The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-18

jority representation at that. L see
nothing in this bin that viii warrant the
assumption that these men will rob the
officers of HEREFORD county of their Off
ces. What objection can there be to
having the bonds made such as to safely
guard the Interests of the taX-payersE
If the bonds are defective the officers
will be given chance to remedy the
defects This is due to the taxpayers on
the one hand and to the officers on the
other. six years ago Watauga county
was turned over to a board of Repub-
lican commissioners and now I'm in the
position of introducing Il bill i'll this
House for the financial benefit of that
county. to try to remedy the evil that
board has done us.
Il am willing to vote for this bin and
go back to my people and tell them that
| have kept the faith" (Appause.)
Curtis, of Buncombe. said he wanted
10 say to Mr.. Snipes that he was prov
ing himself untrue to the men that
sent him here.
IF | were sent here by negroes l
would not defend my county government
by pleading that all the officers were
white men.
tOn the school board. he says, there
are negroes. In getting rid of them
am with YOU he exclaims. A base de-
sertion.
IF | were low enough down to help
steal a hog, | wouldn't when | got to
the forks of the road say: Look here,
Mr.. Niger, all this hog is mine; you go
your way and I'll go mine Laughter.l
Il was glad to hear the gentleman
from Stokes Petree) condemn the course
of the last Legislature. l notice they
are nearly all getting on orr side now.
But if he had made the speech on the
campaign that me made Just awhile ago
he'd not be here"
Petree: Il did make it. The Republi-
cans tried to get me to stand mp in de-
fence of the Legislature but | declined"
Curtis: "You may have sorter made
it, but you didn't put the same vim in
it that you did here" Iaughter.)
Il came here" continued Mr.. Curtis
"to deliver every white man. woman and
child that | could from negro domino
ton, and Pm going to begin by voting
for this bill"
Mr. Gattis. of Orange, looked at the
bill as business proposition. 1t was
simply this: Some of the officers have
given insufficient bonds, some have Civ
en- none at all. "Now this bill remedies
that--nothing more. The officers must
give bond, and the bonds must be good
ones. That is all. / shall heartily sup
port the BILL"
This closed the debate.
Mr.. Hampton, for the Republicans
called the ayes and noes.
The call was sustained almost unani-
mously.
The following Republicans gave notice
that they would ask to explain their
votes: Garter of Forsyth; Bryan, of
Madison; Johnson. of Sampson: Eaton.
(eol.). of Vance; Williams, of Graham;
Tarkinton, of Washington; Williams.
of Yadkin.
The following Democrats explained
their votes: Davis of Haywood; Nc
Neil, of Brunswick; Kennette, of Gull
ford; Wall, of Richmond; Patterson, of
Caldwell.
Mr.. Winston, of Brt.e, gave notice
that he would explain his vote in case
the explanation on the other side brought
out anything that ought to be replied TO.
He did no explain. though, finding moth
ing worth combating.
Those who voted insthe negative were;
Burrow. Bryan, Carter. Coates, Eaton,
Giles, Hampton, Hendren, Johnson, of
Sampson: Justus, of Henderson; Lowry,
Mcfarland, Mcneil, Nicholson. of Per
quimans; Petree, Paul, Pritchard,
Snipes. Tarkinton, White, of Davie; Will
liams, of Graham Williams, of Yadkin;
Wrenn. Wright and Marlborough.
OF the above all except Mcneil, of
Brunswick, are Fusionists.
Isaac Smith (col. Rep). of Craven.
voted AYE"
The reasons advanced by the Repub-
Leans for their negative votes were, ID
effect, as follows: The bill is "a revo-
lutionary, GU bad precedent and t3) is
intended to Dust from office the present
duly elected incumbents All the ex-
plantations involved these three points IN
one form or another.
Th only one of the colored men who
explained his vote was Eaton, of Vance.
He said
I'm explanation of my vote | wish TO
say that | cast my vote against this
bill not as q party vote but because the
bill seems to be revolutionary in its ma
ture As We know. one of the brightest
gems in the casket of human achieve
ments is the high development of the
Anglo Saxon race, and | believe that
this development is largely due to the
Saxon's strict adherence to established
law and order. and though | am not an
Anglo-Saxon | am deeply imbued with
the same idea want a strong govern
ment for every township and county in
North Carolina, but. Mr.. Speaker, those
officers in Hartford county We're duly
elected and for this bill to pass seems to
me to be very revolutionary. And more
than that. if the officers had any idea
of doing wrong | think that the result
of the 9Th of November and the dis
cussions here today will be amply
sufficient to keep them in harness. l
vote no"
Mr. Mcneil, of Brunswick, the only
Democrat to vote against the bill, said
he was opposed to an increase in office
holders. He was opposed to the election
of eight commissioners for any county
a thing unnecessary, unusual and uncall-
ed for. And the powers conferred i'll the
bill on these commissioners were. he
thought, too great to be conferred on
any county board.
Mr.. Patterson, of Caldwell, was act
ing on assurances from the committee.
Mr. Kennett, of Guilford, made one
4 L. 10. %t,,A