Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-01-06

menu III 1900, ana Indl lOUdCCO Prices,
would again have been disastrously
low But as result of the fight made
by Governor Ehringhaus that year,
prices rose to an average of II cents
that fall and the farmers received the
best prices they had gotten for years.
1t is also now generally admitted that
if experts in Washington had listen
ed more to Governor EhringhauS in
the successive crop years, including
1886, instead of the big crop" advo-
Gates, that the tobacco crops would
have remained smaller and prices
higher than has been the case. Most
of the farmers also now agree that
Governor EhripghaJs was eternally
right and again on their side when
he refused to call a special session
of the General Assembly last spring
to enact a tobacco compacts law, since
it has now become apparent that such
a law would have not only been use
less but actually dangerous.
Prison Reform.
Another high spot in the admins
tration of Governor Ehringhaus is
what he has accomplished along the
lines of prison reform and in the de-
velopment of a modern and equitable
parole system. Most of the prisoners
are now housed in modern prison
camps, most of them fireproof, are
well fed and treated humanely. De-
spite the fact that the population of
the State Prison system is in excess
OF 10000 a month and through which
approximately 1880 prisoners pass
each year, there was a decrease of
52.3 per cent in the number of escapes
this past year. Part of this has been
due to better guards and guarding.
but much of it has been the result of
better morale among the prisoners re-
sulting from better treatment, better
food, better housing and better pa
role system which assures every pri-
soner of review of his case at least
once a year as soon as he becomes
eligible for parole. All of these inn
provements have been made at the in
stlgation and insistence of Governor
Ehringhaus.
Prison FireprOOfed.
Still other improvements in the pri-
son system during the governors ad-
ministration have been the fireproof-
ing of the 72-year-old Central Prison
here, which has been a veritable fire
trap; the transformation of one wing
OF the prison into a modern and fire
proof hospital; the authorization for
the building of a new and separate
prison for women, not vet construct
ed, also authorization for the con-
struction OF prison industries build
ing to house additional and enlarged
prison industries.
Launches Rural Electricity.
Governor Ehringhaus also took the
lead in rural identification in North
Carolina and to date two-thirds of all
the rural electric lines which have
been built in the entire United States
have been built in North Carolina
and most Of this without any Federal
aid. At the present time, some 1000
miles of rural electric lines have been
built or authorized in this State since
Governor Ehringhaus first appointed
a commission to look into the rural
electrification problem, and later an
pointed Dudley Bagley, of Cu-rituck
county, as chairman of the North Car
DINA Rural Identification Authority
to supervise the promotion of rural
electric lines in the State. The total
Of rural electric lines constructed or
authorized in the entire nation in
Guiding the 1000 miles in North Car
DINA, is only about 6,GO0 miles. The
only cost to the taxpayers of the State
Tor this progress in rural clectrifica-
ton has been the $4,000 a year an
propriated for the maintenance of the
State authority.
Fathered Rate Cuts.
The efforts of Governor Ehringhaus
were not limited, however. to the ex-
tension Of electric lines. He also in
stlgated the movement for a reduction
OF rates charged by the various utility
companies in the State and directed
the Utilities Commission to make the
various Investigations which resulted
IN rate reductions which have aggr,,
gated SAVING of almost $4,000 dur
ing the past four years, according to
estimates made by the utilities com
mission. The power companies doing
business in the State have made from
three to four reductions in rates since
January 1, 1888, while substantial re-
auctions have also been obtained from
the telephone, gas and railroad COM
paEies.
Local Units Cut Debts.
The counties, cities and towns in
the State have also benefited greatly
both from the legislation sponsored
by the administration resulting in the
creation of the Local Government
commission as well as through other
legislation, such as the school legisla-
tion, which aided them indirectw.
With the assistance of the Local Gov
eminent Commission and the lessened
tax burden on property, the counties.
cities and towns have not only been
able to collect enough taxes for run
ning expenses during the past four
years, but have paid off approximate
~ $36,OoO,00O worth of debts.
Big Road AIIotments.
Governor Ehringhaus has also TAX
en- much interest in the DEVELOPMENT
OF the States highway system and
during the past two years has allot-
ted almost $1O,0O0,O00 to the highway
department for additional mainten-
ance work and betterments and of the