The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-02-19
OUR RALEIGHLETTER
POLITICAL AND OTHER NEWS FROM
THE STATE CAPITAL.

I'LL vi NIL UNI lIhts
The Question of Child Labor Practl-
caIiy SsttIed-Liquor Question Hav-
ing its Innings Now-Revenue Bill
Reported-Extension of Corporate
Limits of Raleigh-Other Items of
Interest.
RALEIGH, n. c.. Feb 10th, 1903.
The question of child labor legislation
is practically settled and the ''comprO-
mise bill will probably become law
this week The mill owners changed
their tactics at the second hearing before
the committee and, instead OF fighting
any and all legislation on the subject,
they agreed to recede from that position
and to assist the committee in framing
lust and satisfactory law.
As soon as they manifested this spirit,
and got down off their high horse" the
committee gladly joined hands with
them for there is no desire on the part
of any OF them to cripple or injure the
cotton manufacturing industry in any
way and mild compromise measure is
the result.
If passed by both branches of the Gen
eral Assembly as recommended by the
majority of the committee which is
probable, the law will not go into effect
until January 1, 1904. The bill simply
provides that children of either sex
under twelve years of age shall not be
employed in any manufacturing estab-
lishment at any time, and no exception
| is made That not exceeding sixty-six
(66) hours shall constitute a weeks
work for all and no operative will be
allowed to work longer, except in re-
pairing break-downs-eng fremen,
| machinists, section or yard men, watch
men, superintendent and Office men, ex-
cepted. That a statement in writing
giving age OF children employed shall be
| furnished employer by parents or guar
dams, and if falsely stated penalty not
exceeding 800 is provided. That is all.
| Nothing said about employment OF chill
| dren of twelve years and up at night,
and no word anent compulsory educa-
ton. The absence of these features
makes the bill unsatisfactory to many,
and an effort to amend it will be made in
open session OF House and Senate.
The law ratified by the South Carolina
| Legislature last week eliminates children
under ten this year, those under eleven
next year and those under twelve after
| January l. 1905.
Already the cotton manufacturers are
| called upon to oppose another proposed
| law affecting their industry. Senator
| Gillian, of Edgecombe, has introduced
bin to extend the fellow-servants' law
| now applicable to railroad employees
| only in this State) to cotton mill opera
tives-making the owners of mills liable
| in damages, through suit in court, for in
| juries received by operatives through
/ tbo or
employees in mills.
! The liquor question is having its in
nings now. The debate began in the
| House last Friday, and the first night
session was held Friday night for a con-
| tinuation of the debate-the Watts bill
being under consideration with a favOra-
| BILE report The Senate committee on
| the same day reported the London bill
| favOrably after amending in several re-
| spects, but not so as to materially affect
it's text or interfere with it's chief aim and
| operation. One of these amendments
provides that parties applyingfor license
| to sell liquor shall secure the names OF
one third co of the registered voters to
| their petitions, instead of a majority.
| Another amendment cuts down the pop.
ulation of towns in which liquor may be
manufactured from ZOO to 800, and in
| towns where it shall not be sold at all
| from 500 to 300. Another amendment
makes the law effective July 1, 1903.
| The revenue bill having been reported
by the Joint committee on Finance, the
legislators will this week begin to tackle
that biennial puzzle. But there will be
nothing like as big a fight over it as
there was two years ago. Among the
! changes already agreed to in committee
are those reducing licensefee of druggists
selling liquor on prescription from 900
to 1925; that requiring retail liquor deal
ers to pay State tax of $50 every six
months, and those selling in five gallons
or more, 5000 each six months; dealers
in malt liquors exclusively, $50; that
levying a graduated tax of $23 to 5000
| on whiskey distilleries, and that requir-
ing dispensaries to pay a privilege tax Of
two (2) per cent. on gross receipts.
| 1t is likely that the proposition to issue
something like half million dollars
worth of new State bonds will go
| through by sheer necessity. We are in a
financial hole, certainly, and a bond issue
seems to be the only available means of
are not badly in debt on account OF out
standing bonds, and our credit is very
| good indeed in Wall street in proof of
that fact.
Senator Overman has appointed Rep
reseutative F. l.. Carr. of Greene county,
| to be his private secretary.
| The bill establishing two terms of the
| Federal District Court at Wilkesboro has
| passed both branches of Congress and is
| now law.
| Congressman Joe Cannon, father"
| OF the House and tO-be Speaker of the
next Congress, has been invited to visit
the scenes of his birth and early boyhood
days in Guilford county in October, on
the occasion of the reunion of native non
| resident North Carolinians at Green's
boro in October, and he will probably
attend. "Uncle joe Cannon has repre-
sented an Illinois district in Congress for
almost a generation.
1t looks like we are to have another
Code Commission it is probably
needed.
The Board of Aldermen of Raleigh has
adopted resolutions asking the Legisla-
| ture to extend the corporate limits of
this city, and a committee composed of
five aldermen, including your correspon-
dent has been appointed to engineer the
application through the General Assem-
| bly,. We will add several thousand to
the citys population thereby The cor
| porate limits of Raleigh have not been
changed since 1S56-not a foot of ter
rltory added to the city limits in Al
years! And this, too, while thousands
are living in some of the finest and best
dwellings Just outside the boundary
| doing business in Raleigh; receiving near
~ all the city's advantages of water,
lights, etc. but not paying cent of city
| tax.
| The Senate on Saturday passed the
bill to abolish the special committee to
examine the public institutions of the
State, created by the last General Assem-
| bly, and it will probably pass the House
| also this week
The bill designed to induce a better at
tendance of children in the public schools
| Substitute bill OF commit tee) will come