The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-13

son the same Gay. L regard tnlS as a
valuable work and one which long
since ought to have been accom-
plished.
There is another set of the legisla-
ture requiring the p~eaitentiary to furn-
ism convicts and taxi stock in a turn
pike to be constructed from Marion in
Mcdowell county to Spruce Pine in
Mitchell Ounty and rom Spruce Pin
a road TO Evansville in Yancey county
and a separate road from Spruce Pm
TO BakersVille in Mitchell Ounty l
hope that this act viii be permitted to
remain on the statute books. / know
of no greater work which the StLte
can Go than in constructing these roads
where il is impossible for them to be
built by private enterprise or by county
effort. The total cost of the road from
Marion to Evansville and BakersvIlle
will probably amount to sixty Thousand
dollars 1850. 0O0). but the investment of
the convict labor in these roads in ad-
dition 10 the dividends which they VII
probably pay, brings that section into
close touch with the balance Of the
state. The people of Yancey county
have already began building from
GAINESVILLE to Spruce Pine. If the leg
islature should be of opinion that he
building of these roads is a wise thing
for the state to take a part in. when
the road from WilkesborO to jefferson
shall have been completed, ii is ny
purpose to turn the fifty cOnvicts now
at work on that road over to the Ma
rion and Evansville and Bakersville
road.
THE CODE COMMISSION.
The last c]odifcation of our laws was
published in 1888. twenty years Ago.
Since then ten general assemblies. IN
Guiding the one now in session. have
met and the amendments 10 the Jaw
as it existed in 1883 have been import
ant and numerous. The edition OF the
Code has been exhausted. 1t is diff
cult to ascertain what our statute law
is on many subjects. It is important
that the law as far as possible shall
be in compact form. easy Of reference
so as to b. known to the people. and
particularly to those charged with the
duty of advising about it and to those
who have to enforce it. Provision for
a new code is worthy Of you careful
consideration
LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSE
TON.
On May L. 1904, the Louisiana Pur-
chase exposition will b. opened in St.
Louis, Missouri. This exposition will be
the greatest ever held in the world.
The congress of the United States has
appropriated $6.3OS. 600; the city of St.
LolAio Iioto ploN INSu S1U,OUu,U UU, ana lIe
state OF Missouri 81, 600, 0G0 for the con-
duct of this great exhibition of the
worlds work. North Carolina ought
to make an exhibit there. The high
in which she is now held
by her sister states has grow rapidly
during the past ten years and it can
not be doubted that one of the impor-
tant elements bringing about this inn
provement has been the part which she
has taken in the successive eXposi.-
tons which have been neid throughout
the country. The exhibits which she
has made have not always been elab-
crate or costly, but they have attracted
on account of their excellence and have
brought capital to our state in an
amount far in excess of her eXpendi-
lures. If we make an exhibit at all ii
ought to be a creditaDle one. The cost
of making an exhibit for this state
will be comparatively small. The ma
terialS which she has collected for prev
ious exhibits n the cases which have
been made for properly installing them
are now held by the State Museum. A
considerable portion, therefore, of n
exhibit which we may make at st.
Louis can be taken from the State
Museum n later returned to it. The
cost of Installing and caring for these
exhibits will be comparatively small,
because of the fact that there will be
III Tic pGilitI VI 1uH ID IlplI Oh
the exposition company q sufficient
number of North Carolinians to care
for the exhibits without any eXtensiv
outlay on the part of the state for this
purpose. and l have assurances tina
those gentlemen will be glad TO do this
work for the state. If the general as
semDly will appropriate fifteen thous-
and dollars ($15.000) l am promised by
responsible gentlemen that SIS. 600 ad-
ditional Will be raised in the state by
private subscription, and these sums
will enable us to make an exhibit fully
equal to many of the states that have
appropriated from fifty thousand to
s~eventy-fiVe thousand dollars. In ad-
dition to this the exhibits will be re-
turned to add to our already excellent
museum. There will be no need of the
erection of a North Carolina building
ut the exposition.
THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF
NORTH CAROLINA.
About a year ago there was formed
at Greensboro The Audubon Society of
North Carolina. The object of this So
ciety is TO protect and preserve the
game n nOn-game birds of the state.
Already the society contains a large
membership of many of the best people
in the state. We have heretofore paid
little attention to the preservation of
'ur birds other than those which have
been protected for the sake of game,
but the birds other than game birds
are of great practical value to man.
They render much service as destroy
erS OF insects which are injurious to
vegetation, as of small ro-
dents, as destrOyers of large quantities
NJ seeds of injurious plants n as
ScaVengelS. Some of these birds con-
sumo more han their own weight of
insects daily. In this way they are a
great protection to our crops and the
little injury which they q, to them is
much more than COunterbalanced by
the service rendered. There have been
fOun in the State three hundred and
twelve species of birds. but they be-
come ScJrcer with each year. Many OF
them ere almost entirely extinct. Our
sell birds have been almost eXtermi-
mated for the plUmes collected for the
great millinery houses. The Audubon
Society viii ask for the enactment OF
a law protecting all these birds. The
society will undertake the task Of en-