coming to the front
early this session, and on Thursday OF
this week the Garrett bill to levy a tax
on CANNES will be discussed Its ad-
yocates say that it can be made to raise
| 80 200 to 500, 900 for the public school
fund. It's opponents claim-but we are
all familiar with that old story.
CARE OF THE INSANE.
| DR.. Murphy asks for $4,000 appro-
priation this year for the Morganton hos
pital Tor the insane. A portion of it is
wanted for an electric light and power