The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-02-09
BY o. ]. COFFIN
special Raleigh Correspondent Of
The INDEPENDENT

,l Conference once, slipped out of
his seat. from which he has been
rI:,,ly observing the Senate proceed
mrs since coming here early last
months. and launched himself on his
maiden speech Wednesday morning
and before the upper branch of the
General Assembly realized what was
taking place had produced the best
workrd-out discussion of a public
matter 80 far presented this season.
50 well did the Gentleman from
Ta>uuotauk have his subject in hand
and while he was favoring a sub
Stitutc by which the shipping COM
mission proposed by Governor Nor
riSnn would be required to present its
findings and the evidence on which it
basel its conclusions to the General
Assembly rather than to the Cover
nor and Council of State, he was
plainly against any sort of State
oprratcd Boat line-that the remain
Ing biz guns of the opposition were
ready to take out for lunch and
wait until tomorrow TO reply to him.
lie wanted the matter thoroughly
investigated because. he said. he
could not on the evidence SO far Of
fcrcd in favor of the boatline see
any reason why the plaintiff should
no, b. non suited. Tried out by Har-
RS of Wake. sponsor of the original
shipping bill, he proved some know
ledge of legal procedure by conced-
iug that he would agree to have the
ease go before the commission as
referee; but only for the findings of
fart.hc Stal reserved his right to
sit on the case in the capacity of
Juror. as which his people had select
cd him.
There wasn't 4 great amount of in
terest in the dehaks swhRp. Mr., ,Nil4.
liams started. Sans Of Forsyth had
briefly given his reasons for want
ing the commission to report to the
General Assembly, which he did not
think could conStitut;onally delegate
its tax-lcxying authority to COM
mission. Joe Brown of Columbus had
spoken for his substitute, and Bel
lamy of New Hanover and Harris of
Wake had entered a plea for the
consideration Of the bill on its merits.
All this had been expected, and
even the sympathy for the Governor
which Harris wrung out of a ques-
ton by Squires of Caldwell. who
wanted to know If the Gentleman
from Wake thought the Governor
would refrain from naming to the
commission men who thought as he
did. That furnished occasion for an
outburst of clquence in favor of
trusting the leader of the party and
rrpolling the assault, if any. on the
keen integrity" of the Governor and
any commission he would name.
Half the Senate was wandering
about. the occupants of the seats at
the press table were half asleep and
'ho lobbics were wondering why the
delay in reaching a vote when a
strange. new note came into the dis
cu>>ion. Before he had uttered three
sentences the mellifluOus voice of
Senator Williams with just the hint
Of a lisp had the newspaper boys sit
ing mp aud taking notice. In
moment the Senate was listening as
a't"u'tycly as it ever listens.
He knew where he was going.
Governmental operation of boat
iun wa. hn thought. outside of the
Fundamental functions of government.
whirh hc outlined as protective, deve-
'rrmrn'al and commercial. The pro-
r"~'iyc fuu",i"n Of government deals
with the exercise Of its police powers.
'.r drvcIopmcntal is exhibited III
ndraltiou. while the commercial con
sI>rs in doing for the people what
they cannot do 50 we'll for themselves.
Tarr" is nothing protective about gov
"rnmrutal shipping. and before TAX
Iu. II on a. a commercial project it
would p" first necessary to prove
t.a' th" State can do the job of
Transporting things by water better
'@u Individuals. or that shipping Is
natural monopoly and should be
handled without competition. He
c"r.d SEQ something educational in
providing a commission TO investigate
Transportation but not if this COM
mission were to serve as detective,
jury and then make the tax levy.
TIL" word fundamental quite fire.
p"a'0y attracts attention in dis
cn~~.ou of public affairs in a demo-
cratic country. 1t won't rivct atten-
u"n, however Brother Williams hav-
ins fmdam"utalized his subject, ask
rd himself question as to what
'h.> shipping proposal was. if out
nd" "f "a fundamental function of gov
"rum"nt. 1t is in an innovation"
Il" r"pLci raterna.iSm or socialism:
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