The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-03
The Divorce BhI Passes
the House.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

owen, of Sampson: Toprovide for the
better working of the public roads in
Sampson county.
Rucker, of Rutherford: For the relief
of M. O. Dickerson. Clerk of the Su-
perior. Court of Rutherford county.
Goode, of Cleveland: For the relief Of
Willard w. Gregg, of Cleveland county
Gay, of Northampton To amend chap
ter 1S9, Laws Of 1899, relating to the
Jackson Dispensary.
Gay: To provide for stock law cleo
ton in Northampton county.
Thomas, of Ashe For the relief of b.
B. Grigsley, public school teacher.
MacCall, of Davidson: To amend chap
ter 296, Private Laws of 1899, and also
chapter 1888.
Duncan, of Sampson: To repeal chap
ter 1871, Laws of 1901, relating to defense
of officers and persons presented in the
Federal courts.
Kicks, of Nash: To authorize the trus-
tees Of the Spring Hope Graded School
to issue bonds.
Daughtridge, of Edgecombe: To amend
the law OF 1901, relating to branding fer
tilizers.
Benbow, of Yadkin: To incorporate the
on the Calendar at once, and it was re-
town of Hamptonville.
Mr. Curtis objected to this bill going
ferred.
Woodland, of Pamlico: To amend the
fish law of 1899 for Pamlico county
Self, of Catawba: To amend section
1904 of The Code, providing for the. sep
arate indexing of conveyances, etc.
DeHart, of Swain: Toauthorize the
payment of residue of salaries due white
teachers in Swain county.
Guion, of Craven: To amend section SO
of The Code, adding canals and torn
pixies to the jurisdiction of the Board OF
Internal improvements.
Doughton. of Allegheny: To incorpor-
ate the Baptist Ministers Annuity Asso-
citation.
Graham, of Granville: To appoint A.
w. Schoolcraft a Justice of the Peace
Morton, of New Hanocer: For the re-
lief of the Hotel Lafayette
PASSED FINAL READING.
Senate Bill to amend the charter OF
the Guilford Battle Ground.
House Bill, to protect oysters, clama
and terrapins in Brunswick county.
Senate Bill, authorizing the Corpora.
tion Commission to make rules regulat-
ing demurrage and storage charges and
in the placing of cars by railroad COM
panies for loading and unloading.
Mr.. Morton offered an amendment
adding the word reasonable" before
rules
Mr. MCNEIL read a letter from manu-
facturers in Scotland county asking for
the passage of the bill under question
Senator Pharr's- bill
Mr. Morton's amendment was lost, it
being considered that it would be a re-
Election upon the Corporation Commits
sion.
The bill then passed second and third
readings.
DIVORCE BILL.
Next Mr.. Sells substitute for the sew
eral divorce bills came up. This was
reported favorably by the committee, and
provides for divorce on account of
abandonment for two years, but without
the privilege of marrying again in five
years, and giving the Judge power, for
any reason, it set aside the verdict Of
the jury granting divorce.
General Davidson warned the House of
the great and serious Importance of such
a measure. He spoke of the former con-
servatism of North Carolina. on this
subject, and how laws protected the
sanctity of the home. But in 1899, the
Legislature, in an evil moment, passed
bill allowing divorce for abandonment
within a certain limit. This was done
on account of some unfortunate cases
that evoked sympathy. General David
son thought it very unfortunate that the
bars shold have been let down even
temporarily.
He regretted that the committee had
reported favorably upon this bill which
now turns out to be a bill making
abandonment a temporary case for di-
vorce 1t was a sufficient fact. he
thought, that the committee, in consider
ing the several divorce bills introduced
this session, had favored a permanent
abandonment bill. But the sub commit
tee, although favoring the permanent
bill, yet had reported a temporary bill.
1t showed they feared the permanent
bill.
He considered it very unfortunate that
the evil legislation of 1899 had been con-
tinued There was no need for it. The
present statutes gave relief in cases of
hardship, by allowing divorce from bed
and board.
But let us not legislate for special
cases. That has been we'll called the
duicksand of legislation. which chould
be for the general good.
Let this Legislature not throw open
the doors to any policy that might lead
to the social debauchery that always fol-
lows any legislation of this kind The
marriage tie is the Unit, the basis of all
good social order and government.
General Davidson's speech was pow
erful. earnest plea that was applauded
literally.
Mr.. Murphy, who was one of the sub
committee with Mr.. Self and General
Davidson said that General Davidson
was mistaken in the date of the first
legislation of this kind The first law for
divorce by reason of abandonment was
enacted n 1897. That law was RETROSPECT
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