The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-04


ton passed.
The bill to appoint police justice for
the city of Asheville caused trouble.
Senator Ray opposed it, saying there
was no need for such an office 1t was
only a mean political trick. Republi-
cans are not like the democrats, who
wait for a vacancy to occur but go
ahead and create unnecessary offices to
feed the hungry pie hunters" They
call this reform. They go before the
people and tell them they are in favor
of local self government and turn right
around and elect by the legislature
magistrates to serve for six years.
They elect county commissioners by
the people and tie their hands. He de-
clared the democratic system Of county
government reflected credit and glory
on the name Of North Carolina and put
the financial credit Of the state up to
the highest notch. You are afraid to
let the people have the right to say who
shall govern them.
Senator Smathers said Senator Ray
was always meddling in things tha'
ulO not concern lldI lie Qdu noun
| ing to do with many Of the matter
| he fought.
Senator Ray said the statements of
| Smathers were not true and he knew
| they were not when he made them
Senator Ray said the statements of
were not true and he knew they were
not when he made them.
Thereupon Senator Smathers gave the
lie to Ray
Senator Anthony said he hardly in
dorsed all Senator Ray had said.
Senator Ray rose to question of per-
sonal privilege and replied to Senator
Smathers saying: II have this to say;
that any man who would take advan-
tage of me on this floor the gallery was
full Of ladies) as he (Smathers) has
DONE is a coward and guilty Of a cow
ardly trick.
Senator Smathers said he had not
said any harder things about Senator
Ray than the latter had said about him,
but he was willing to leave it to the
committee to say who should apologize
and as for being a coward that could
be settled outside.
The question recurring on the pas
sage Of the bill, Senator Ray demanded
the roll call, which was sustained and
the bill passed-ayes, 25; noes 10.
Senator Moye said he thought it was
due Senator Ray and the senate that
Senator Smathers should apologize and
he did not think the senate should ad
journ until he did.
Senator McCaskey said he thought
they should both apologize.
Senator Abel thought the matter
should go over until tomorrow and the
senate took a recess until o'clock.
NIGHT SESSION.
Senator Ramsey, Of Rowan, intro
duced a bill to amend the charter Of
Charlotte and to provide for the just
distribution of the police force and 9TH
er offices among the parties
Senator Grant sent forward the re-
port from the special committee on
election laws. The report was bill to
amend the election law introduced by
Senator Grant, but there was no report
from the committee on the bill
Senator Scales objected to the bill be-
ing received and moved that it be re-
committed to the committee to make
a report.
Senator Mitchell demanded the roll
call which was sustained, and Senator
Scales motion was lost-ayes, %: noes,
Is, the populists boilers voting with the
republicans.
Senator Scales made a statement in
regard to the bill, saying he was one
Of the committee and attended the
meetings and the bill was ordered to
be reported unfavorably by a vote OF
S to 4 and he thought the report would
be made to appear on the bill, but it
did not appear. He had since learned
that the republican caucus with the
boilers had decided in favor Of the bill
and that Is the reason it hobs up Sc
renely." He did not know by what au-
thority Senator Grant reported the bill
favorably and would like to ask the
senator why it was.
Senator Grant said the caucus passed
on it favorably.
Senator Scales-Do you not know
bill unfavorably?
Senator Grant, do not remember.
Senator Scales-Did you not know the
vote stood to and that you were
ordered to report unfavorably.
After pinning Senator Grant to the
wall the latter had to admit that that
was the decision of the committee.
Senator Scales then said: Il want
the report to speak the truth, so 1 may
move to change it from favorable to
unfavorable."
This was ordered to be done.
Senator Atwater stated he was a
member of the committee and he at
tended the meeting; that the statement
of Senator Scales was true in all de-
tails.
Senator Scales made it altogether too
warm for Senator Grant. The latter
squirmed and twisted. 1t was warmer