The news & observer., 1897-03-06
1898 -1So7-THE LEGISLATURE
CONVERTED INTO A MOB-H1S-
TORY REPEATS ITSELF.

w MSU NllN EscVtR&S Va ~NSA Na N@'NA 1900
the plain and unvarnished account of
the riotous proceedings in the House of
Representativ yesterday they will hang
their heads in shame at the disgrace that
has come TO the dear old State.
The Legislature of 1S6S'69, drunk
with the champagne of the Littlehelds and
their associates, made a ring and danced
in drunken reyelry in the Capitol of the
State. The result of such debauchery and
corruption was to cause the good people
of the State of all parties to join hands
to save the State from men of such wan
tonness and baseness.
That was exactly thirty years ago
save one.
The dose of disgust and debauchery
given the people by the Legislature drove
the participants into merited and lasting
disgrace from which about all except those
who escaped the peniteniary or sought
fresh pastures. have never emerged. A
few of the old gang have come to the
front in the late political changes that
have taken place. They professed great
zeal for reform, and some credulous peo-
pie who had forgotten their past career,
accepted their professions, as they spread
broad their phylacteries.
The mantle of the gang that infest-
ed the Capitol in 1868 has descended upon
the Republican gang now in control of
legislation. Yesterdays disgraceful pro-
ceedings. which in their imitation Of the
Reign of Terror are indescribable, showed
that the spirit of the gang that was
driven cut then with the whip cords OF
the peoples indignation still animates
the members of the same party. There
has been no change for the better. The
only things that have saved the taxpayers
a repetition of the wholesale stealing OF
1S6S-'69, has been the courage Of the
Democratic minority, the conservatism
of many Populist members, and few
Republicans.
No such scenes have ben witnessed IN
legislative halls from the days OF the
drunken orgies of 1SeS,G9 till the dis
graceful pandemonium that broke UP the
proceedings yesterday in bowling mob.
For thirty years, save one, we have had
neaeaful, honest and conservative Legls-
latures. seeking to carry out the will OF
INDUSTRIOUS frugal and honest people
In all these years no policement have
haen summoned to the capitol to compel
representatives of the people to behave
ike gentlemen instead Of hoodlums and
toughs.
Never before has a presiding officer OF
either body felt called upon to disperse
a bowling mob that made the capitol re-
sound with language better suited to
low down dive than the halls of legisla-
ton.
Never before, bowling and jeering and
calling the presiding officer Gar, have
legislators been so controlled by their pas
sions as to resort to the revolutionary
plan of electing in their frenzied fury a
rump Speaker Of a rump House.
Never before, since 1868, has bribery
and corruption, bargain and sale, false
entries and false representations, been
the distinguishing features of General
Assembly of North Carolina, and never
before did corporations so wholly own,
dominate and control members elected
to represent the people.
Yesterdays pandemonium was but the
elimination, the climax. of the corrupt
and corrupting policies that begun with
Pritchard's election. 1t was the legiti-
mate outbreak of the secret meanness
and yenality that has been seen in the
acts of many members of this Legisla-
ture.
soon the State will be rid of the mob
Tuesday marks the last day for the
CARRYING out of their selfish schemes and
oarrpn4 practices. The men who have
dominated this Legislature go never tc
return They go to meet the condemna
tion of an outraged constituency.
History viii repeat tself Just as
sure as the Legislature OF 186S-'69 re-
ceiyed the contempt Of the people, JUS
70 surely will the people rise up aas