The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-01-12

the primary or at the regular election,
shall, for h purpos of injuring or
detracting from any candidates
for election, wantonly and
falsely make any scandalous, malici-
immoral or degrading charges
against any candidate, either orally
or in writing or print, said newspaper,
person or persons so offending shall
be guilty of a misdemeanor. 1t is
right that true charges be made. and
if true. should be made to prevent
bad men from being elected or noml-
mated; but before making such
charges the paper or persons should
be certain they are true and not, Tor
malicious try thus to ruin
and degrade a candidate. 1t is becom-
ing too costly, both to PURSE and
character, to secure nominations, and
our best men will more and more
shrink from the ordeal through which
they must pass to be elected; and an
less this evil is checked, rich men or
INSCRIPTIONS men Will soon be the
only ones asking for election, and, in
the hands of uch men, We can readily
see the State would not always be
safe. IN my judgment, there should
be more polling places established in
every county, thus making it more
convenient to the people and insufing
a larger vote. The Australian ballot
should be used in both the primary
and at the regular election, and the
polls also be closed promptly at 4
O'Clock.
Criminal Procedure.
To give relief to some crowded
docketS, and for the more speedy en-
forceMent of the criminal law. with
proper safeguards preventing. too
lenient punishment of crime, l recon-
mend that in every town. city and
township there be appointed or elected
one or more persons as recorders or
trial justices. who shall have jurisdic-
ton 10 Try and punish all misdemean-
0rs. This system has worked well in
many of our cities and greatly relieved
the Superior Courts from the trial of
criminal cases. 1t has been repeated
ly suggested that the State be divided
into TWO judicial circuits, half of he
judicial districts being in one circuit
and the other half in the other. the
| Judges of a district rotating in the
circuit, as they now do in the State.
This would save an immense amount
of e and time to our Judges,
who are now paid little enough, and
| certainly could do no harm. for the
Governor, as now. could have the
power to allow Judges to exchange
M from one circuit to the other.
if any good reason was assigned, and
l1oNto aAoo ohd1 q u III oiI1 =
to hold a special court in the other
circuit, when there was no Judge avail
able in the first circuit. In all Grim
inal cases the challenges allOWed the
State and defendant should be the
same, for, by reason of the present
challenges especially in capital cases
a defendant can virtually pick a jur,
to his liking. and thus justice Otter
miscarries. This practice grew out OF
the fac that formerly a defendant
could lot testify in his own behalf
and it vas felt that he should have
some advantages in selecting a jury
Now, however. he car, and no gOo(
reason exists for giving a defendant Sc
much advantage. 1 also insist tina
you thoroughly examine all the judi
cial districts. cGualiZc them in accord
ancc with the of work
s9ry to be done, and then put Solici
tors on a salary.
All executions for capital offenSe.
should be held in the States Prison
at Raleigh, and not in the count,
where the offehsc was committed, an(
should be by ~eiectrocution, and no
j by the old and barbarous mode o
hanging. L believe this change can b:
made without any amendment to TIT
Constitution, and it will, in my judg
ment, prove Very satisfactory.
Reports from State Departments ant
State Institutions.
The various State departments ant
institutions have made their reports t.
me, and ] have TRANSMITTED them t,
you, as required by law. l cannot il
my message set forth in detail thu
many recommendations made but asl
YOU 20 read them carefully, and theI
enact such laws to carry out their sug
geStlonS as to You seem wise and fol
the States best interest.
Corporation Commission
This branch of the State Govern
ment. in regulating railroads., assess
ing taxes. examining banks and prop
erly adjusting all differences between
said railroads and banks and tn.
people, has done a great service tt
the State, and. in my judgment, tn.
powers of said Commission, instead
of being curtailed, as they were by
the last General Assembly, should bt
extended and enlarged. 1t should bt
given all power necessary to regulate
all intrastate passenger and freigh.
rates, to prevent railroads from un-
just discrimination, to require con
meeting lines to make close connec
tons, and to do anything and al
things necessary to control and regu-
late all railroads.. steamboats,, tele.
phone lines and banks, with full
power to enforce its orders by con
tempt proceedings. L therefore SUS-
gest that you carefully go over with
4the-c Commission AL the present law
and make sue amendments as will
restore its power n thus make il
more efficient nc valuable to the
State.
l refer You to the full report of the
Insurance Commissioner, showing the
tremendous amount of work done il
this department. The taxes collected
for the Last fiscal year We're $224,-
680.5S, and are increasing every year
Each General Assembly, therefore
will be compelled to increase the eff.
ficiency of this department by furnish
ing what is needed to carry on the
work and render it more efficient. Spe-
cial attention is called to the srecOm,
~mendations which will be made b,
the Commissioner, and. if approved
by you. l hope will be enacted int
law.
Bureau of Labor and Printing.
The amount of useful work done b.
this bureau is little understood ant
appreciated. 1T is the only department
that gathers statistics in regard to al