Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1923-03-08
NUMBER Ie

half million for the rehabilitation of
the fish and oyster industry.
In addition it authorized the gov
ernor's water transportation COM
mission and gave it $4,000 to in
vestigate and determine the FEAST
bility of state owned shipping lines
and the construction of terminal IA
cilities. 1t provided increased ap-
preparations for the schools. These
things alone, in the opinion of sew
eral observers at this session con-
stitute a record that will recompense
for the indecisiveness of the legis-
lature's early days, for its hesitancy
and for its down right righteousness
about the time Mr. Maxwell was in
his political heyday.
Millions in Bonds
The millions. in. bonds pleased
some and displeased others To the
progressive the Legislature has
"glorified'' itself by its generosity.
And the legislature can claim it has
"glorified" itself as a martyr to
progressiveness when the reactionary
harps on extravaganza"
Who came off victor among the
influences that sought to guide the
general assembly depends on who
cost the less. For a considerable Dor
tion of the session it was fight be-
tween the Morrison or administration
forces and the anti-Morrison anti-ad-
ministration forces. The governors
boldness in his advocacy of progress
siveness was met by the determina-
tion of those who opposed progress
iveness The governor lost less than
they did. But the legislature left I'M
done enough the executive asked
should be done to please for a while
the antis, but it did enough the antis
demanded it should not do to bring
their wrath upon the body.
Morrison was asking for something
the influences and elements oppos--
ing him were opposing something
And the fight throughout the session.
was question Of doing something or
doing nothing; it was never a question
of doing something the governor did
not want and those opposing him did.
The generosity to the assembly to
the schools and colleges and educa-
tional institutions was in keeping with
the governors request. He asked tllis
in his biennial message. The "lost rro-
vinces" railroad fight had his moral
support. The constitutional amend
ment proposals providing for the in
volatility of the sinking fund and IL
miting the bonded indebtedness of the
state were his proposals, announced
far in advance of the session and re-
commended in his message; and the
proposal for the creating Of sink
ing fund was advanced by him and
recommended in his message He had
the bills introduced that made these
provisions
The Legislature refused him the
S2,O0O,000 bond issue for the opera
tion of state-owned line of ships
and for the construction of terminal
facilities but it gave him a COM
mission and $25, 5,000-and more will
be heard from the proposal at a
later date. The loss of the $4,000
600 pleased the governors enemies
they made t appear that the crea-
tlon OF the commission pleased them;
events of the future are yet to prove
their attitude as to the commission.
The governor recommended a
banking department but he did not
follow up this recommendation so
that legislature and refusal of ac-
cession to the idea cannot be de-
termined he also recommended a de-
partment of commerce and industry
and it is hardly thought he will get
that; loss in this case was due en-
tirely to delay in getting the bill
before the assembly.
Bitter Pill for Ants
AS the record stands the governor
lost on two proposals and partly
lost on third, though defeat of the
ship bill may be only temporary and
a special session may have to wrestle
with this recommendation in the late
summer or fall.
In his advocacy of the extension
and rounding out" of the program
of progress, Governor Morrison was
bitterly opposed by lobbyists and
opposition organs. Fearing doubt
less a bold stand against bonds, es-
sential for the continuance of the
program, they poked ridicule and
warnings, advocating a "pay-as-you-
go' called the street car idea-policy
that has kept the state in an econo-
mic coma for hundred years.
n..l- r