The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-01-13
Governors Message to
the General Assembly.
Continued From Page Two.)

him to be wise after his experience in
bis office. commend his reports to
your most careful consideration. | con-
cur in the Auditors recommendations.
ATTORNEY GENERAL DEPARTMENT.
The work in this department has been
unusually heavy, due largely to the new
.nryyisions contained n the last Revenue
and Machinery Acts. Great demand has
been made upon the time of the Attorney
General for opinions in relation to a
great many of the provisions of these
acts. His report accompanying his docu-
ment gives all usual statistical infOrma-
ton and shows. not fully however, the
amount of work which falls to that office.
re commend at the suggestion of the At
torney General the gathering of addi-
tional statistics in the future. Hereto
fore the statistics while showing the mum
Der of crimes committed by white and
colored people separately do not show
the particular crimes which each race
commits. The character of crime com
mitted by any race is valuable in the
study of that people. Provision ought to
be made also for the collection Of statis-
ties by the clerks OF the courts showing
the number of crimes committed by the
iliterate as compared with those com
mittcd by the literate.
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT..
The Insurance Department was estab-
lished by the Legislature in 1899 and is
one of the most important and valuable
departments Of the State Government.
Up to that time the supervisions Of in
surance companies and the collection Of
taxes from them, was in charge Of the
Secretary of state. The supervision exer-
cised by the Secretary Of State was,
because Of his other duties. necessarily
limited and the largest amount col
lected in licenses and taxes in any one
year was &24,379.28.
The Legislature of 1899 in establishing
the Insurance Department also enacted
the most comprehensive insurance laws
ever placed upon our Statute books. The
wisdom of the newly enacted insurance
legislation has been we'll shown not only
by the supervision and management of
this large class of corporations so as to
guard and protect the interests of the
citizens of the State, but also by the
collection Of increased revenue from them
in licenses and fees. During the past
three years there has been collected
through the Insurance Department and
raid into the State Treasury:
For 1899 -. e. :. ....S 2,865.21
For 1900 =. i. 81, 072. 90
For 1901 =. -. 1872, 034. 03
Total ID. .. . . ..$315, 972.16
I am informed by the Insurance Com
missioner that the collections for the ifs
cal year 1902 will amount to over $140,-
600.
The attention of your honorable body is
called to the necessity of giving addi-
tional allowance for the employment Of
clerical help in this department. The
amount now allowed is the same that
was allowed to the Secretary of State I'M
der former laws. The amount and char
acter of the assistance needed by the
Commissioner in his department calls for
an appropriation of at least 81, 900 which
will be an increase of 81 900 over the
present allowance. The Insurance Com
missioner has during the past three years
collected and paid into the State Treas
ury of the class of fees formerly paid the
Secretary of State for his services in this
behalf. $26. 211.O0.
A valuable work has been accomplish
ed by the Commissioner in Investigating
incendiary fires and having criminals
prosecuted therefor and in seeing that only
licensed companies and agents do bust
ness in the State. These and other
duties imposed upon the COMMISSIONS
necessarily take him from his office much
of the time.
The suggestions of the Insurance Com
missioner in his last annual report, as
we'll as the recommendations made by
him of changes needed in our Insurance
laws are worthy of and no doubt will re-
ceive proper consideration at your hands.
THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
This Board has done excellent work
during the past two years extending the
scope Of it's usefulness as the needs of
the State manifest themselves. | trans
nit herewith the report of the Commis-
sioner of Agriculture and commend the
same to your careful consideration. |
concur in the recommendations therein
made.
THE CORPOn-TION COMMISSION.
This Commission is doing work of far
more value 70 the State than is generally
understood and it's beneficial results
would 3" greatly enlarged if the people
in tl,e State understood that all com
plants made to the Commission in refer
ence to any matter in regard to trans
portation whether of persons or of prop
erty Will receive q prompt and careful
investigations. Ii those who arc disposed
to complain about the Corporation Com
mission would complain to it much good
would be done. During the past year
the passenger rate was made the same
On the branch lines of the Southern, At
lantic Coast Line and the SeabOard Air
Line Railroads as heretofore existed Cd
the main lines. This reduction in itself
amounts to q considerable sum to the
travelling public. The reports accom-
panying this message set out in detail
the work Of the Commission for the past
two years.
CHILD LABOR IN FACTORIES.
| call the attention of your honorable