The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-15
A FREE PASS BILL
BEFORE THE SENATE
Glenn Hot After the State In
vestigating Committee.
SAMPSON BILLSCALLED IN
The Question Of Pensions Discussed The
Raleigh and Eastern Railroad Bill on
its Way---A Day Of Many Bills
Ends Week.

EndS Week.
Saturday in the Senate went through
with barely a breeze of oratory, Lieu
| tenant Governor Turner keeping the Sen
ators busy clearing up the calendar.
Senator Goodwin early in the day with
drew the three bills providing for
change in the county government of
Sampson. These provided for the Gen
eral Assembly to elect four additional
| commissioners, separate the Offices of
| sheriff and treasurer, and elect the lat
| ter appoint Justices of the Peace and
| leave the future election of commission
ers and treasurer to the magistrates.
| In doing this, Senator Goodwin said it
was done at the request of the Demo-
cratic Executive Committee of the coun-
| ty. The bills were first introduced as
| suggested by the committee, but on the
| leturn of Mr.. j. d. Kerr to Clinton he
| made a report to the committee, and
| that BODY, in Difference to the wishes of
| Democratic leaders, wrote TO Mr.. God
win, asking that the bills be withdrawn.
| This was granted and they are no Ion
ger before the Senate.
The Senate may have to discuss the
| free pass question as there was a bill
presented by Senator Reinhardt relating
| to this. 1t provides that the Governor
and the several civil executive officers
| of the State as named in section 1919 of
The Code be given free passes over the
| railroads of the State. Mr.. Reinhardt
thinks the whole law ought to be modi-
| fed that the railroads may give passes
as they desire. The bill is before the
Committee on Railroads and favorable
report or no favorable report it may be
heard from by Mr.. Reinhardt in the Sen
ate.
The forthcoming pension law was in
! jected into the debate yesterday by Sen
ator Mann. He had proposed a bill by
which the payment to the fourth class
of pensions should be changed and in
place of all with property less than $500
receiving $50 a year he proposed that
those with less than $3.50 be given $40
q year and those having from $3.50 to
$500 be given $40 a year. He held that
this would be the best arrangement that
could be made.
Senator London differed from him, say
ing that this would be a hardship, and
that it would still further lessen the
pensioners are receiving. He said the
| matter would come up later when the
pension bill was presented. The bill of
Senator Mann had met with an unfaVor-
able report.
Senator Wellborn (Rep.), tried TO make
| capital out of the discussion by saying
he was willing to see four hundred mil
lion dollars paid pensioners and asked
I ho ho TO.
OF pensions was charity. Quick as a
fash came the reply mo, it is not Il
charity, it is a duty and a debt, a debt
so large that we can never repay the
gallant men who offered their lives In
defence of their country, If L was talk
ing for effect as is the Republican Sena-
tor from Ashe l would also cry out for
four hundred millions, but right now I
will ask him if he will vote for four
hundred thousand dollar bond issue, part
of which is to go to Confederate pen
sioneIs?"
Did the Republican Senator answer UP
like man and say that he would? Nay,
verify, he lodged the issue and let Sen
ator London alone.
Senator Glenn went biff bang at the
State Investigating Committee which
lately went the rounds and reported on
the State Institutions. His bill to abol-
ish this committee came up, and in speak
ing to it Senator Glenn said that the re-
ToTt of the committee had been so thor
oughly unjust and had been said TO be
so absolutely unfair to certain institu-
tions that it~ought to be done away with
He referred to the report of the COM
mittee concerning the colored A. and NJ.
College at Greensboro and said that this
had been pronounced unjust by those
who as directors had the school in their
care. Basing his opinion on the unfair
ness of that report he declared he could
rot be silent, but would urge that the
committee be abolished. He also spoke
of the necessity of the power to visit
the institutions being placed with the
committees of the General Assembly,
which would not cost the State half as
much as the $4,000 spent by the In
yestigating Committee
The bill passed its second reading With
but few dissenting voices, bjut Senator
Spence expressed strong opposition to it,
and it went over to another day.
Senator Norris introduced d bill for
the maintenance of the Blind Institution.
II provides for $4,000 additional to the
$50, 600 now given and states that this is
for the care of the 65 additional chill
dren, the number during the year having
increased from 226 to 331.
The substitute bill for a "Child Labor
Law was introduced yesterday and next
Wednesday was set for the discussion
OF this important measure.
SENATE-THIRTY-F FOURTH DAY.
The Senate was called to order at IL
O'Clock yesterday with Lieutenant Cover
nor Turner presiding. Prayer was Of
fered by Rev. NJ. NJ. Mcfarland and the