The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-16
JUDGE s SAL ARIES
FIXED At $3,250
After Spirited Debate
Vote Was 63 to 40.
TENANTS LANDLORDS
House Bill for the Protection Of Far.
mers Against the Fraud of
Tenants and Choppers After
Long Discussion, Passes
the Senate

The most important event in the
Senate yesterday was the passage of
the tenant and landlord bill. There
was considerable opposition to the
bill, as with the numerous amend
ments attached to it in the House,
made its application almost general,
and large number of these counties
were stricken from the list when it
came before the Senate. 1t was stated
during the discussion that this bill
is of more benefit to the agricultural
interests of the state than any Immi-
grafton Bureau could possibly be, and
that there was absolutely no law in
operation in North Carolina that af-
fords relief from the evils practiced
by q class of tenants who secure adj
vanceS of money or provisions from
land owners and then deliberately de-
sert the land and violates his con-
tract.
The main line of the argument was
on the question of whether the bill
was constitutional. Several Senator's
claimed that it was not, and said that
although the bill was only local, ap-
plying to certain counties, they could
not support it.
Others replied that the bill was per-
statutes, and was no violation of the
constitution, as an element of fraud
that was criminal entered into the
promising of money or goods by the
false promise and breaking OF corI-
tract on the part of tenant to cfiti-
vate the land of the owner, and then
wilfully desert it. and this makes the
act a misdemeanor.
The bill provides tliat any tenant or
cropper who rrocures atrances from
}ti:; landlord to enahlo him 10 make
e op ON the land renf2d Dy him, ah.t
then wilfully abandons 1t without
cause, and before paying for such adj
vances to enable him to make crop,
and shall be guilty of q nisdemeanor,
and that any landlord who may con-
tract with a tenant or cropper
wiIIfully fails or refuses to fur
nish the advances according TO his
agreement without good cause, shall
be guilty of q misdemeanor.
The bill also provides that any per-
son who employees a tenant or cropper
who has violated the provisions of
section / of this act with knowledge
of such violations, shall be liable To
the landlord furnishing such advances
for the amount thereof, also be gull
ty of a misdemeanor.
One section of the bill was stricken
out and another inserted which pro,
vides that when q contract for rental
OF land is entered into ana the ten
ant fails to perform his duties stated
in the contract he shall forfeit iis
rights and the landlord may recover
his land.
The punishment for any violation
of any of the provisions ~ the act
w,il not exceed fine of $50. or il1l-
prisonment tor mere than 90 days.
This act applies 10 the following
counties: Wayne lenoir, Greene.
Johnston, Jones, OnSlow, Craven,
Cleveland, Sampson, Pitt Duplin,
Gates, Cumberland, Perauimans,C Chow
an, Robeson. Bladen. Nash. Harnett,
Edgecomhe, Hertford. Wilson, Rock
ingham. Pender, Cprrituck, CASTOR.
Northampton, Beaufort, Chatham.
Tyrrell Mecklenburg, Rutherfo.'l,
ca asWell, Camden Cabarrus, Colum-
bus Halifax and Franklin