The people of the entire State are
interested in the Railroad Commission
law which goes into effect in North
Carolina. The Clironiclc published
the gist of the bill and the debates
thereon during the session of the Leg
islature. Inasmuch as the Com
missioners entered upon the dis
charge of their new, delicate and
important, the Clironiclc thinks it
fitting to present to its readers the
following carefully prepared synopsis
of the law:
Section i provides for the election
of three commissioners by the General
Assembly. The term of office is for
six years, to begin the first day of
April next following their election,
but the first commissioners elected
shall Ijc, one for two years, one for
four and one ior six. The Legislature
next preceding the expiration of the
term of a commissioner shall elect his
successor. In the event of death or
vacancy from other cause the Gov
ernor shall fill the vacancy by appoint
ment until the next Legislature meets
and elects to fill the vacancy. The
commissioners are prohibited from
being in any way connected with any
steamboat, railroad or other transpor
tation company, express or telegraph
company, or from being agent, attorney
or employe of such company. They
are required to make oath on entering
upon office that they are not, and fur
ther, that they will not be during
their term of office interested in any
Railroad, &.c to discharge the
duties of their office without fear,
favor or malice, or reward or the hope
of reward. In the event that by in
heritance or otherwise a commissioner
becomes possessed of stocks, bonds or
interest in any company to which ref
erence is made in this section, he shall
at once dispose of the same, failing in
which it shall be the duty of the Gov
ernor to suspend him from office, and
lay the facts before the next General
Assembly, which in joint session shall
consider the question of removal, to le
decided by a majority vote. In case
of suspension the Governor shall ap
point to the vacancy, and if the sus
pended commissioner be removed by
the Legislature the person appointed
by the Governor to fill the vacancy
becomes his successor to fill out the
terms for which he was elected.
