The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1903-02-17

vision requiring the mothers to sign with the
fathers.
We regret that the amendment prohibiting
night work by children under fourteen was not
adopted. Night work wrecks the body and ruins
the health of children so young, and it should be
prohibited by law.
The people are beginning to wonder what is to
be dore for the public schools, and interest in the
matter is deepened by the rather sensational an
nouncement Just made by Superintendent Joyner
that the Second 100000 voted by the last Leg
~islature to supplement other school funds so as to
bring all the public schools up to the constitutional
four months term, is neither in hand nor in
sight" The action of the last General Assembly
III making this appropriation was spoken of with
boastful pride by every Democrats speaker in
the last campaign, apd it is a decided surprise to
find that we are now in danger of falling back
from the position we had already won in the
educational column. The Legislature must find
some way to maintain a four months school in
every district in North Carolina. If bonds are
necessary. bonds must be isued. Senator White,
of FRANKLIN, is advocating an appropriation of
100000 for the public schools, and his bill ought
to pass.
We are glad to see that the rural school library
system is to be maintained and extended. We
doubt if any other $4,000 appropriation made in
the last twentv years has accomplished so great
a work az has resulted from this amount set apart
two years ago for libraries in country schools
A bill passed the House Friday night authorizing
the establishment of six more of these libraries
in each county and also providing a small appro-
~priation to maintain those already established.
Mr.. Buckner, the Republican who claims he
was elected to the Senate from the Thirty-sixth
District, attempted to get a hearing before the
committee on contested elections last week, but
was refused for technical reasons. The law re-
qrires that the member having the certificate of
election shall have 80 days notice of contest be-
fore the case is acted on. AS Buckner did not
give notice till February 18th, this provision would
delay the hearing until after adjournment. and it
was reported at one time that no steps would be
taken to right this wrong. We are glad to see,
however, that the Senate of North Carolina is in
capable of such smallness and narrow partisan
ship. Senator Henderson's bill to make ten DAYS
notice OF contest sufficient, has already passed it's
second reading.
The Audubon Society Bill for bird protection
has passed its second reading in the House. and
we nope 1t will soon become a law. A telling
speech i'll its favor was made by Prof. Gilbert
Pearson in the House Thursday.
Few bills introduced at this session have at
tracted more attention than the Fuller Bill en-
towering the Corporation Commission to compel
the establishment of union depots in towns of
Importance. The bill was called forth
Dy The refusal of the Southern Railway to give
durham adequate depot accommodations and
the light on 1t has been very bitter. It is now a
law.
Ihe bill to incorporate the Farmers Protective
Association passed both Houses last week.