Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-01-14

" n loiIy-nve counties receive !
more from the State than the7 nav
INTO the treasury.
aluat1ons are so lacking in uni
Iormlty as to do great Injustice fo
the just. Taxes collected since last
Legislature have fallen below ammo
pliatlons Q lack of uniformity.
Inc Governor urges that the present
law OF equalization be repealed as It
IS tco costly with NJ method of en-
forcing it properly or Of Securing uni
formity. He says:
suggest that You appoint a yery
strong finance committee who shall
consult withsthe Auditor, Treasurer
and Corporation Commission, and.
after considering al suggestions made
make such a law as. will properly adj
ivertlse he true value of the States
property and allow the rate to be
fixed at lower amount. While The
assessment was made last wear. there
Is no constitutional provision that
prevents this Legislature from reotlir-
ing a new valuation"
Primary Elections.
The Governor notes the great ex-
pense and annoyance Of candidates
for public Office begetting a tendency
OF good men to shirk from duty while
bad men are liable to secure the
places to the jeopardy of the State.
He recommends legalized primaries
and a law requiring candidates or
persons working for them in pri-
mares or elections to give a strict
account under oath for all moneys
collected or expended in the cam
paign under penalty for misdemeanor
and debarment from ever holding
public Office in the. State..He would
also have newspapers and public
speakers punished for defamatory
assaults against a candidate unless
satisfactory roofs are at hand. He
thinks we should have more polling
places and that the polls should be
closed at 4 O'Clock.
Criminal Procedure.
The Governor notes the crowded
condition Of the court dockets and
recommends that recorders be ap-
pointed or elected in every city and
town or township to try all INSIDE
meanors and favors a division of the
State into two circuits thus dividing
equally the judicial districts in which
the judges should rotate. It would
save expense and time and all nee
essary changes could still be made
undera certain conditions
He won1d give the State an equal
number Of challenges Of jurors as
the defendant in criminal cases since
the defendent is allowed to testify in
his own behalf. He further says:
~ also insist that You thoroughly
examine all the judicial districts,
equalize them in accordance with the
amount of work necessary to be done,
and then put Solicitors on a salary"
He recommends that executions be
made in the State penitentiary and
that they be by electricity instead of
the present mode Of hanging. He
thinks the change can be made in the
mode without changing the constitu-
ton.
Corporation Commission.
The Governor speaks in high praise
of the good work Of the Corporation
Commission and says Of its sphere
and power:
"Instead Of being ~curtailed, as
= they were by the last General Assem-
Ibly. should be extended and enlarged
| It should be given all power neces-
sary to regulate all interstate pas
senger and freight rates, to prevent
: railroads from unjust discrimination
d to require connecting lines to make
close connections, and to do anything
and all things necessary to contro
and regulate all railroads, steamboats,
telephone lines and banks, with full
D power to enforce it's orders by con
tempt proceedings. I therefore sug
gest that you carefully go over will
e the Commission all the present law
q and make such amendments as will
restore it's power and thus make
more efficient and valuable to tn
e State"
Insurance Commission.
The taxes collected for the las
d fiscal year were $224,690.58,. and ar
e increasing every year. Each Gen
v eral Assembly must necessarily fur
nish needed help for this department
Buerau Of Labor and Printing.
d The amount Of useful work don
by this bureau is little. understood
and appreciated. It is the only de
partment that gathers statistics I
+ regard to all our industrial and ayr
e cultural pursuits, and when thes
. statistics are published and ser
2 broadcast over the country, they &C
\ vertisa onr as can be don
d in no other way. This bureau WISH
" factories and examines into labc
i conditions, such as proper labor hour
+ and the child-labor problem. ).
He thinks that if the Bureau Ill
T.. nothing else than the State -pr1n
% ing it would still be profitable. y