The news & observer., 1897-02-26
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Yesterday was little bill" Bryan's day
in the House
He was loaded to carry out in public
what he tried to do by stealth two years
lago.
When the bin making an appropriation
of $4,000 per annum for the purpose of
repairing buildings, etc, came up for con-
sideration, Bryan, Of Chatham, obtained
the floor to lead the fight in opposition to
the passage of the biIl He was soon rid
died with questions from Populists and
Republicans. and left wounded and
prone on the field Of battle.
Lusk was the main leader in the ex-
posure of Bryans animus. He was
very sevree upon Bryan, an in holding
little bill' up to ridicule and scorn, he
was backed by tw0-thirds Of the members
Of the House, such Populists as Brown,
johnson, Person, OF Wayne; and others
adding to his discomfort. Even Jim
Young joined in the general onslaught
and threw n rock at the member from
Chatham Brown, (Pop), of Jones, in
terruptcd Bryan once by saying "Al
you want is to go back to Chatham with
a record. You do not seem to care for
the public institutions of the State"
Bryan's reply was Il admit that
Bryan talked much about the per
capita expense the students were to the
State. Dockery Rep.), interrupted and
said: Don't you know that the per
capita cost Of the University to the tax
payer is only 1A cents?"
Bryan answered: ''The people havu
not the IA cents per capita and do not
want to be taxed to educate such mel
as you"
Ward pop), OF Duplin, took a hand
when Bryan charged that the increase in
taxes for public schools in the revenue
bill was there improperly, by asking:
Was not this increase in taxation for
schools put in the bill on your notion"
Bryan was tloored again.
Murphy, Dem.), at one time sought to
interrupt Bryan, saying, You are in
error. ] merely want to give you some
information" Bryan's answer was: Il
don't want no information" And then
the floor, the lobby and the galleries
roared.
But the tug Of war came when Lus5
fired into Bryan with his mountain how
izer. The Buncombe representative be
gan by saying: II know | am right in ad-
y0cating an appropriation for the Univer-
sity because | see Bryan on the other
side He is always wrong" Bryan pluck
ed up@c0urage, and made hard hit
wbg$G asked Lusk: How were you
on Hse&Senatorial question:
This was a poser.
Iusk was for Prttchard. So was Bry-
a7VIiAnoo cavsy ,tcly3e 1iIarOrr1a
and roared with laughter as he stood per-
picked i'm the middle aisle. But a stern
look came over his face-a way be has
OF doing when he wants to crush an ad-
vcrsary. Bryan, though protesting to be
in favor Of silver and a POpulist, had
voted for Pritchard. Way down in his
heart Llsk has contempt for all Popu-
lists like Bryan who talk silver and vote
gold. That contempt blazed forth on his
stern face for moment, and he turned
ON Bryan and asked:
Didn't your party-every member of
it-say that you were wrong? Haven't
they expelled you from the Populist eau
Gus? Haven't they said you were bought
up?"
This was a sensa tion long to be remem-
bered. Bryan has the respect of no one,
and even THOSe WlI0 were OE1pOSeu 10 une
increase in the appropriation rejOiced
to see a Republican Pritchardite scorn
hfm publicly for his betrayal of princi-
ple. Bryan felt it deeply-thick skinned
n he is. He had met the indignant con-
demnation of his constituents for his
vote for Pritchard. He had felt the
sting of expulsion from the Populist eau
Gus. But he had sought and expected
to find consolation in the Republican
ranks Surely" thought he, IF l ann
despised by Democrats, and made an
outcast by pOpulists because of my vote
for Pritchard, surely, surely, the Repub-
Hcans win take me in, give me pap, kind
treatment and consideration"
He reckoned without his host.
Traitors are despised as much by those
who are benefited by their treachery rs
NV those whom they deceive. But ''lit-
lie bilP' was destined to be scorned by
Pritcbard's manager and friend, and
scorned with contempt too, jim the eyes of
the whole State.
He deserved it-and deserved it richly
-bnt IL was in the nature of that "cruea