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

terday after a session of sixty-one
days. 1t has been a busy and event.
full session, marked by no radical
its work is fully known and seen in
clear perspective, the people of North
Carolina will place upon it the stamp
of approval. This year, as is its GUS
a Legislative Edition containing a
digest of all the legislation of the SEES
sion so that, in advance, the people
can Know what has been done by their
legislators. Work has already COM
menced upon this edition which will
next week
The personnel of the General As
sembly was of the highest. There
have been more men of State reputa-
ton in former Legislatures, but there
were not few men in this body as
able as in any previous legislative body
in the history of the State. The
average was high, not merely in men
successful in their calling, but high in
moral qualities as we'll as in patriot
ism. Few appeals to the enlightened
conscience and unselfish patriotism of
the law-makers passed unheeded. The
personal character and habits of the
members were all that could be desired
There were more successful business
men and manufacturers here than
usual and, though they did not speak
often, they exercised a salutary in
f1uence in shaping legislation. AS an
evidence of their weight we may state
here that the chairman of the Finance
Committee in each branch is a sue
cesSful merchant in his community
and many of the other leaders in both
houses have won marked success in
business and manufacturing and farm
ing, as we'll as in the professions. The
same qualities that enabled them to
succeed in their private business gave
them capacity to shape wise legisla-
ton. The private character of the
man always tells upon his public acts.
Good men legislate in the interest of
good morals.
The legislation enacted will be found
to be progressively conservative. Radi-
calism found no place in the statutes
put on the books. There were measures
introduced--someg good and some other
departure in the State policy. Without
exception these measures were de-
feated or deferred until public senti-
ment shall demand their enactment.
The most important legislation, of
course, is the one levying taxation.
There were very few changes in the
revenue law, the committee wisely
holding to the main provisions in the
old law. The chief change-and one
of the most popular and just pieces
of legislation of the whole session
was the repeal of the merchants pur-
chase tax The tax has always been
regarded by the merchants as double
tax and every Legislature has been de-
luged with petitions TO repeal the tax.
They have always insisted that the
honest merchants paid this tax and
the dishonest ones escaped it. This
year the Legislature decided to abolish
the tax, to cut it up root and branch,
and every merchant in the State will
feel that his just demand has at last
been granted. The other changes that
are not important are the omission of
several sorts of taxes that brought in
very little revenue and annoyed many
Those taxes ought properly
to be a matter for the town and coun-
ty and not for the State. When the
people get accustomed to the pro-
visions of a revenue act it ought not
to be changed except for imperative
That idea prevailed and
there have been fewer changes in the
Revenue Act than in any recent Legis-
The spending of the money received
in taxes comes next in importance.
The Committee on Appropriations gave
careful consideration to the needs Of
every institution ana divided the
money that will be derived from public
taxes in such manner as to meet the
real demands. 1t was a task calling
for the exercise of common sense,
and firmness. There were
good men who claimed that bond
issue was absolutely necessary. The
disproved that claim by
such judicial division of the funds at
their command as to meet every real
need.
Temperance legislation commanded
much attention. There was difference
of opinion in and out of the Legisla-
ture as to the form that the statutes
should take that would forbid the sale
or manufacture of liquor except
where there may be adequate police
protection 1t was decided to press
the Ward bill as the measure that
would substantially meet at least the
demands of many and command the