The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-01-27

/ g&AE8E0Gs WHO declared aEHTE So TO
demand or need for sueh . Las taat IN
his section which was the eess live sture
region in North Carolina IL wcuiA - ex-
ceedingly ineonYentent. unpopular and
odious- The bill was laid CT tae table
AMENDED To $3.50.
The b}l allowing an appropriation 81
two thousand dollars 20 the Insurance
Department FOR clerical assistance. co-1-
ing up on second reading. Brit,asa Of
fered 10 amend by Inserting sixteen hun
dred dollars.
ar. Dre~ry read a telegram from 4
W. MeAlIister. manager OF three fusur-
ance companies Of Greensboro. strongly
approving the bill. stating that the In-
surance department lad been Of more
benefit 10 North Carolina than any other
Institution. and any measure looking to
giving it more aid and encouragement
would prove a paying Investment
He also read a letter from Insurance
Commissioner Young. stating that with
! the immense amount Of clerical work o;
the department, the present aprroprIa-
ton Of one thousand dollars was entirely
inadequate. Mr.. prewry then stated. that
while he felt satisfied tina sixteen hun
dred dollars vas not enough. yet In
Difference TO the views OF a large mum
Der of members, he would accept the
Amendments providing for sixteen hundred
dollars, instead OF two thousand Passed
fral reading as amended
UNION DEPOT BILL
The bill amending the Act OF 1899. in
| toduced by Mr.. Fuller. Of Durham. so
| that the Corporation Commission shall
| be given power in it's discretion 10 com
| pei the building Of union passenger de-
| pots in towns or cities which two or
more railroads enter, was next taken UP.
Mr.. Fuller defended IT in a very able
| and forcible manner, stating that the
| imputation that it was entirely OF d
| local nature was utterly at fault. 1t
| asked for nothing but the stipulation Of
a certain nower residing in the Corpora
| ton Commission. Nothing in the bill
! compels the commissions to do anything.
II is merely an appeal from the long suf-
fering people TO have to some tribunal
before which they can appeal.
AS an instance of disregard for the
convenience of the people on the part
of the railroads. Mr.. Fuller told OF the
terrible conditions existing at Durham.
The constitutionality of the bill was
shown by Mr.. Fuller. who read from
many authorities to support his claim.
In opposing the bill, Mr.. Morton. Of
New Hanover. said from tho statements
made before the committee. he was con-
vipccd that the city Of Durham was
sadly in need of a depot. and he posi-
lively hoped it would get one. The trouble
about the present bill was. that it pro-
posed to delegate to three men the
power to compel corporations to go into
partnership, and become joint owners of
property. with the power TO compel them
to place buildings on land that might be
held at enormous values. Citing an in
stance in Massachusetts, he said the city
of Worcester needed a depot, and could
not get it. They went before the Legisla-
ture and obtained a law there in that
particular case. compelling six railroads
to build a Union Depot, and If the city
Of Durham would present such a meas
ure to this Legislature. he had no doubt
relief would be cheerfully granted. Il
for one" said he, Il believe l would vote
for it, but l cannot vote for a general
law such as the one proposed, giving to
three men the powers contemplated
THE JOINT SESSION.
Judge Graham, of Granville, was pro-
ceeding TO speak in support of the bill,
when the approach of the Senate was an
nounced, and the joint session of tho
two bodies was held, a bail t being taken
for United States Senator without result,
and an adjournment of the joint session
was had until today at noon.
GRAHAM ON DEPOT BILL.
Judge Graham proceeded to discuss the
merits of the proposed bill to give the
Corporation Commission power to com
pei the erection of Union depots. He
read from numerous authorities to show
that the law was constitutional. he
said the demand for this law vas urgent,
and it was a shame and disgrace that
the people of Durham had been made
to suffer 50 long.
General Davidson, of Buncombe, en-
CURED if the supporters of the bill had
enquircd into the question as TO whether
or not the act Will not confer upon the
commission the right to legislatc. He
was i'll favor of the object sought, if it
could be attained under the proposed law.
Judge Graham said this matter had
been carefully examined, and there could
be no question:, that under the powers
conferred in the general act erecting the
Corporation Commission, the commission
would simply be performing a ministerial
act in exercising the powers delegated
to it by the Legislature.
Mr.. Morton again made an argument,
declaring that the bill certainly dele
gated legislative powers to the com
mission.
Mr.. Murphey. Of Rowan, said the bill
should apply to Durham alone; that a
general law like the one proposed was a
complete surrender of legislative control
ever such matters which was contrary TO
public policy, and the growing of Demo
cratic institutions. The relief sought
vas all right and proper, and the
remedy was wrong.
SMITHS LEGAL ARGUMENT.
L. l.. Smith, of Gates, made a strong
legal argument in support of the bill,
ccntending that it was entirely in con-
sonance with the spirit Of the act Great
ing the Corporation Commission, neither
charging or increasing its powers, but
simply defining certain duties, in addi-
tion to those already commanded.
Mr.. White. of Halifax, spoke in favor
of the bill.
Mr.. Parker, Of Wayne, spoke earnestly
in support of the measure, while Mr..