The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-03-24

No member of the General Assembly
is more competent to sum up the effect
of the legislation enacted by the General
Assembly Of 1901 than Hon. Henry A.
London, Senator from Chatham, presi-
dent pro tenn of the Senate. In the last
as follows:
AN INDUSTRIOUS BODY.
"A more Industrious Legislature has
never met in this State. While there
was not so much speaking and talking
IN its public sessions as heretofore, there
was more time devoted to the consider
alton of bills by the committees. So
careful and prudent was the work Of the
committees, that nearly every bill re-
ported fayorably by them was passed, and
the bills reported unfavorably were near
ly al, defeated. The number of bills in
trodueed into the House of Representa-
tives was 2,239, and about half that num-
Der in the Senate.
A SOBER LEGISLATURE.
'It is generally conceded that a more
sober Legislature has never been known
in North Carolina. Very few members
drank at all, and none to excess. And
consequently it is not surprising that so
sober a body of legislators should have
enacted so many laws for the promotion
or temperance and the restraint of the
liquor traffic.
THE APPROPRIATIONS
''The appropriations made by the Leg
islature are larger than usual, and yet
there was no extravaganza in them nor
can any political capital be made out of
them by the Republicans.
There was not single, solitary appro-
priation made without Republican votes,
and for nearly all the large appropriations
the Republicans voted solidly. Indeed
some of the large appropriations would
not have been made if the Republicans
had not voted unanimously for them.
THE increased appropriations were
necessary. and proper, and were for most
worthy objects, such as additional ac-
commodations for the insane, and increas-
ed pensions for disabled Confederate
veterans and more money for the public
schols. For these three purposes the ap-
preparations were increased largely, and
every good citizen should approve and
not condemn them.
REVENUE AND MACHINERY LAW.
1.-THE revenue and machinery bills
passed by this Legislature are the best
that have ever been enacted in this State
Notwithstanding the unjust criticism they
have received. No such bills have ever
before been so carefully considered and
prepared. The sub committee of the Sen
ate and House, which prepared it, .devot-
ed much time and attention to it's prepar-
alton, and for a month or more worked
on it almost every day and night.
THE difficult problem was given that
committee to prepare a bill that would
raise a great deal more revenue without
increasing the rate of taxation on prop
erty and polls. And this perplexing prob
lem was successfully solved. The rate of
taxation on property remains at 43 cents
on the one hundred dollars valuation, and
$1.29 on the poll, just as heretofore, and
yet the revenue will be a great deal
more than heretofore. This increased
revenue will be derived from license and
franchise taxes, and from fairer valua-
ton of the capital stock of corporations.
THE NEW ELECTION LAW.
"The new election law makes all the
changes in the last election law, which
were asked for in the numerous petitions
sent to the Legislature by our Republican
and Populist friends, and yet they are
not satisfied!
"Some people are so hard to please that
there is no use in trying to please them.
This new law is the fairest election law
that our State has had in many years, and
will give the people of North Carolina a
free ballot and fair count, and yet the
Republicans and Populists in the Legis-
lature all voted againts it!
COURTESY AND FAIR TREATMENT.
ION the last day of the Senate's SEES
sion several of the Republican Senator's
made short speeches, thanking the Demo-
cratic majority for their courteous and
fair treatment of them. Although there
were only eleven Republicans and Popu-
lists in the Senate, yet their rights and
feelings were respected as niue has if
they had been Democrats. This writer is
especially gratified at the thanks pri-
vately given him by Republican and Popu-
list Senators for his uniform courteous
conduct towards them"