The news & observer., 1897-02-10
Hancock Rushes Through Bill
to Give Himself Job.
cANTlNTERRUPT SPEAKERS
HEREAFTER, NO MATTER HOW
VULGAR A SPEAKER is
INVESTIGATE swINsoN's OFFICE
The Senate Appoints Committee to
investigate the Statement That 1t
Has Cost the State $500 to
Enroll So Worth of Bills.

The House met at 10 O'Clock Rev
DR.. Eugene Daniel offered prayer.
Among the bills introduced were the
following:
By Cathy, to allow the commissioners
and magistrates of Swain county in joint
session to levy the tax: also to prohibit
sales of liquor in four miles of Bryson
City and Whittier.
BY White, to repeal the act of 1885,
to establish time Meridian in the various
counties Of the State for the correct
retracing of surveys.
By Deweese, to re-establish the divid-
ing line between Cherokee and Clay, and
repeal the act OF 1891.
BY Garter, to work convicts on the
public roads in Nash county.
BY Eddins, TO require deed in trust and
mortgages TO be cancelled from record
within ten days after they have been paid.
BY McCrary, to provide that authority
10 collect arrears of taxes shall cease two
years and three months from March 2,
1895.
BY Hancock, to amend chapter 16, Sec
ton 701, of the Code, by providing that
nothing in the chapter shall authorize or
empower corporations organized under
this chapter to lease, run, manage
or control any railway already built or
which may be constructed hereafter.
BY Pool, to appropriate $1,000 annually
10 the eolored Normal School, at Eliza
beth City.
BY Currie, to extend the corporate
limits of Maxton.
BY Leak, to revise the charter of
Morven.
BY Dockery to amend the law regard
ing analysis of fertilizers, by providing
that If analysis show the presence OF
hair, hoofmeal, horn, leather scraps,
mari or other deliterious materials, pub
hcation shall be duly made and such
fraudulent fertilizers shall be seized and
condemned
The following bills passed:
To allow Mitchell to levy special tax
To privide for graded schools at Mon
roe.
To allow Madison to levy tax to
build a bridge.
The bin to make 1t indictable to inter
rapt a public speaker came up and caused
n lively debate. An amendment was
adopted some days ago to include in this
bill the public speaker who uses inde-
cent language; also another amendment
including actors. A motion was made to
strike out the first amendment. Sutton,
favoTing the bill, said 1t was to protect
speakers against hoodlums. Hartness
thought there was danger IN it; and that
the common law granted the relief and
the protection. Cunningham opposed
the bill, if the amendment was to be
stricken out. He said that in nine
cases out of ten it was demagogues who
went over the State using improper lam
guage who caused rows. With the
amendment he favored the bill. Sutton,
of Cumberland, said that the bill with
the amendment was all right. Black
burn favored the bill, and says he was
with Senator Butler when the latter was
rotten-egged at Wilson and himself got
the contents of one egg. McCrary said
he favored the bill and thought such a
law was greatly needed in order to purify.
speeches which were often vile in lam
guage and suggestion. McCrary said
that a motion to reconsider was out of
order unless made on the same day or
the one succeeding. Duffy said McCrary
was correct as to this. The speaker
then read the House rule which agreed
with McCrary's statement Duffy said
the bill would strike at free speech and
political liberty and was legislation in a
dangerous direction.
(The text of the bill is as follows: ANY
person who shall wilfully interrupt or
disturb any political meeting, lawfully
assembled, shall be guilty of a misde-
meanor, and upon convivtion shall be
fned not exceeding $50 or imprisoned
not more than 80 days" Cooks amend
ment, as adopted, was THAT this act
shall also apply to all public speakers and
stage actors" Ranson's amendment,
adopted, was ''by making it midemeanor
for political speaker to use any profane
or vulgar language in any public speech" !"
The bin was referred to the judiciary
committee, which January 20, recon-
mended that the original bill, without
abe amendments. do pass.)
Tfartness offered an amendment, which
was lost. Blackburn offered an amend
nent that all save the original bill be
stricken out. Murphy offered an amend
nent that evangelists OF the Sam Jones
and Bill Fife be included in the BILL
Lusk suggested to Murphy that the latter
amendment be withdrawn. Murphy said
he heard Sam Jones call an auditor "a
yellow iivered scoundrel," and that the
bill ought TO apply to men, who, as evan
gelists, will use such language. Black
burn offered an amendment that q copy
Of this bill be sent to our Senators and
Representatives in Congress. Blackburn
said the bill was not aimed at the Demo
erats specially; it was to punish with
cut regard to party. He said it was not
the boys who rotten-egged speakers were
not boys, but men, Blackburn asked
why Democrats were kicking against
shis bin and he notified them, that the
House intended to pass the bill as it was
originally introduced. Duffy asked
Blackburn why he was opposed to a
part of the bill which protected people
from speakers, while he favored that
which protected the speakes from the
people. Blackburn said the enactment
of a law that speakers must use decent
language was reflection upon the State.
Cook said the amendments were really
not germane TO the bills. The Speaker
ruled that Blackburn's amendment was
IN order, striking out the amendments
already adopted. Cox attacked the Dem
ocrats, saying they opposed the bill. Dixon
of Cleveland, said Cox was badly mis-
ia ken and added that he had hpnn a