The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-08

IT is too soon yet to review the work
Of the Legislature of 1903 and to estimate
how It will be received by the people.
In its. LEGISLATIVE EDITION. to appear
next week, this paper will make COM
prehensive review of all that has been
done. However, before such a review can
be carefully prepared, it is gratifying 10
the News and Observer, and will be to
it's thousands of readers,-for whom and
all the people of North Carolina it does
battle,-to be able to state that those
measures which this paper has earnestly
championed have already been enacted
into law.
This paper Independent in the true
sense that characterizes useful party
exponent, does not wait for legislators
and party leaders to tell it what to adj
vocate. 1t throws itself into the fight
for the measures that it believes are
wisest and most necessary and against
those measures it deems unwise and I'M
necessary, seeking to serve it's party by
helping in every way possible, to keep
the party rudder true. No paper or legis-
lator can have influence if it seeks to do
too many things. Both must throw their
whole weight in behalf of the few meas
ures deemed of the highest Importance.
During the past sixty days this paper
has earnestly and sincerely, day after
day, confined it's editorial advocacy of or
opposition to the following measures, all
of which substantially won and have been
placed upon the statute books:
1. The News and Observer pressed effec-
tive temperance legislation. 1t never ad-
vocated in its entirety any particular
BILL contenting itself rather with doing
everything in it's power to secure the
most effectual and far reaching measures
which the wisdom of the Legislature
could embody into law. When the acts
are published, general and local, it will
be seen that the General Assembly, while
not doing all that many good men desir-
ed, has taken very long step toward
promoting tens erandc-the longest step
ever taken in the history of legislation in
North Carolina
q The News and Observer antagonzed
the attempt of the railroads to repeal
section fifty of the Machinery Act, which
provides scientific and just rule for as
certaining the true value of railroads for
by the State and Federal Supreme courts.
In the new machinery act, section fifty
of the act of 1901 stands without the
change of so much as the dotting of an
81 or the crossing of a st." Under that
mandate, the Corporation Commission has
no discretion except to assess the rail-
roads at their true value, as determined
by the price which the people who know
| most place upon the property. The prn-
ciple upon which that section is based
is the statement of Justice Brewer that
whatever property is worth for the pur-
pose of income and sale it is also worth
for taxation"
supported the Fuller bill, which gave the
Corporation Commission the power to
compel the erection of union depots
wherever practicable and necessary. The
opposition to this simple bill was par
ticularly strong, and it required more
than a month of hard work on the part
of it's advocates to secure its passage
| without injurious amendments. That law
| now makes it impossible for any rail-
| road to snap its fingers in the faces Of
| an outraged community and deny them a
| union passenger depot.
4. The News and Observer gave
its earnest support to the desire of bust
| ness men, manufacturers and shippers
to require the putting into effect of the
old principle of what is sauce for the
goose is sauce for the gander." Senator
| Pharr's bill authorizing the Corporation
Commission to make rules that would
require the railroads to furnish cars and
transport freight without delay is a
| righteous measure and is one of the best
measures enacted by the General Assem-
| bly,. Under present regulations, rail-
| roads charge merchants and others de-
| murrage if they do not unload their
| freight at once. Under the Pharr bill
| the railroads can be made to pay if they
| do not furnish cars and deliver freight
promptly.
A. The News and Observer believes that
| the law setting aside the 100000 Liter
airy Fund to be loaned to the weak dis
| tricts for public schools is one of the
| best measures introduced in the General
| Assembly. 1t supported it heartily and
rejoices that in its wisdom the Legisla-
| ture dedicated that sum to this purpose.
| The chief difficulty in securing a larger
attendance in many school districts is
| that the school houses are uncomfortable
Some of them are positively so old and