The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-03-04
SUBSTITUTE ADOPTED
THE SENATE'S ACTION ON RAIL
ROAD LEASE BILL.
A Victory for the Southern Railway
VIII the House Pass it2- The
Alexander Hyatt Difficulty.
Some Legislative Notes.

Alexander Hyatt Difficulty.
Some Legislative Notes.
A telegram to TIE SENTINEL from
Raleigh, received last Saturday says
Mr.. Alexander, Governor Russell's
private secretary, who had a little
misunderstanding" with Senator
Hyatt yesterday, gave out a state
ment last night to the effect that
Hyatt accused him Of trying to bribe
him (Hyattl TO vote 10 annul the rail-
road lease Alexander said the charge
was lie. Hyatt said Alexander was
another and spoke out to crowd that
the bribe had been offered. AleXan-
der again said the charge was a lie,
whereupon Hyatt struck him in the
face.
There is talk OF a special committee
OF Senators to invesI lRate the matter.
la special interview State Senator
Hyatt positively declares that Alex
ander directly offered him the posi-
tion OF secretary to the Board OF Ag-
riculture II he would vote for the bill
to annal the lease u the North Caro-
lima railway; that he struck Private
Secretary Alexander aud denounced
MIN; that he viii rise IN the Senate
| and see whether the Governor can
| with impuntty, offer brlUes TO legisla-
tors,
THE LEASE BILL.
The session of the Senate yesterday
was devoted mainly 20 tue discussion
| of the bill 10 annul the lease OF the
North G1TOlina railway. Iae Senate
! chamber was packed, many represen-
| tatives OF both the Southern and the
| SedbOaTd railway being present. The
| majority or the special cOmmittee dp-
| pointed to consider The present lease
! on the road reported that IL had found
! no fraud, or sus plclOn Of fraud, In the
making OF the lease. The minority or
! the committee made Il report that it
| did not concur in the majority report
| because the committee would not
| summons and examine eX-Governor
| Carr, A. B. Andrews, and Il. &. HOh-
man, and that the facts could not be
obtained without their evidence.
| THE SUBSTITUTE BILL
| Tie majority of the committee offer
ed d substitute for the OIL to annul
the lease, this being the substitute
| offered by Senator Grant. The mi
| nority recommended that the SubSti-
tute do not pass. The debate occu'
pied nearly hve hours, and was at
| times warm. Amendments were Offer
ed TO the substitute providing that
| the directors of the North Carolina
| railway shall also assent 10 mOdlttca-
tion Of thirty-six years by June lst
| next, also allowing the State TO bring
| suit in the event the Southern rail-
way and directors fail To assent to the
| modification OF the lease. Other
! amendments were offered TO the sub
stitute, naming the per cent. rate OF
| rental. One Of them named 10 per
cent, another 9, another 5. These
were defeated. Ibere was tie vote
on the per cent. amendment, which
the president broke by voting mo"
SUBSTITUTE ADOPTED.
The substitute was adGpted-Ayes,
26; noes, "A and then passed its second
and third readings, and was clinched.
Some OF the Senators said III voting
against the bill that they would take
the question into politics. Four Pop
ulistS voted for the substitute. Gov
ernor Russell had felt confident up to
almost the last moment that the sub
stitute Whould be defeated.
Governor Russell, however, claims
that it is ii victory in that it has
forced the Southern TO submit to a
shorter term. The house will doubt
less pass the bill, but may amend IL,
making rental 10 per cent the amount
offered by the Seaooard Air Line.