The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1905-03-02
RALEIGH LETTER.
R,ITIcu 4 e Eah OFT

committees or on the calendar.
The Introduction Of these little bills at
| the very tail end OF session OF the legis-
lature is the greatest nuisance that the
last several General Assemblies have lad
to contend with. More than a hundred
such bills have been introduced within
the last few days every one OF which could
have been offered the first week Of the
session just as well, and been disposed OF
| thirty days ago.
Sometimes these little bills are held
back till the eleventh hourpurposely, and
when that is the case there is generally q
job hidden away in the labyrinth of legal
phrases sOmew here, or else the authors
fear the results OF the investigation which
the opposition would require if there was
ample time allowed to look into their
merits But this is not always the case
to be sure, nor even in anna Ority Of such
cases.
OF course it is highly important that
the bills to straighten the direct roads in
Goose Neck township and to change the
method of setting rat traps in the village
of housewife should receive strict atten-
ton at the hands of the la w-makers But
they ought to be required to ask for con-
sidera ton earlier in the season.
THE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS.
The most important work to be ac-
complished this week in the legislature
will be the passage OF the appropriation
bills, and the outlook to-day is that the
pruning knife is going to be Industrious
ly and even ON the amounts asked by the
asylums Tor the insane and the other
charitable and educational institutions
This is certain to be done unless some
such measure as that proposed by Sena
Tor Webb Ito issue $23J 900 State hos
pital bonds to meet the urgent needs OF
more room for the uncared for insane) is
adopted.
For more than one million dollars las
stated in these letters last week. in ex-
cess of the appropriations made by the
last General Assembly as asked this year
while close calculation shows that the
State will derive only about a half mil
lion dollars more during the ensuing two
years more than the total revenues of the
last two years. 1t is therefore apparent
that the pay as you GO crowd has its
way these institutions will get just about
half OF what is needed and by some Of
them so urgently needed.
The people of North Carolina will not
approve of such course, but the pay
as you gOers'' will not mind that; for
there being practically no opposition to
the party in power OF course that party
does not fear defeat on account of any
unpopular policy it's legislature may
adopt. Therefore the legislators are not
as careful about vOicing the will of the
people who sent them here as they would
be il differents conditions obtained.
And this is one of the most dangerous
snags that the Democratic ship OF state
is liable to run against in North Carolina.
Who would have predicted the populistic
revolution OF a few years ago two years
before it occurred? There are numerous
lot of very independent people in this
State-at present. largely constituting
the Democratic Iarty-and who are re-
sentful when they discover that their
wishes are not respected by the poIiti
clans and office holders whom they ele-
vate to power. 1t will be the part of
wisdom for the party leaders not to over
look this indisputable fact at this partic-
ular time
SPECIAL SCHOOL TAN BILL REFERRED.
Judge Winborne's bill providing that
the board OF county commissioners OF
any county upon the petition of the citi-
zens of any school district NAV order an
election for special school tax for either
race has been re-cOmmitted, this time be-
ing sent to the committee on elucation
after spirited debate in the House.
RAILROAD RATES AND FREE PASSES.
The House has passed bill reducing
the local rate ofrailrOad iares one quarter
of a cent on both first and second class
tickets, making the rate Gf the SENATE
passes the bill also) 3 cents and 2hcents.
respectfully. This reduction will not be |
exacted except on the three big systems |
(the Southern, the Seaboard and the |
Atlantic Coast Line) as the same bill !
authorizes the corporation commission
toexempt small and independent lines"
(This bill has since been killed in the SEN |
ate.)
Another bill aimed at the railroads and |
introduced by Senator Williams to COM
pei all railroads in the State to grant free |
passes to state officials received an un- |
favorable report from the senate judiciary |
committee by a vote Off to IA. Senator's |
Williams and Bragaw voting in the af
hrmative. SenOtOr Long OF Iredell, now
has a bill pending which is designed to |
prevent state or county officials from ac |
ceptlhg free passes and SO it goes. In
every legislature nowadays are to be
found men whose special delight is the
hurting OF Legislative missiles at the rail.
roads. One such bill amended more sepsi.
bly, in the house during the past week.
was the "HOuser bill, " which as original.
ly drawn required employees of the rail-
roads (sectiOn masters) to report all ac-
cldental killing OF stock by trains to the
officers OF the law.
NEW DIVORCE LAW.
Followingis the full text of the McNinch
divorce BILL as amended, which has pass
ed the House and will probably pass the
senate this week:
Section l. That marriage may be dis
solved and the PARTIES thereto divorced
from the bonds OF matrimony on appli-
cation OF the injured party, made as bv
law provided in the following cases and
none OTHER: o. ifeither party shall com
mt adultery subsequent to marriage:
Provided. the same be not committed
with tie consent or connivance of the
complainant. And provided further.
that the complainant shall not have vol
unfairly cohabited with the other party
after knowledge Of the fact of adultery.
~ If either party at time of the mar
'lage was and still is naturally impotent
81 Ii the wife at the time of the marriage
De pregnant, and the husband be ignorant
81 the Tact @ such pregnancy and be not
he father OF the child with which the wife
vas pregnant q + fha ip,a ,f +bo ,..... |