The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-03-09
What The State
Legislature Is
Doing This Wk'
(By Staff Correspondent

Raleigh, Mar. 8.-The legisla-
ture moved a step nearer the END
of the session last night when the
house passed the record setting
revenue measure on the first
reading. This bill is designed to
finance a 54,36GOO0 spending
program during 1894 is ex-i
pected to pass a second reading
today and then passed finally ana
sent to the Senate on Thursday.
AS the bill now stands it now re-
mains virtually in the same form
as when it was reported favor
ably by the finance committee.
Even in the eleventh hour con-
sidea-aHion of the measure, the
question of alcoholic beverages
came up for discussion. But the
representatives killed motion to
increase the tax on liquor to III
percent and also tabled propos-
al to allow all restaurants to sell
wine by the drink. Opposing the
latter. Representative burlington,
veteran dry leader said, There
are things in North Carolina more
important than raising the reve-
nue.. If you 60 on placing wine
they say it will really make you
drunk-where boys can get 1t,
YOU will raise race of drunk
ards"
Other measures which will
share the spotlight with the bud
get this week are the election re-
form and wage-and hour meas
ureS.
The house last week passed and
sent to the senate bill which
would abolish absentee voting IN
the primaries and make the
chairman of the county board OF
elections responsible for absentee
voting in general elections. The
Senate is expected to decide on
tbs matter within the next lew
days.
The Joint labor committee con-
tinued its hearing this week on
the pending wage and hour leg
islation and listened to the obJec-
tions of the representatives OF
fishing, l1moer ana telephone IN
dustries. Thursday and Friday,
proponents of the bill will be
heard, with the officials Of the
state branches of the c. I. o. and
A. F. of L. slated to appear.
One of the hottest bills which
came up yesterday was that OF
Representative McBryde who in
troduced a resolution condemning
lobbyists and charging them with
attempting to deceive and cour-
rupt legislators. The bill was
placed on an unfavorable calen-
dar by Speaker Ward of Craven
who said, There is such a thing
as libel even in the house"
The house of representatives
Tuesday crushed efforts to pre-
vent the. diversion. of highway
funds to increase exemptions OF
the three percent sales tax. Null
pointed out again that the sales
tax which was enacted as an
emergency was now necessity.
The question of taxing gamb-
ling devices came up again this
week. Monday the house ap-
proved a tax on certain slot ma
chimes which were outlawed IN
1887 by the Flanagan act. Pro-
ponents of the levy said that it
might indirectly legalize amuse-
ment slot machines, such as pin
board games which do not pay
off" Opponents declared that it
"opens the gate wide for any
kind of slot machine, including
the one-armed bandit type.
Among the county bills which
attracted the most attention is
the Yadkin county reorganization
bill. This has been given fav-
orable report by the committee
in spite of the protest of the Re-
publicans. Representing the coun-
tvs sheriff whose income will be
lessened by the bill. Attorney AL
len said, pass this bill and you
will weaken law enforcement in
Yadkin County"
Much comment has been
aroused overs the action of the
Democrats to wangle Wilkes out
of its rightful Republican repre-
.a~{ofiAo