The news & observer., 1897-03-06
A HOWLING MOB.
tContinned from Second Page.l


and in the hour of politics. ne saiu
this anestion was now a political ques-
ton: that this fact caused to-day's dis
graceful proceedings. He expressed
doubt that they would be here on next
Monday. He wanted the lease question
settled now and squarely. He declared
the committee had not done its duty IN
failing to report to-day. He insisted ON
the Speaker, saying whether the bill was
before the House. The Speaker
said the bill was made special order
hut the bill was not on the calendar;
that the House did not demand report.
The question before the House, said
the Speaker. is Blackburn's motion that
the bill be taken from the committee.
Sutton =, Cumberland said that the.
Suprens 1T always acted promptly
on a rec for an opinion by the legis-
)ature. al cited case in 1894. He de-
clared the Senate substitute was no sub
stitnte: but new, different and indepen-
dent one; that it was carefully and art
fully drawn and contained a proposition
that if the private stockholders declined to
ratifv the SO year lease the 80 year lease
must stand without giving the Governor
any right to bring suit. He said two
OF the BE4Ndbt SbOChdAVluCiS dNI1A1lSh W
saw whether they would accept the SO
wear lease or not. He said the resolution
was drawn on the lines of the ONE Of
1894, and that the Supreme court never
refused request from a coordinate
branch. He said if the substitute passed
it might result in actually validating the
90 year lease He said the committee
had found that Gov. Carr was in COM
munication with the Southern Railway
six months before the lease was con-
summated, and the matter was kept
secret.
Blackburn said that Gov. Russell has
charged that in the lease the Southern
Railway had so acted as to cause him
to charge fraud; that he said this before
he was elected, and said so when he
was inaugurated and on the heels of
this came a bill; that committee said
there was no fraud in the lease and that
the lease was valid. He made the point
that a committee was a creation OF the
House. He said that to-day Cook, who
was known to be opposed to the BILL was
in the chair and refused to recognize a
call for a division; and that the only OBJ
iect was not to leave the matter unheard;
that he knew what an adjournment
meant; that there would be no quorum to-
morrow night; that the State would for
years be in a turmoil; that the adjourn
ment to-day was arbitrary and in the in
terest of delay; that the men who man
age the Southern Railway in this State
are North Carolinians and he euloglzed
Col Andrews (applause) as a man who
had done as much as any man for the best
interests and development of his native
State All we want is a fair deal, and
no peremptory adjournments; we want
the matter settled here and now. The
Supreme court can't pass upon matter
before it becomes law; it is only another
turn to keep this matter back and throw
it into politics, for 2 years, railway
lease" and "anti-railway lease"-the ar
raging of the poor against the railways
and against capital Tomorrow is the
last legal day More dilatory tactics will
be injected tomorrow for further delay.
He demanded the previous question.
Dockery said, IF you do that ] will
vote against the bill. Blackburn said,
Il will withdraw the call, for you.''
Hartness rose to speak, but Blackburn
said he only yielded to Dockery. The
Speaker said he understood Blackburn
as withdrawing the call for the previous
question.
Hartness said this fight was only pre-
liminary to the question whether the
Southern Railway should have their
North Carolina railway at a less price
than the people say should be paid; that
it was said the Supreme court would not
dare to file an opinion in "A hours, yet
it is desired TO railroad this bill through
the Senate. He said they knew the
wrath of the people would smite them If
they did not get it out of politics. Cap
plause. J The substitute says we will not
stop you for 80 years but only for SO. He
said the people ought to destroy those
who seek to thus work against their in
terests. There is a fatal admission that
the matter is to be taken out of politics
not as the people wanted it taken out,
but as the Southern Railway wants to
settle it; that it is sought to override
precedent; that the substitute was sim
ply an amendment of the charter and
an admission that 80 year lease was
invalid; that it was left to the directors
whether they would confirm the lease
or not; that the gist of the whole fight is
that there is not enough money for the
lease. He said there was nothing un-
reasonable in the committees asking
the Supreme court to settle this question.
If you don't want to settle it right then
railroad it through and take the con-
sequences.
Dockery said the bill was certainly not
on the calendar. We wanted to give the
Supreme court time to give an
opinion on the substitute. He moved that
Blackburn's motion be deferred until
II o'clock tomorrow and that at II a vote
be taken
Mr. Cook said II would be too early.
Mr.. Dockery asked him if / O'Clock
would suit him.
Mr.. Cook said yes.
Mr.. Dockery then moved that the com
mittee report the bill at l. tomorrow, and
that a vote be taken not later than J.
He said the Supreme Courts opinion
would of course not be judicial but would
largely influence his vote.
Mr.. Cook said that II o'clock was toe
early for the court.
Mr.. Dockery said that If the Supreme