The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1905-02-23
TAX -cUEEEETUR LAW
HSNGG GIT 2<EN5E.E ~
House Passed Bill To Again Con-
:5Lf: r rg-E zEL@f :: e! =.
soIidate The Office of Sheriff
and Tax Gatherer

from the Legislature of 1908, to separate
the office of Sheriff and tax collector
was last week repealed by the House
of Representatives and this put the
matter sup to-" Senator Toms. During
the absence of the Senator, who was of
with the committee reviewing the
oyster fields in some of the eastern
counties, Mr.. Rector presented the bill
in the House told the committee there
was no opposition to it and secured a
favorable report without a dissenting
voice. The day it all happened I was
confined in the Senate clerks Office IN
til 4 p. m. and bad to spend the re-
mainder of the afternoon and evening
until 10 o'clock measuring matter for
the State printer, and consequently bad
no opportunity to 60 to the House at
all. Did not know the bill had been
introduced until 1 reached my room late
at night.
On the following morning | hunted
up Mr.. Rector and asked him when a
hearing before the committee would be
had, receiving the reply that she did
not know, as no meeting had been an
nounced," upon his statement l went on
about my work ignorant of the fact
that it had been rushed before the
committee already on the day previous.
a little later, however, one of the
House clerks, who happened to be
present when the bill was considered by
the committee, came over an informed
secured. 1 then sent Mr.. Rector a re-
quest for a re-reference of the bill. but
he refused. A motion was made to
that effect, however, but voted down
upon the promise of Mr.. Rector to
leave the matter with Senator Toms
when it reached the Senate, inasmuch
as the committee had reported favora-
bly,.
Upon his return Senator Toms joined
heartily into the light, the result of
which was wired to The HUSTLER last
week. Rector came over to the hear
ing before the committee and attempt
ed to deliver himself of the same speech
he made during the campaign last fall
and in his letters over the signature of
Browplow Jackson. This was not the
kind of argument the committee want
ed, and the chairman demanded that
the speaker address himself to the SUBJ
jecL ~whereuponI arose and asked that
Mr.. Rector be allowed to proceed as his
speech was exactly what our friends
wanted democrats t hear. He then
continued his denuniciation of our
party until the chairman ''cut him
down." Senator Toms stood up like a
man and urged the committee to report
the bill u~nfavorably and Senator Alex
ander acquiesced in the suggestion.
Mr.. Toms presented a petition. contain
ing a majority of the democrats, asking
for the Law to stand as it is. At the con
clusion of his speech the writer was
called upon for a statement and adj
dressed the committee in opposition to
the bill. An ~unfayorable report was
secured by a vote of four to two and
Bryan, republican, of Yancy, gave
notice of a minority report, which ne
cessitated a fight on the floor of the
Senate. Senator Toms proved equal to
the occasion and Mr.. Alexander stood
by him to the end. Result: rs against
and 8 for the bill only three democrats
voting in the affirmative. Thus ended
the first chapter, entirely satisfactory
to our folks"
At this writing a bill, introduced by
Rector, is pending in the House to
authorize the county commissioners to
elect the Tax Collector, but there
seems to be little LIKELIHOOD of it's pas
sage. In the event that body should
let itslip through Senator Toms and
Alexander tell me it will be promptly
put to sleep in the senate, where the
sentiment is decidedly favorable to the
working democrats of Henderson
county. Rector injured his cause be.
fore the committee last week and will
do so again if an opportunity is &C
corded to him,
X \ n
Those opposed to the proposed cleo
tion upon the question of ~dispensary in
Hendersonville are in the majority, as
indicated by petitions received by
Senator Toms. 1O8 anne appear upon
each petition, but a goodly number,
who SIGNED the one asking for an
election, state ''that upon reflection.
they now ask to appear against the
proposition. 165 ladies ask that the
bill be not passed. The matter has
been postponed Indefinitely. The
Senate committee appears to be averse
IN naCcino tho hill