The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-01-14
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE OF PROGRESS.

should have the parole SNSeu4. TIC
conditional pardon has been adopted
usually by the present Governor; g..
Where able-bodied conVictS are work
ed by the county and State. one-third
of h he earns should be paid to his
dependent wife and children: the
state should not make mon on its
convicts; I. The Legislature is urged
TO appoin a select committee to visit
all convict-aided roads. look into the
condition Of convicts there and make
full report to the Legislature. Prison
reform is one Of the vita! questions Of
the hour, and most Of the
datiOnS Of the Governor-perhaps all
OF them-are timely and wise. There
Will be some difference OF opinion. Of
course, about the best handling OF
tie problem, but the Governor shows
he has given the matter investigation
and has made recommendations tha
look toward the necessary reforms.
Ipon the important matter Of Fire
Insurance, which is now Il necessity.
the Governor makes six recommended
tons, as follows: /. That look to the
prevention Of any trust agreement
looking to the destruction Of COMPETE
ton; .. Requiring all companies do
ing business in the State to file q writ
ten statement that they Will not
charge higher rates than they receive
in any other State; 3. The use Of the
cO-fnsUrance clause be made OPTIONAL:
4. Companies be required to ascer-
tain and fix the values Of the
at the date of the insurance and in
case of loss the value then fixed shall
be presumed to be the true value: 5.
All companies doing business must
file a tariff rate by which it agrees to
be governed in this State and also q
schedule of tariffs by which it is gov
erned in other States; 6. The Insur-
ance Commissioner ought TO be en-
powered to revoke any license Of any
company that charges unfair or pre-
judicial rates. These recommended
tons" says the Governor, are sc
reasonable and just that they should
appeal to every man lie adds: wv
are paying greater rates han the
States north Of U.S." There is no rea-
son why North Carolina property
should not receive as low a rate as
any Northern State upon property
similarly situated. The Governors
statements call for the most serious
consideration and the joint Insurance
Committee should take them up 81
once and make uch changes in the
law as will secure competition and
just rates.
Ihe third question Ella borated by
the Governor is one Of Legislative Re
form. He calls attention to the fact
that Seventy-Seyen per cent of the acts
Of the General Assembly were ratified
within the last ten days Of the session
and that four-nfths of all the legis-
latlon enacted was local or private
lie recommends IN amendment to the
constitution prohibiting the ~grantins
by the Legislature Of corporate pow.
ers under special acts except to Stat.
institutions. and prohibiting local o.
special acts relating TO county, city
Wv ASi1lP VI ScllOO4 O1SL1iCt dI
fairs; changing names OF places, af
fectins rosde, streets highways an<
alleys; "relating to ferries and bridges
relating TO cemeteries, X~raveyafds O.
public grounds not belonging to tn
State: affecting county seats: ~relatin.
to any municipal charter; and reia
ting to the many other subjects whicl
}
! specified in my general message tW'
/, years ago. Let all such matters b
disposed of under general laws en-
acted for that purpose, land let tn
Legislature devote it's time to matter
Of public Interest and Importance.
The Governor believes this chang
would promote all Legislative reform,
and he is right about It. He urge
also an amendment to the Constitu
49,