The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-02-03

(FrOm The News and Observer, Z9tn.t
The most interesting debate of the ses-
sion, the introduction of several bills Of
decided Importance, a royal welcome to
Senator Griffith of the Tllirty-sixth dis
trict, and another avalanche OF temper
ance petitions characterized the deliber-
atoms of the Senate yesterday.
The last desk on the center aisle was
assigned to Senator Griffith of Yancey'
who has just been chosen at a special
election to fill the vacancy caused by the
killing OF Senator-elect Wilson. Before
the Senator entered the chamber Door
keeper Bats placed a magnificent bou-
uuet OF roses upon his desk. Senator
Griffith is one Of the youngest
members of the Senate. He is a mcr-
chant and o stauncn mountaineer
Democrat, who succeeded in rcdeeming a
district hitherto Republican by
1000. When the Senate met Mr..
Webb moved that the oath be admins
tered to him. but after some discussion
1T was decided to defer this until after
IL o'clock since the board Of canvassers
Of the Thirty-sixth district would meet at
that time. This was done and when Sen
ator Griffith went forward modestly and
took the oath at 1890 there was a round
of applause.
WOODARD LOCAL OPTION BILL.
Senator Woodland, of Wilson, introduce
ed a bill to amend the present local OPP
ton act SO as TO permit "the establish
ment Of local dispensaries wherever de-
sired by a majority of the qualified voters
in the locality to be Affected The bill
begins with a preamble reciting that
much legislative time is now harmfully
consumed with local questions and the
Democratic policy is to let the people
decide their local matters, hence this bill
provides that upon a petition of one-third
Of the qualified voters CT a town, town
ship or county the county commissioners
shall call an election on the Tuesday af-
ter the first Monday in June, on years
when the General Assembly meets, and
the qualified voters shall cast ballots
either ''dispensary" or ~'license." If dis
pensary carries then no liquor license
shall be Issued in such territory.
BODIES FOR DISSECTION.
Senator White, of Franklin, introduced
a bill which provides that the professors
OF anatomy Of the medical schools in
North Carolina shall constitute a State
board for the distribution of dead human
bodies of persons who die in prison and
jails, other bodies required to be buried
at public expense and of those who suf-
fer death under law for crime. These
bodies are to be sent to the colleges ac-
cording to the number Of students in such
colleges. It exempts the bodies Of those
who die in homes for the Aged and In
firm, in Insane Asylums, in Soldiers Home
and such bodies as are claimed by rela-
tives. A penalty of $500 to $500 is pro-
vided for failing to carry out this act.
The committee on health unanimously de-
cided to report this bill favorably.
DEBATE ON DIVORCE BILL
Senator Baldwin bill making it lawful
for all persons divorced for abandonment
to remarry came up as the special or
der. The committee offered an amend
ment that no person should remarry I'M
til three years after the degree was re-
corded. This was adopted and considera-
ton was postponed until 1890. At that
hour Senator Baldwin spoke for the bill.
He began by saying there are two kind.
of divorce, one from bed and board, and
the other from the bonds of matrimony.
The law grants a divorce for abandon
ment but prevents the guilty party from
remarrying. The Legislature had made
abandonment one Of the grounds for di-
vorce. He had not introduced a divorce
bill and never would. though this bill
had been misunderstood. He explained
that this measure was only to remedy an
inequality and prevent the innocent from
having celibacy fixed upon them as a pen
atty. He recited instances where the law
forbidding remarriage had worked a great
hardship. He characterized as absurd a
law which prevents reconciliation, for
since the woman can remarry and the
man cannot, the woman can marry any
one else except the husband from whom
she was divorced.
Senator London, of Chatham, wanted to
enter his earnest protest against any bill
to loosen the marriage ties. He was op-
posed to giving the guilty party a right
to remarry.
Senator Woodland, of Wilson, said that
the law regarded marriage merely as a
civic contract. He doubted the consti-
tutionality of any act which would dis
solve one party from that contract and
at the same time keep the other bound.
ANY civil contract save marriage is brok-
en- when either party is released. He
could not see anything impolite and I'M
just in allowing both to remarry. An
absolute divorce to wife ought to mean an
absolute divorce to husband also.
This bill is a radical departure from
the law of Christian civilization" de-
clared Senator Henderson. of Rowan.
Under the old English law there was no
cause for a divorce that did not exist
prior to the marriage. In fact there was
then no divorce. If certain impedinents
existed before the then the
marriage was afterwards simply declared
nul and void. North Carolina held to
this old. law until thirty or forty years
age, and now the Old North State has
steadily declined, and the effect of this
bill will be to bring this State to the
very lowest depth Of degradation of the
marital relation. The bill is in defence
of expressed opinion and views of every
religious body. Furthermore there is no
reason for this bill, because the guilty
person can now so to another State and
remarry. However, he asked the Senate
not to let the State stamp such second
marriages with his approval. Mr.. Hen
derson then quoted the words Of a Metho-