Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1925-03-12
(M. L. Shipman.)

general assembly goes down in his
tory as one which followed the gov
ernor more than any other in recent
years. Other legislatures have been
influenced by governors but scarcely
to the exetent that the one just end
ed has been led around by Governor
Mclean. The 1921 general assemblies
were led "up the hill'' by Governor
Morrison and the 1925 body was led
down the hill" in the path of eco
nomy by Governor Mclean. And as if
to atone for its action of its prede-
cessors in following Morrison, the
present body went even further than
any before it had gone and gave to
the governor greater powers than any
executive in North Carolina has ever
had enacted measures at his bidding
which will revolutionize the admin
istration of the State government.
Governor Mclean sponsored or en-
dorsed % measures which were pre-
sented to the Legislature Most of
these were enacted into law as ori-
ginally written, one or two were
slightly amended, but all of any i'm
portance, except one, got through
during the last two days of the body
and those which came up this week
were expected to be put across be-
fore adjournment Tuesday night.
Chief among the governors rec
concentrations were the creation of
an executive budget system placing
all departments and institutions on
a budget basis and making the gov
ernor the head in fact of the States
financial policies, transferring the
auto license bureau and the insur-
ance department revenue collecting
powers to the revenue department in
order to coordinate the revenue col
lecting agencies of the state and to
eliminate unnecessary employees; to
create state department institution
out of state prison heretofore opera
ted as a private corporation; Great
ing state department of conserva-
tion to take over the functions of the
economic and geological survey; ap-
pointing an official executioner to
relieve the warden of state prison OF
that duty; deposit daily with the
State Treasurer of all funds instead
Of monthly as heretofore so as to OBJ
viate TO an extent short term finane-
ing and save interest; creation of a
pardon attorney to assist the COVER
nor in investigating clemency cases
an educational commission to inves-
tigate the educational system of the
state, a wage investigation commiss-
ion to go into the salaries paid state
employees, eliminate useless employ
es, bring salaries into line with ac-
tual work done and establish a stan
dard salary scale, a 100000, 90
bond issue, for roads; and other mea-
sures of more or less Importance.
The Governor also recommended a
constitutional amendment creating a
pardon commission but this was put
off last Saturday until the next
session after some difficulty over its
term arose, the governor saying he
would try out the pardon attorney
for the next two years.
Other measures which had the gov
ernor's "okay' were to limit the time
in which checks is issued by the Au-
ditor would be paid by the Treas
urere, to declare transfer of claims
against the state void if made before
actual adjustment and allowance Of
such claims had been made; to place
all charitable state institutions on the
same basis and require those able to
pay to do so to bear the expense Of
their care; to create judicial con-
ference to study methods of practice
and procedure; to create an advis-
ory commission to investigate and
report on freight rate discrimination
to reduce cost of public printing and
number of proposals having to do
with his program of economy in gov
ernmental affairs.
The outstanding fight of the sess-
ion developed during last week when
Senator Seawell of Lee led the move
to increase the equalization fund for
public schools. This fight was larg-
ely responsible for the tie-up in the
Senate TO important legislation nee
essitating extra days of the session,
although the failure of the House
and Senate conferees to present a
satisfactory report on the revenue
bill amendments also delayed the sine
die adjournment.
Senator Seawell's fight for educa-
tion resulted in the governors first
defeat in the legislature. Aided by