Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-03-09
NORTH STATE LAWMAKERS
Work That is Being Done BY the
North Carolina Lawmakers.
Ward Bill Passes.

The Ward liquor regulation bill,
which had passed the Senate, prohib-
iting distilleries in towns of less than
1000 population, came up as the spe-
cial order. Mr.. McNinch warned all
the friends of the bill against voting
for any amendment, or for motion
to table any amendment, as such q
course might kill the bill. Mr.. Turner
offered a substitute making it unlaw-
ful to sell or manufacture liquor in
North Carolina, subject to the vote
of the people of each county at the
general election next year. He said he
offered this in good faith. He attacked
the Ward bill, saying his bill would
establish prohibition in every county
where the people voted for it. Mr..
McNinch asked if the Watts law did
not give that right. Mr.. Turner re-
piled that the Watts law only per-
mitted town people to vote. The bill
did not allow the sale of liquor in
country districts or the manufacture
Of it there; it did not supplant the
Watts act; but amended it. Mr.. Muir
ply of Rowan, offered an amendment
prohibiting the sale as we'll as the
manufacture of liquor in towns of less
than 1000. He said he opposed the
Ward bill because he was a Demo
crat. Mr.. Sledge handed in petition
from citizens Of Caswell, asking that
distilleries at Milton be not disturbed
and offered an amendment exempting
Caswell. Mr.. Feimster, advocating
the Ward bill, said Mr.. Murphy had
fought the Watts bill and was actually
against his own amendment, which
| was offered to defeat the bill. Mr..
Mitchell, Of BERTHE, spoke of powerful
| lobby the distillers had here and the
! literature they were circulating, and
said the other side had no such lobby.
He said those who had rallied around
the flag of Williams and Shore had
tried to decapitate Chairman F. M.
Simmons, the head of the Democratic
party, in resentment of his efforts to
protect the Church and school. Mr..
Graham of Granville, attacked the
| Ward bill, declaring that it contained
no tlnge of temperance Or morality,
but that while it meant no good to
the temperance cause it meant great
evil to the Democratic party. He de-
clared that he saw less temperance in
the Ward bill than special privileges
for the whiskey trust at the expense
OF the home manufacturers, but indie
pendent ones. He did not believe the
temperance forces behind the bill in
tended this effect, but it was certain
ly possible that somebody in the in
terest of whiskey might be supporting
the movement. He declared that the
Watts bill should be called on to in
crease the blockade distilleries in
North Carolina, and that there were
three blockade stills running today
| where there was one when the Watts
law went into effect.
/ The House passed the Ward bill
regulating the distillery
none in towns of less than 1000. All
amendments were voted down and the
bill passed as it came from the Senate
the vote being "a to 35.
In the Senate Wednesday bills were
introduced to exempt members of fire
companies from jury service; to
change the eleventh and thirteenth jul
dicial districts; to establish a dispen-
sary at RoxbOro; to limit the poll-tax;
to empower county commissioners to
fix the place Of execution of criminals;
to empower succeeding guardian to
| foreclose mortgages; to change the
time for holding courts in the ninth
district Bills passed to incorporate
the Raleigh e Southport and Western
railways. line senate concurrent III Lu6
House amendment to the pension bill
reducing the amount from 100000 to
$275,O 5,OO0
/ In the House an amendment to the
bill validating defective deeds and
curing defective deeds was passed; also
an amendment regulating the killing
of game in Buncombe. Mason, OF
Northampton, announced the presence
Of delegation representing the I4egis-
lature of Tennessee, to inquire into and
study North Carolina methods as to
insurance legislation. The courtesy OF
the floor was extended by rising vote.
Bills passed amending the charter OF
the Methodist Orphanage; to change
the time for holding courts in Stanly;
to amend road law of Lincoln county
and charter of Lilesville; to incorporate
Locust, Stanly county; to change boun-
Diary of Catawba; to change the time OF
holding the ninth district courts; re-
garding creek lands in Iredell; to de-
fine vagrancy, amending the law; to
give executors of administrators power
to fOreclOse mortgages; to allow