The news & observer., 1897-02-09
SWINSON BOUNCED.
THERE WAS A LIVELY FIGHT OVER
ITINTr,E HOUSE LAST NIGHT.
The Senate Re-referred Two import
ant Railroad Bills TO Com
nittees,
HOUsE-NIGHT SESSION.

The House met at 7:30. The calendar
was at once taken up and the Senate
bill to establish a uniform standard Of
time for the State was for the second
time tabled.
The resolution introduced by Hancock
to establish the office of enrolling clerk
and oust Sw5nson came up and caused a
lively debate Hancock spoke first, and
in support of the resolution. Ward. of
Duplin, asked what was the charge against
Swinson. Blackburn said that Swinson
had refused to carry out the terms Of the
contract, and thus it was none of Swim
sons business how many assistant enroll
ing clerks there were; that Swinson was
not the treasurer responible for the
finances. Ferrell said that if broken
contracts and agreements were spoken
of it was high time for the Republicans
to get ON their knees and apologize to the
Populists. He declared it was snap judg-
ment; that it was evident the Republi-
cans we're trying to over run the Popu-
lists. The Populists are in the minority,
but i'm pleasing Republicans they expect
ed to be treated fairly. Hancock asked
Ferrell if he was not elected by Republi-
can votes. Ferrell said, yes. Lusk then
called ON Ferrell to name the contract
which the Republicans had broken. Fer
rell said he could do so, but would rath-
er mot Several Republicans cried out
tell it, but he did not
Dockery said S. Otho Wilson and
Chairman Atwater had been to him daily
for the past two weeks to depose Swim
son. He said that last Saturday night
Swinson had gone into the majority Pop
ulist caucus and made pledge and that
then the caucus had decided to endorse
him. He said that Swinson had agreed to
put m the man manned by the Republican
caucus, but now he has broken his pledge
by saying he would not put any negro on
the roll. He said iSwinson, elected by
negro votes, had come here and after
feathering fhis own nest had broken faith.
Dockery said Quick was in all respects as
competent as Swanson; that the latter
thought he was bigger than the house
itself; that the attorney general had
rendered an opinion against him. He
said Swinson had appointed two SER
wants to wait ON him: and one of these
was Swinson's own son. Ward asked if
two had not been put there by Speaker
Hileman and Reynolds. Dockery said
W tiths HCAatilf tillu a II ttit 0tiNGE OIbu~
| lists who were now so anxious to en-
dorse Swinson and hit at the negroes,
were last fall very anxious to get the
negroes to vote for them. and but for
negro votes would never be here. During
all this discussion there were a great
deal of applause, nearly all among Re
publlcans. Democrats took no part in
, the debate but let the fight go on.
r. l.
The call was sustained. Ward demand
ed the yeas and nays. There was a
great deal of explaining of votes Cox
Republican, voted no, saying he believed
in fairness and thought all men should
have a trial by he's peers. Dixon, of
Cleveland, said that while it might be
true that the enrolling clerk had violat-
ed an agreement, yet the punishment
was too great for the crime and so he
voted no. Duffy said that it had been
announced that assistants had been EN-
ployed in the enrolling clerks Office
while at cost of some $1,000, 1T had
been stated that only 80 bills had
been enrolled. He said that Swim
son was a reformer and that he
was ast0nished to see "reformers" at
work here to oust him. Eddins, in yot-
ing no, said he did not think this the
tribunal to try SWinson's case: that it
should be left to his constituents; that
this trouble was the result Of u quarrel
with two factions in the House. one Of
which wished to punish Swinson Lusk
said what was asked of Swinson was
not to put these two men on the roll,
but simply to say when they are needed
will You put them ON. Then said Lusk,
Sfrrr9r 10 I, L. I
no. Somebody must be boss: either the
Legislature or Swinson. Lusk said he
loved the Populist; was almost a Popu-
list himself and had sometimes to pinch
himself to find out whether he was
Populist or not. He said there were only
32 Populist voters in Buncombe and they
voted for the Democrats. Lyle said II
seemed that the Legislature was simply
an annex of the Republican pie-counter
McPheeters, in voting no, said he always
believed in fairness, and that this Legis-
lature could not afford not to deal fairly
Morton, OF Richmond asked If
two years ago the Republicans were not
tied out IN the woods and If the Populists
did not have to go out and unite them?
Morton said that il Atwater had said
he wanted SwinsOn deposed, he had also
learned his error. Parker, of WAYNE,
said that he remembered all the talk about
the enrolling clerks cff1ce and that when
Swinson was elected he heard it said
he was a reformer, an economical man;
yet here he was being kicked out because
he did not employ unneeded men. Peace
SAID the Republicans and Populists was
indebted to the 10000 negro voters for
their election; that neither could win
unless by negro votes; and the negroes
could have had negro as enrolling clerk
Person, of Wayne, said he had pushed
Swins0n, had told of how he had suffer
ed at the hands of the Democratic ma
chine; that he was not casting his vote
against Swinson, but against his stub
b0rnneSs. Ward said ii was not charged
that Swins0n refused to do anything |
but that he was going to refuse, that in
other words he was tried before he had
committed an offence Walters said that |
two years ago the enrolling clerk was |