North Carolina Newspapers

THE CHATHAM RECORD "H. A. LONDON, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR Terms of Subscription , $1.50 Per Year Strictly in Advance THE CHATHAM RECORD' Rates of Advertising One Square, on msertioa $L00 One Square, two insertion SUDD One Square, one montii For Larger Advertisements Liberal Contracts will be.msde. VOL. XXXV. PITTSBOHO, CHATHAM COUNTY, N. C, MARCH 19. 1913. NO. 32. BRIEF NEWS NOTES FOR THE BUSY IN MCT IMPORTANT EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK TOLD IN CONDENSED FORM. WORLD'S NEWS EPITOMIZED Complete Review of Happenings of Greatest Interest From All Parts o World. A Southern. Two carpenters, J. J. Walton and Everett Thomas, were killed at Louis ville, Ky.f when a high wind blew down a construction, tower at the Louisville railway company's repair shops. The men were at work on the structure when the crash came, and were buried under the debris. Reports in Atlanta, Ga., are that more than ninety people were killed, scores severely injured and great prop erty loss sustained in the disastrous electrical tornado which swept parts of Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Lou isiana. Mississippi and Texas. Eighty odd deaths have been reported, and the total loss of li'e probably will be increased when wire communication is restored in remote sections devastated by the cyclone. The damage to prop ty cannot be estimated, but probably will have to be computed in millions. Teriible injuries and frightful hard ships are reported to have been sus tained by the people of the Floyd county (Ga.) district swept by the cy clone. Thirty are reported seriously injured in addition to the eleven kill ed outright by the force of the storm. The people of Rome have called a mass meeting to raise relief funds. Declaring that the supreme court of West Virginia had upheld the right of the military commission to try per sons accused of violating the martial law proclamation now in force' in the Kanawha coal region, where a strike has been in progress for almost a year .Judge Littlepage, in the circuit court, declined to order the transfer of "Mother" Jones and other labor leaders to a civil court for trial. A compulsory school law through out North Carolina, a companion to another providing a minimum term of six months, passed the senate and became the first legislation of this nature North Carolina has had. The Arkansas house of representa tives has decided to dispense with the state National Guard, a bill pro viding an appropriation for the main tenance of the militia failing of adop tion. It cannot be brought up again at this session. For the second time within four days Harrison Neeley, negro chauffeur for Gov. Coleman L. Blease, was fined for violating the municipal law limit ing the speed of automobiles to 12 miles an hour. Neeley was fined $3.75 with the alternative of serving five days on the Columbia chaingang. The fine was paid and Governor Blease promptly issued a pardon, which Chief of Police Cathcart refused to honor pending legal advice. The governor threatens to take 'the entire police department of Columbia unless the fines are remitted. General According to reports from New Or leans thiee persons were killed in a cyclone which struck, Man, La. Sev eral are reported injured. Thomas Goodman and his baby were killed when their home was blown away. One child of Bud Manasco was killed and several members of the family ni'red when their home was demol ished. King George and Queen Mary of England were targets for suffrage at tacks. Vague threats had been current for several days in connection with the suffragette plans for the opening of parliament. AH their attempts at Interference were brought to naught, however, by the extraordinary police precautions. While the king and queen were on their- way to Westmin ster five women attempted to ap proach his majesty in historic White hall. Thev carried petitions setting forth the grievances of women. Police promptly arrested them The mining camp at El Tigre, Mex ico, 40 miles southeast of Douglas, Ariz., has fallen into the hands of 150 state troops. The 100 Federals of the garrison, fleeing toward the border, were overtaken by the Con stitutionalists, who - captured their a"ns, ammunition and artillery after snarp skirmish. Three boys, all under fourteen years, were arrested at Pittsburg, Pa., according to tne police conress fe(1 to lobbing nearly fifty stores and ien churches in the past two months. Official reports compiled show that there is more illicit distilling in Geor- Sla than in Alabama RentiicW Snnth Carolina and North Carolina com-0Ine'l- In Januarv. 128 stills were de stroyed in this state, and during Feb- JcU.v 9b were reduced to innk. Arrangements have Dracticallv been completed for a survey of the Florida Those V.omen nf ATaccnhiiaotej r , A'iuuwuv,ii UOVILO Mio do not cover the points of their r1 Wlth some device that will ect the public from injury will liable to a fine of $100. The act signed by Governor Foss. State Senator W. K. Oldhan, who. as president of the senate at the time Governor Robinson resigned, was in stalled as acting governor, has been declared legally entitled to the office of governor of Arkansas by Circuit Judge Fulk. ' The Hawthorne mining trial, which has "dragged along nearly four months before a jury in the Federal court at New York City, came to a close' with the conviction of the three de fendants, Julian Hawthorne, Dr. Wil liam J. Morton and Albert Freeman, and the acquittal of Joseph Quincy, twice mayor of Boston and assistant secretary of state during the Cleve land administration. Earth tremors were felt at Dalton, Ga., the shocks being more severe than four others experienced in Dalton during the past six years. Senora Leonidas Plaza, wife of the president of Ecuador, sailed with her five children for Colon, there to cross the isthmus and join her husband in Quito. The varied political fortunes of Senor Plaza have kept her in New York City for more than five years, an exile from her native land. Senor Plaza, who was elected president of Ecuador, after years spent in the United States as an exile, has never seen his youngest child, State officials in Piedras Negras, the Mexican town opposite Eagle Pass, Texas, and known during the Diaz regime as Ciudad Porfiro Diaz, claimed to have authoritative infor mation cf the plight of the govern ment forces at three widely separat ed points in Mexico. They declared that Durago, capital of the state of the name, has been captured by 2,000 Constitutionalists under Juan Garcia, the former candidate for governor, that General Trucy Aubert and his force is isolated in the vicinity of Reata, eastern Coahuila, and that Tor reon, in western Coahuila, is menaced by 2,000 Constitutionalists under Colo nel Triana. Nestor Wilmart, former manager of the Grand Terneuzen railroad, who fled from Brussels, Belgium, in Octo ber, 1912, after alleged defalcations aggregating millions of dollars, has been arrested at Rheims, France. A detective had been following him and placed him under arrest. Six million dollars is involved. Ten persons were fatally injured and forty-six seriously hurt in a pan ic caused by the explosion of a mov ing picture at Verins, France. The audience numbered 120. In the rush to get out the people choked the stair way and many jumped from the win dows. Fire, which followed the ex- plsion, was extinguished promptly. Washington Secretary of the Navy Daniels an nounces that he will seek to have the incoming congress extend the provi sions of the law of 1903 authorizing the appointment of two midshipmen to the naval academy every four years by each senator, representative and delegate in congress. Unless the Supreme court restrains Postmaster General Burleson from enforcing the newspaper publicity law p.z it was asked to do, he will imme diately do so regardless of an agree ment by former Postmaster General Hitchcock to withhold action pending a determination of its constitutional ity. Mr. Burleson has so announced Marion Capps, miner and minister of Fort Smith, Ark., has been found guilty of burning three of his five children to death, and was sentenced to be hanged. President Vilson has issued a for rra! statement of his policy toward the Central and South American re publics. He says that one of the chief objects of the administration will be to cultivate the friendship and de serve the confidence of our sister re publics of Central and South Amer ica and to promote in every way the interests which are common to the peoples of the two continents. He asks for the most cordial understand ing and co-operation between the peo ple and leaders of America and there fore deems it his duty to make a statement. President Wilson has sent the fol lowing nominations to the senate : First asistant postmaster general, Daniel C. Roper of South Carolina; third assistant postmaster general, Alexander M. Dockery of Missouri ; fourth assistant postmaster general, James I. Blakeslee of Pennsylvania ; United States judge, district of Por to Rico, Peter J. Hamilton cf Ala bama; commissioner of labor statis tics,. Charles P. Neill of the District of Columbia. v Democratic house leaders have de cided definitely to present the wool revision tariff bill first at the extra session of congress, which meets on April 1. The wool- schedule is admit ted to be the cornerstone of the pro tective tariff system. Votes by Dem ocrats on this bill will give Leader Underwood a line on all new Demo cratic members. Mr. Underwood, ask ed about the position of the presi dent on the tariff, said Mr. Wilson de sired downward revision. The house will pass the "popgun" bills, or the schedule-by-schedule revision. The Misses Wilson may be depriv ed of the greatest joy of white house belleship if the quota of military and naval aids at the white house is re duced from twelve to six and the custom Qf having one of the good looking young officers act as escort to the president's daughters abolish ed, as Major Rhoades plans. During the reign of Miss Alice Roosevelt, now Mrs. Longworth, one aid was nver sufficient, but she would have two or three as her escort. Miss Ethel Roosevelt and Miss Helen Taft were two other white house belles who en joyed the distinction of being escorted'. STATE LAWMAKERS END 1913 SESSION VERY FEW ARE PRESENT AT FINAL ADJOURNMENT OF GEN ERAL ASSEMBLY. THE WORK OF THE LAST DAY Senator Council Says He Has "Had Good Time" Jones Appears Regret ful. Much Work Done at This Ses sion of Legislature. : Raleigh. The simultaneous failing of the gavels of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, sounding the close of the 1913 session of the North Car olina General Assembly, took place Wednesday in the presence of the few est number of members and specta tors in many sessions past, probably less than fifty members of both houses being present, and considerably less than that number of spectators. Final adjournment had been expected earlier in the day, but tardiness of the Senate icompleting disposition of calendar bills ,and necessary wait thereafter for the final batch of enrolled bills for rati fication caused large numbers of members to have to take out-going Lrains before adjournment was reach ed: ! The last hour of the Senate was jtaken up largely - with remarks by ;members on impressions of the ses sion. Senator Council of Catawba, a recognized leader, declared that in his opinion some very good legislation has been gotten through this session ,and that a balance sheet will prove very creditable for the Legislature. He said he had greatly enjoyed the ses sion and his association with his fel low legislators. Senator Jones of Forsyth comment ed that this seemed to have been a leaderless Senate, every Senator tak ing his own progressive or standpat course. He felt that the Legislature had not been as progressive as the people demanded in some respects. In the Senate the motion for sine die adjournment was made by Sena to Pharr, seconded by Senator Hob good. In the House this motion was by Representative Koonce, with nu merous seconds. The Senate convened on the last day with President Daughtridge pre siding. The first bill taken up was tha' proposingto allow the railroad com panies to give free transportation to representatives of religious and chari table institutions. Senator Jones of fered an amendment requiring that all the names of persons traveling on such free passes to be furnished to the Corporation Commission by the rail road companies. There was a motion by Senator Mc Lean to table the bill and this pre vailed. A bill to allow the Attorney Gen eral ana the State Department of Ed ucation a laborer each, instead of one between the two departments came up and passed second reading. Senator Jones lodged objection to third read ing, on the ground of economy and pre vented the measure from going on final reading, the majority for it not being sufficient to suspend the rules. The House bill for a general raise in the salaries of the clerks of the Department of Insurance, putting them on an equal footing with the clerks of the other departments of the -state came up for final reading, the measure involving an additional salary budget for the department of $1,000. It was advocated by Senators Ward, Hobgood, Phillips, and Pharr, and was opposed by Senators Nim ocks, Ivie and Little of Anson, on the ground that the state's financial con dition would not warrant these al lowances of increased pay for the department of state. An amendment to the bill raising the salary of the actuary of the department $200 was voted down, and the bill passed as it came from the House and was order ed enrolled for ratification. The vote was 26 to 14. A bill came from the House "allow ing an additional $10 bonus each for the old soldier laborers , that have served during the session of the Leg islature. It also provided for these men to receive mileage. Senator Bel lamy moved to table the bill, liis mo tion being in line with the declared policy of cutting out the end-of-the-session bonus bills that always pour in, involving in the aggregate thou sands of dollars. The motion to table failed to carry by a bare majority. Then there was a long discussion. Senator Barnes expressed his will ingness to contribute out of his own pocket if any laborers were in need, but he could not vote the state's money, Senators Bryant and Ivie spoke ilkewise, and the latter chal lenged any Senator to join him in a contribution. The bill was passed at first on second reading by 25 to 14, and went over on third reading upon objection by Senator Ivie andhe fail ure of a motion to suspend rules. The vote on that motion was afterwards reconsidered and the bill finally pass ed by 23 to 13. A resolution by Senator Ivie was I adopted empowering the governor to I call together for purposes of organi zation the commission appointed to consider constitutional amendments. The following bills were passed on final reading and ordered enrolled for ratification: For relief of sheriffs and tax collec tors of Wayne county. Amending charter of School for the Feeble-Minded. Increasing appropriation from $1, 500 to $3,000 for the traveling rural libraries. Amending Revisal relative to title insurance companies. Prohibiting sale or giving away of cigarettes to minors in Alexander county. Joint resolution requesting the Na tional Government to aid the states in road-building. Joint resolution providing that for the extra session no employe of this session shall be on the pay-roll except those who are especially notified by the chief clerk, President of the Sen ate and Speaker of the House. Joint resolution to pay committee investigating questions of selling A. & N.- C. Railroad $4 a day and expenses not to exceed 14 days. Authorizing the state to grant right-of-way to the United States Govern ment for 1,000 feet on each side of the Inland Waterway, Norfolk to Beaufort Inlet To protect robins. , Prohibiting minors of Guilford coun ty from smoking or having cigarettes. Extending time for beginning work on Norfolk & Southern Railway. Amending Wake county road law. Amending charter of Central Caro lina Railroad Company. By 1:30 o'clock the calendar was ex hausted, many bills having been ta bled in the rush with very little con sideration, and recess was taken, nc other business but the ratification of bills to be taken up. HOUSE. The House convened with Speaker Connor in the chair, to conclude the work of the final day of the session. There was a long list of enrolled bills awaiting .ratification and this consum ed half an hour or longer. Representative Kellum moved the reconsideration of the bill pertaining to the state printing that had been pre viously tabled. He expleined that its passage would mean a saving of $10, 000 or more to the state in the elmina tion of unnecessary printing that is now. done for a number of the state departments. Mr. Wooten objected to the reopening of so important a matter in the absence of many of the mem bers and in view of an agreement that no new matters should be brought up He contended that to take a bill from the table was in effect to bring up new business. Mr. Kellum withdrew his motion, but gave notice that the mat ter would be reopened at the extra session. A supplimental resolution came over from the Senate and was passed and ordered enrolled, giving the Gov ernor the power to call together the Commission on Constitutional Amend ments for organization. A bill to provide $500 toward the maintenance of the Indian Normal School of Robeson county was passed and ordered enrolled. There was a suspension of the rules and Master Thomas J. Craig of Un ion county, was allowed to address the Speaker for the presentation of cigars as a token of the admiration and love the pages entertain for the presiding officer. Mr. Connor fitting ly acknowledged the gift and senti ment. Mr. Doughton, for the employes of the House, presented to Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr. Moring, a handsome cane. , . Mr. Alexander Lassiter, for the as sistant clerks, presented to Principal Clerk T. G. Cobb a carving set as a token of their esteem and apprecia tion for his kindness, patience and for bearance, with the hope that he may carve for himself highest honors and fame by the exercise of the excellent virtues that he has aboundantly man ifested in his official duties with the Legislature. Mr. Cobb responded most apprecia tively, and assured the members of the House that his duties had received the very best' effort that he could give. There was at the suggestion of Rep resentative Doughton a final roll call of the members of this session. There were 50 answering the roll, and others were allowed to be added as they came into the hall later, the purpose being to have on this-oll call the names of all who were in the city for the final session of the Assembly. Mr. Wallace of Beaufort addressed the House in a personal farewell, in which he expressed himself very feel ingly. ' The House concurred in a joint res olution from the Senate setting out that the regular clerks and employes of the present session shall be con tinued for the extra session to be call ed by the Governor next fall. Representative Williams of Bun combe addressed the Houce in a feel ing expression of appreciation for the consideration that the members havr shown him during the session. The ladies employed in the various departments of the House assembled in the galleries and were thanked for their work by Representative Lodp during a recess period of the House Weatherspoon, who was in the galleries at the time, responded from that position to the remarks of Mr. Long, speaking for the ladies. The House took a formal recess to await the pleasure of the Senate anc" itify the final batch of acts before adjournment sine die. INSURGENT TFIODOPS DRIVE UNDER SHOWER OF SHRAPNEL FEDERALS FORCE ENEMY CUT OF THE HILLS. HAVE DESPERATE FIGHTING Little Brow , Bare-Footed Soldiers in Defense of the Military Honors of The New Huerta Regime. Fighting Still Going On. Naco, Ariz. Instead of waiting to be attacked by nearly 1,000 insurgent state troops, General Oeda with less than 500' Federal soldiers went out from Naco and defeated the enemy. In three hours of aggressive fighting peppering the enemy's line with bul lets and spraying lead from shrapnel shells over hills adopted as fortifica tions, the Huerta Federals drove the state forces five miles to the south east. Later the government forces re turned victorious to the Mexican bor der town opposite this point. Even the victors did not believe the fighting was ended, however, nor that Naco is secure from assault. The state forces are assembling in still greater numbers to wrest the only remaining port on the Sonora border from the hands of the Huerta national govern ment. With the advantage of the unexpect ed aggression and possessing five ar tillery pieces, the little brown, bare footed soldiers, defending the military honor of the new Huerta regime, fought as wild men against seeming ly overwhelming odds. Protected by the artillery fire, the Federals scrambled over the hillocks and fear lessly began firing their rifles at the enemy appearing in the distance. It was the group under Elias Calles which first received the assault. Ex pecting to attack rather than be at tacked the state troops soon fell back. . The other half of the Con stitutional forces under Perfeto Bracamonte rushed to the rescue from the east and with a roar of artillery and the continued rattle of rifles the battle was on. For an hour desperate fighting continued. Little by little the state troops fell back from the terrific fire of the aggressors For a mile the Huetra soldiers pur sued closely the retreating enemy, ad vancing the artillery from the rear of the skirmish lines. Bodies of killed and wounded state troops lis desert ed on the field. Woman Suffrage Issue in Congress. Washington, D. C. A constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote for president and vice-president probably will be brought formal ly before Congress with v the endorse ment of a senate committee before the and of the present year. In the reorgan ization of its committees the senate took its woman suffrage committee out of the list of inactive committees, where it has remained for many years and increased its membership from five to nine, the majority of whom are advocates of suffrage for women. Republicans Delay Appointments. Washington. Republican objections to hasty action on President Wilson's appointments again delayed action in the confirmation of several important nominations, including those of Dr. B. T. Galloway, to be assistant secretary of agriculture, John S. Williams to be assistant secretary of the treasury, Edwin F. Sweet to be assistant secre tary of commerce and Franklin Roose velt assistant secretary of the navy. The Colombian Dispute. Washington. Julia Betancourt, the Colombian minister, called on Repre sentative Flood of Virginia, chairman of the house foreign affairs commit tee, in relation to the Colombian mon etary claims in connection with the acquisition of the Panama Canal zone. Senor. Bfetancourt was anxious that congressional action be pressed at the extra session looking towards submit ting the Colombian controversy to The Hague. For True Condition of Postoffice. Washington. Postmaster General Burlescn made plans to find out "whether the postoffice department is pn a self-sustaining basis." He an nounced that he proposed to set at rest the reports about the matter. For this purpose he will appoint a com mission, composed probably of various assistant postmasters general and the chief clerk, to make an investigation. The people of the United States de clared Mr. Burleson have a right to know on what sort of a basis the postoffice department is being run. Pellagra Is Spreading. Washington. Pellagra is more pre valent than is ordinarily supposed even by physicians practicing in pel lagrous communities, declares Assist ant Surgeon R. M. Grimm, of the Uni ted States Public Health. Service, in a report on the results of an investiga tion in several Southern states. Be cause of its widespread existence in certain districts, he urges a sweeping inquiry to ascertain the cause of . the puzzling disease. Dr. Grimm found 'sore cases among whites than among negroes. . ROM NAGO NEWS OF NORTH CAROLINA Latest News of General Interest That Has Been Collected From Many Towns and Counties. 'Spencer. Ben Hinson, a young white man, was killed by a traction engine in a public road in Cabarrus county. The body was shipped to Marshville for burial. Charlotte. A new railroad from Black Mountain to Mount Mitchell is now in full operation for hauling logs. It goes to a point on the side of the mountain about 1,000 feet below the summit. Asheville. The- Woodmen of the World, jurisdiction of North Carolina, in their third bjennial convention here recently, voted to hold the , 1915 convention in Durham. The only strong competitor for the convention was Winston-Salem. Spencer. The automatic electric block system installed a month ago by the Southern Railway company .between Spencer and Denim, near Greensboro, will be extended from here to Charlotte at once. The work of building the line is now practically complete lacking only the installa tion of joints to be ready for service Weaverville. At a ' meeting of the progressive wing of the Democratic party of Weaverville Charles R. Moore was nominated for the office of mayor. He will be opposed in the general election in May by Captain Weaver, who has been chosen to rep resent the conservative wing of the party. Wilson. Dan Newsom, the negro who shot Victoria Cooper at a saw mill near here recently, was captured at Cofield, in Herford county and tak en to Ahoskie. Officer G. P. Bryant of the Wilson police rorce was detail ed to bring Newsom to Wilson for trial, his victim having died from her wounds. Asheville. Although there were only 28 days in the past month, the revenue men under the directions of Internal Revenue Agent R. B. Sams, of this city, established an unusual record for the number of illicit dis tilleries seized and destroyed. The total number reported seized was 83. which is probably the high record for February. Henrietta. Mr. James Robinson, while in company with officers who were making an effort to locate . a blockade distilerry in one of the iso lated corners of the county fell Into a ravine and broke his collar-bone. The entire party immediately gave up the search, and brought the suf fering man to his home for medical attention. Raleigh. A comp-ilsory school law throughout North Carolina, a com panion to another providing a mini mum term of six months, passed the senate. It already passed the house. The law takes effect in the fall of 1913. The house reconsidered its de feat of the bill giving women the right to sit on all school boards, both house and senate passing it. Charlotte. Arrangements for a charter election to be held April 18 were made by the board of aldermen the election. to be preceded by a new registration. The ordinance was bas ed on two acts, recently ratified by the legislature, one entitled "An act to revise the charter of the City of Charlotte" and the other "An act to provide a commission form of govern ment for the City of Charlotte." Raleigh. The North Carolina Agri cultural Society, which operates , the state fair at Raleigh, held an adjourn ed meeting recently ior the purpose of formally ratifying a bond issue or dered recently by the executive com mittee to an amount not exceeding $50,000 for permanent improvements at the fair grounds. It is expected that at least part of these improve ments will be completed in time for the fair next fall. Asheville. For the purpose of in vestigating western Carolina as a fruit growing country, Orlanda Harrison, of the firm of J. G. Harrison & Sons of -Berlin, Md., will visit the counties of Haywood and Buncombe within the next few days. He will be accompa nied to this section by Prof. W. N. Hutt, the state horticulturist, who will take the visitor to various parts of the two counties in an effort to induce him to purchase property in this state. Raleigh. Senator George B. Mc Leod, of Robeson, who has been do ing some work on the tax question and whose speech in the senate was referred to recently, has gotten to gether the counties and shown a short age in every one of the 100 in collec tion of special taxes. Salisbury An outfit of mysterious appearance and used in a liquor joint in Salisbury was captured by Sheriff J. H, McKenzie and Deputies Krider, Tolbert and McKenzie, when the offi cers raided a suspicious locality in this city. S. M. Cudahy was proprietor of the place, and was arrested. Durham. D. C. Christian, chief of the fire department, has made out his" annual report, which will be sub mitted to the April meeting of the board of aldermen. There was a fire loss of $27,470.76, and the total amount of property endangered was $162,970. Canton. At the regular meeting of the board of aldermen some time was spent in the discussion of a curfew law for the children of Canton. It was ordered that such a law be drawn up and brought to the aldermen at their next regular meeting for enact ment as a city ordinance. LEGISLATIVE WORK THE BIG QUESTION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY WAS MEETING EXPENSES. MANY PROGRESSIVE ACTS Financial Problem . Overshadowed All Others in Legislature. Six Months School Term Provided For Stated Women Allowed to Serve on Boards, Raleigh. The general assembly just adjourned passed and ratified 1, 527 acts and 60 resolutions, compar ed wjth 1,460 act's and 55 resolutions two years ago. Overshadowing all other questions in importance this session was the matter of finance, the legislature hav ing to face the deficit in tha treasury of approximately $800,000. This was met by an ' increase, in the tax levy from $1.29 to $1.43 on the poll and from 45 to 47 2-3 centa on the $100 ' property by raising the"tax on cor porations from the old graduated plan to one-twenty-fiftn of one per cent on the capital stock, increasing income ' and inheritance taxes and enacting more stringent machinery for their collection and putting "on automobile manufacturers a license tax of.;$500. The recommendation of the govern-' or and the finance committee for a reassessment of property and a spe cial state tax commission was disre garded. Among the more progressive acts was one providing for a six-months public school. term in all counties; a compulsory school attendance law, optional, however, with the various counties; an act allowing women to serve on school committees, boards of trustees of educational institutions aand textbook commissions. A special commission is conferring with railroad officials as to discrimi- . nations in freight rates against North Carolina town, and is expected to ef fect concessions solving to a consider able extent this long-vexing problem. The question as to amending the consitution was settled by. a resolu tion calling for an extra session of the legislature and the appointment by the governor of a special commis sion to consider all proposed amend ments and report to the extra session. The number of superior court judges and judicial districts was in creased from 16 to 20, and the state redistricted. A new automobile law imposes on owners a graduated an nual license tax from a to $15 in place of the flat tax of $5, with $1 renewal fee. Governor Pardons Watkins. Raleigh. Gov. Craig pardoned F. C. Watkins, the Black Mountain consta ble, whom he defended for killing John Hill Bunting, a prominent trav eling man three years ago in a Black Mountain hotel. Gov. Craig relates the testimony, declaring Bunting and a banker, Mr. Paul Collins, who was seriously shot, had terrorized the ho tel guests and Watkins was called af ter midnight to restore order. - The governor says they attacked Watkins and he shot them in self-defense. "I defended Watkins, do not believe he is guilty, he ought not to have been convicted and has suffered too much," Gov. Craig says. Demonstrator for Rowan County. Salisbury. R. W. Freeman, of Sum merville ,S. C, has been appointed by the government as farm demonstrator for Rowan county. The appointment has been accepted and Mr. Freeman will enter upon his duties at once. For a number of years Mr. Freeman has been assistant superintndent of agri culture of South Carolina is well pre pared for the work as demonstrator in Rowan. . Wess Brewer is Released. Asheville. Wess Brewer, cojored, alias John Huff, who was arrested more than a year ago charged with the murder of Policeman Edwin C. McConnell, who was killed July 3, 1911, was released. The sheriff was ordered to allow the negro his liberty by Solicitor Robert R. Reynolds, who will ask that the case be nol prossed. To Help Adjust Freight Rates. Raleigh. Chambers of commerce manufacturers, merchants and all oth er persons interested in the freight rate controversy are called upon by Chairman E. J. Justice, of the special' commission on the subject Qf freight rates, to send, to him at Greensboro, as early as possible, such data as they . have in hand which they think will be helpful in adjusting the' freight rate situation, such data to be tabu-, lated for the use of the freight rate (ixpert which the commission has de 'ermined to employ. ".' ' North Carolina New Enterprises. Raleigh. The Forsyth Dining Room Furniture Company of Winston-Salem received a charter, $225,000 capi tal authorized and $10,000 subscribed! by Charles Selwers, J. A. Vance and W Lee Springs, as incorporators for the manufacture of "high-grade dining room furniture. Other charters are to the J. L. Pottle & Sons Co., South ern Pines, capital $50,00 authorized and $3,000 subscribed by J. L. Pottle and others; Markbam & Ferrebee Co.,: of Elizabeth City, capital $100, 000 authorized and $5,800 subscribed.