The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1909-03-04
WITH N. c. LAWMAKERS
Doings Of the State Legislature Con-
misunderstanding Items from
Dav tn nav

Day to Day.
With the unlucky number of ID
votes cast in its favor to 80 against
1T, subsection GA" of the proposed
antitrust legislation, went down in
defeat Thursday afternoon in. the
State Senate after the biggest argu-
mentative contest that has character
lied this session of the Assembly and
not inferior to that of the famous
contest in the 1907 Legislature when,
under the leadership of Hon. Reuben
Reid, of Rockingham, subsection
CA" was expunged from the anti
trust legislation on the narrow mar
gin of one vote.
The Senate passed on final reading
the genral educational bill, carrying
machinery for special tax in all coun-
ties, with increased State appropria-
ton for maintaining four-mouths
school in every school district in the
State.
The House on Thursday cleared the
calendar of a goodly number of local
bills ON third reading. The two fol-
lowing are of public interest:
The House Thursday night passed
the iremen's relief fund bill on final
reading, after discussion.
The bill to issue bonds in the sum
of 100000 for carrying out the pur-
poses of the Beckett act. of 1907 to
enlarge and equip the State hospitals
for the insane was laid before the
House. Several members of the mi
nority began to ask questions about
it and DR.. Gordon for the committee
explained that it would include $780,
600 obligation already incurred in en-
larging the hospitals at Morganton
and Raleigh, and leave enough for
some appropriations to the other in
situations for permanent improve
ments; then no further sums would
be needed for improvements for the
next ten years.
There were some questions by way
of objections asked that brought out
a most forceful defense of the bill
by Senator Doughton. The bill pas
sed its second reading.
In both branches of the Legisla-
ture Friday was read the report of
the select committee appointed to
consider the sensational report of the
auditing committee of the last Legis-
lature that investigated the Offices of
State Treasurer, Auditor and Insur-
ance Commissioner. The report is
signed by all the members of the
joint committee, including the Repub-
licans, and is of great length. It
finds that all the Auditors warrants
criticized by the auditing committee
were fully authorized by law, and as
to the voucher for the Goldsboro Hos
pital for money to repair building, it
states that no such warrant and no
such voucher number can be found on
the Treasurer's and Auditors books,
that the hospital owes nothing for
furniture or repairs, but does W for
supplies authorized by the Governor
and Council of State. In the matter
of Fish Commissioner Meekins moth
ing secret dishonest or disadvantag-
ious to the State was done.
As to the Insurance Commissioner
the report finds as a fact the state
ment of the auditing committee that
no evidence of any character of dis,
honesty is disclosed on the part of
any one handling the funds or securi-
ties, and that there is no suggestion
of any such.
The statement of the expert ac-
countant that he could not make an
absolutely correct statement of this
account without going back and
checking up the entire business since
the establishment of the Office is er-
roneous in its belief; that the state
ment of the expert that no cash book
had been kept showing accurate re-
ceipts and disbursements Of funds is
very misleading, as the commissioner
does keep a day book in which is a
record of all receipts in detail while
his bank book as Insurance Commits
sioner shows all disbursements and a
separate ledger account shows dis
bursements OF the fund for the inves-
tigation of fires.
The Senate consumed some time on
a bill to change the county seat of
Mitchell and on the Blow educational
bill and passed a number of bills of
local interest.
The House, in committee of the
whole, on the revenue act, decided to
increase the pension ad. valorem tax
from 4 to s cents, and the poll tax
from $1.29 to $1.32 so as to be able
to increase the appropriation for pen
SONS.
The special order was the bond is
sue bill for an issue of 100000 fol-
carrying out the purposes of the
Beckett act of 1907 for enlargement
CT the State Hospitals for the Insane.
With an amendment by Speaker Ora
ham the Lil passed it's final reading.
The following are among the new
Senate bills Saturday.
Dockery: To call a constitutional
Amendments.
By Nimocks: For the prevention
of tho SDrood IF diCoa-n Puhlio