The news & observer., 1897-02-20
SATURDAY, February 20, 1897.
THE SENATE ON THE ANTI I-LEASE
BILL.

BILL.
The bill that passed the House provid-
ing the means for testing the validity of
the lease of the North Carolina Railroad
for ninety-nine years, to prevent monop-
olies, and to require foreign railroad cor
porations to take out license before doing
business i'm North Carolina reached the
Senate yesterday. For, perhaps, the first
time during the session every Senator
was in his seat, and fifty votes were cast
on three preliminary motions. They dis
closed the fact that the vote in the Sen
ate is going to be very close, though no
vote was taken touching the merits of the
bill.
The first vote was taken on motion
to refer the bill to the special committee
appointed to investigate the lease. Most
of the friends of the measure thought i'm
asmuch as there had been full discussion
ON the subject no reference was necessa-
ry. The committee appointed is known
to stand 3 to against any proposition
to annul the lease, and those who OPP
posed reference felt that it would only
delay consideration. The vote to refer
stood, 26 to "a, as follows:
Ayes:-Messrs Abel, Anderson Antho-
ny, Ashburn, Barringer, Barker, Dick
son, Earnhart, Grant, Henderson, Hyatt,
Justice, Mccarthy McNell, Newsome,
Parker, of Alamance, Person, Ray,
Ramsay, Rollins, Scales, Sharpe, of Ire
dell, Smathers, Shore, Whedbee, Yeager.
Ayes, %.
Noes:-Alexander, Atwaher, Butler,
Cannon, Clark, Early, Geddie, Harfi-
son, Lyon, Maultsby, Maxwell, Mitchell,
Moye, Merritt, McCaskey, Odum, Par
ker, of Randolph, Patterson, Robertson,
Sharpe, of Wilson, Shaw, Utley, Walker,
Wakefield. Noes, "a
The next vote was on q motion to
postpone consideration until the session
was nearly ended, in the hope that the
bill would thus be killed. This was a
motion made to give the special commit
tee until Monday, March 1st., to report
the lease bill 1t emanated from Mr..
Whedbee who is opposed to annullment
or a suit to test the validity of the lease.
This hostile motion failed by vote of
% to "a, the ayes and noes being as fol-
lows:
Ayes -Messrs. Abel, Anderson, An
thony, Ashburn, Barringer, Barker,
Dickson, Earnhart, Grant, Henderson,
Hyatt, Justice, Mccarthy, Mcneil,
Do rlya Of A papcan Raw
Ramsay, Rollins, Sharpe, of Iredell,
Smathers, Shore, Whedbee, Yeager.
Ayes, "a.
Noes:-Alexander, AtwateT, Butler,
Cannon, Clark, Early, Geddie, Hardi-
son, Lyon, Maultsby, Maxwell, Mitchell,
Moye, Merritt, McCaskey, Odum, Par
ker, of Randolph, Patterson, Robertson,
Scales, Sharpe, of Wilson, Shaw, Utley,
Walker, Wakefield. Noes, %.
The next vote was on the motion to
make the consideration of the bill that
passed the House special order for next
Monday. This motion was made by Mr..
McCaskie, a supporter of the bill. The
result Of this vote was a tie, compelling
the Lieutenant Governor to show his
hand, and he voted against the early
consideration The vote in detail stood:
Ayes:-Alexander, Atwater Butler,
Cannon, Clark, Early, Geddie, Hardison,
Lyon, Maultsby, Maxwell, Mitchell,
Moye, Merritt, McCaskey, Newsome,
Odum, Parker, of Randolph, Patterson,
Robertson, Sharpe, of Wilson, Shaw,
Uhey, Walker, Wakefield. Ayes, %.
Noes:-Mr. President, Abel, Ander-
son, Anthony, Ashburn, Barringer, Bar
ker, Dickson, Earnhart, Grant, Hender-
son, Hyatt, Justice, Mccarthy, McNeill,
Parker of Alamance, Person, Ray,
Ramsay, Rollins, Scales, Sharpe, OF Ire
dell, Smathers, Shore, Whedbee, Yeager.
Noes, 26.
After both sides had thus failed-'the
opponents to postponing till March 1st.,
and the advocates to consider February
22nd-(an auspicous anniversary! j
on motion of Mr.. Scales, who
had voted against both motions because
one gave boo much time and the other
not enough, the consideration of the bill
was made special order fer next Friday
at noon.
1shese votes clearly indicate the close.