The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-07

a means to procure their conviction
There was not much local legislation
on temperance-les than at any time
in ten years-and none except where
it was clearly demanded by the peo-
pie. Those good men who think the
moderate temperance legislation will
work great injury to the Democratic
party will find that they have mis-
taken the temper of the people, and
within a year most of them will APP
prove the Ward law as they last year
came to see the Watts law was good
for the State. No party can live in
North Carolina that caters to the
saloon or the still. That day has pass
ed forever. The Legislature of 1905
was a stronger temperance body than
the Legislature of 1902 just as
the people of North Carolina are
every year becoming more and more
opposed to the evil that has done the
State more harm than has ever been
known.
The demand to repeal all the loose
in 1883 has been heard and answered.
The divorce bill that finally became
law has no new cause of divorce and
is better law than-that in The Code.
Last December the advocates of bet
ter divorce laws hardly dared to hope
for as good a law as was contained in
The Code. But the sentiment in the
Legislature was healthy and, instead
of the anticipated contest between The
Code and the present loose laws, 1t
came between The Code and q law
much nearer to the scriptural require
ment The law enacted was a middle
ground between the two-probably the
wisest law, all things considered. Ger
tainly the Legislature sought to enact
a good law that would check divorces
and strengthen the home. That piece
of legislation will be received with
profound satisfaction by the whole
State, and the 100000 petitioners,
seeing that their petition for sounder
divorce laws has been answered, will
thank God and take courage"
The educational progress of the
State receives fresh impetus. The
school law was improved, the State
superintendent hands strengthened,
and the command was given to the ed
vocational forces '"That they go for
ward" Generous appropriations were
made to all the educational institu
lions, and provision was made for a
campaign for local tax and for inn
proving the educational facilities from
the primary school to the university.
This is as it should be, for North
Cardinals future is dependent upon
it's success in educating the children
of this generation. The mistake was
not made of dividing the States mon
ey among manv institutions, but OF
concentrating upon those already es-
tablished, and making them more eff
fective and more useful.
The care of the insane, and the ed
ucation of the blind and the deaf and
dumb was very near to the hearts of
the legislators, as it is near to the
hearts of the people. Increased APP
preparations were made for every
charitable institution in the State and
provision was made for the erection of
new buildings so that more of them
rnay be cared for by the beneicent
hand of, the Commonwealth. So desir-
Gus was the Legislature to meet this
demand that after the the omnibus
preparation bill was enacted a supple
mental bin giving ten thousand dol
lars additional to the Morganton Hos
pital was enacted.
The Confederate soldier was re-
membered with affection and substan-
TALLY. A new building will be erected
at the Soldiers Home and an increase
was made in the appropriation for
that institution. The largest appro-
priation made to any source was to
those brave old men in their homes.
Heretofore the appropriation has been
$500, 900 per annum. This Legislature
increased the sum to $275, 000-an in
crease of $4,000 for the two years.
That act is a crown of glory to the
Legislature of 1905.
The hardest problem the legisla-
tors had to confront them was the
South Dakota claim and the settle
ment of the bonds of like character.
There were wide differences of opin-
ion in the press and among the lead
ing men in the State. Some favored
every dollar of the face of the bonds
with interest others favored paying
nothing at all; others stood upon the
declaration in the State Democratic
platform. The last class won and the
bonds were settled upon the basis OF
1879, plus the interest on the bonds
and coupons. The resolution was
unanimously adopted in both houses
and proper legislation was enacted
that will dispose of that troublesome
question forever.
No measure passed the General As
sembly that means so much for break
NO SUBSTITUTE