The news & observer., 1897-02-23
THE LEASE '.INvEsTIGATIoN."

THE LEASE 1NNF%SIIGAIIoN'
It is not our purpose here TO meddle IN
any way with the deliberations of the
Senate committee which were yesterday
assembled TO inquire into the merits OF
the memorial presented to the legislature
by the Directors of the North Carolina
RaiIroad-that is by way of prejudging
the case.
We take it that in some fashion the
committee is Tor ought 10 be) comprising
within itself the potentialities or other
wise of a court of a justice. And the
profane finger of the secular press
should rot in any wise touch the hem
of the garment of justice even for the
virtue that there is in it-that is, ahead
of time.
That is not our purpose.
But our purpose is to say it straight
that Senator Grants performance yes
terday. as chairman Of the committee,
barely escaped blackguardism. We do
not mean to be abusive of or unjust to
Senator Grant or anybody else, but as
chairman of that committee, he
made mistake if he thought
that he would escape the just
censure he deserves for his surly East
side swagger, that might go well in the
Bowery groggery of Silver Dollar Smith,
but not in the midst of North Carolina
gentlemen accustomed to the treatment
of gentlemen.
Here was his slogan: If you don't get
through with but one witness, we are
going to report this case by Friday"
Friday, indeed. He is there at the re-
quest of honorable directors to investl-
gate their part in a great public transac-
ton interesting the lowliest man. Not a
man of the directors land one of them so
said last night want their honor run
through cutting-knife to be made
shorts" of. They did not ask that kind
of an investigation and Chairman Grant
may as we'll understand that the people
will not tolerate it.
Friday! His neck seemed to have been
strung with a barbaric necklace of Fri
,Iavs and Fridays hung in his ears like
rings in Timbuctoo, and he was tattooed
with FRIDAYS, and there was a fateful
eructation of Fridays, as if he would
breath out hangman's tid1ngs to all who
would dare say him nay.
hn IN Ia ENF161V
Saturday: he is there to investigate; he is
not there to report investigated, until
he has investigated.
What then!
At the end, he announces that two
hours more would be given today between
II and 2 and that then the 'mvestiga-
ton" would close. A change of mind!
The spectre of Friday chased him into
Tuesday. What changed him so sud
denly? All along it had been Fsfiay
Now bobbed up Tuesday!
And for what?
The lease bill comes up IN the Senate
next Friday, and he wants to get his re-
port in before then, despite the fact
brought out by committeeman Butler
that in open Senate the proposition of the
bill had been admitted 10 be separate
one from the lease investigation.
Thus with the croak of the raven he
interrupted now and again with his
4sNevermores. 1--WE have had enough
on that liner' He probably had too much
on that line.
And yet we cannot be too suddenly
surprised at such tantrums from q man
who is reported to have said in open Sen
ate that he had been raising his children
up among thieves.
If he gets his pie in Washington, he
will have doubtless got in the midst
of the kind of honesty he likes. At any
rate. he will doubtless make better
subordinate officer in the Senate where
he will be made to behave himself
than a committee chairman where he sub
stitutes the bully for dignity and mud
middle politics for what should be judi
cial temper only.
Even admitting that his Friday limit
were correct, and that he must report the
result of his investigation as well as the
anti-lease bill, there is neither rhyme noI
reason in concluding the hearing to-day
This is Tuesday. There is no reason why
the investigation should not be continued
tonight, this afternoon, tomorrow, and
mo reason why, when the bulk of the Leg
islature goes to the Newbern Fair this
committee should not sit all day, so as tC
examine fully every matter connected
with the lease and the ab0rtlve attemp