The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1903-02-17
WHAT THE LEGISLATURE IS DOING.

continues, but we have at last reached the be-
ginning of the end. The House, Saturday, after
two days of discussion of the Watts, Smith and
Murphy Bills, postponed further consideration
of the matter until to-day (Tuesday), When, it IS
believed, that the promoters of the Watts Bill
will propose some amendments to that measure,
making it much more stringent. In the Senate
the London Bill is the special order for Thursday.
On the whole, the outlook for genuine temperance
legislation is decidedly more favorable than a
week ago.
The Smith Bill, introduced by the Representa-
tive from Gates, establishes prohibition through
out the State, simply giving the citizens of any
community the right to vote out prohibition and
establish dispensaries or saloons. In other words,
the law now assumes that whiskey selling is want
ed everywhere except the people expressly declare
against it; the Smith Bill assumes that prohibi-
ton is wanted everywhere except where the peo-
pie expressly declare against it.
The London Bill, with some amendments, has
been favorably reported in the Senate. The
amendments CD make the population limit of
towns that may have distilleries 500 instead of
1000; (2) of towns that may have bar-rooms,
900 instead of 500; 90 requires applicants for
license to show petitions signed by one-third, in
stead of one-half, of the qualified voters.
\ minority of the committee declares against
the London Bill, and will present a substitute.
The crisis is now at hand in both Houses.
=
The proposed bond issue is now beginning to get
its share of attention. A large number of people
think that the scheme will fail, but it seems like
ly that enough will be issued to pay off the pres
ent treasury defcit-about $500, 600, we believe.
Representative Doughton last week introduced
a bill providing for an issue of 100000, the bonds
to bear 3R per cent interest and run fifty years.
=
The factory child labor question was acted on
by the joint committee last week. The bill, as
agreed upon, prohibits the employment of chill
dren under twelve years of age in any manufac-
turing establishment and makes sc hours the
limit for a weeks work for factory hands. Sec
ton 3 is as follows:
Cali persons standing in the place of a parent
hiring children shall furnish to the employer a
statement in writing of the age of such children
and such persons who shall misstate the age of
such child shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any
person employing labor for any manufacturing es-
tablishment who shall knowingly violate this act
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor."
We are afraid that this section will fall some
what short of it's purpose. There are vampire
liz VIII VII MAKE 1dlS6 statements as to the
ages of their children, and who will dare inter
fere?
1t seems to us that the Legislature should ex-
pressly require that where the mother of the child
IS living, she shall sign the statement with the
father. This may be contemplated IN Section 3.
but its language does not seem to make such ac-
ton imperative. It is the duty of the Legisla-
ture to do all in its power to give effect to its ac-
lions, and there can be no reasonable objection to
having both parents sign the statement as to age.
A father who is mean enough to loaf and support
himself by the labor of little children that should
be strengthening the mind and BODY in the NAV