The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-02-02


are slow are badly mistaken.
The Seaboard Air Line is owned by
Southern men and they are showing
by their acts that they are going TO
have the territory developed in the
most substantial way, and they are
employing competent Northern peo-
pie to help them.
FROr1 THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Things Seen and Reported by Our
Washington Correspondent.
(From Our Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON. ID. c.. Jan. so.
North Carolinians have taken quite
a prominent part in the proceedings
of Congress the past week. Senator
Butler created a genuine sensation by
his speech on his amendment to the
pension bill providing for pensions
for ex-Confederates. He said his own
State of North Carolina recognized
the right of South Carolina to secede
from the Union, but it was not until
our State was compelled to withdraw
in defense of her own rights that she
left the Union. Every gun fired by
a Southern soldier was fired in self
defense,' Mr.. Butler declared, ''of
the constitutional rights of the South
ern States, and in defense of their
homes and tiresides." He declared
that it was most unnecessary war
and was forced on the South by the
North. He claimed that the South
ern States were right and that histo-
nv will so record. Senator Chandler
and other New England Senators cast
aspersions on this speech, but it GER
tainly secured hearing for Butler.
After this remarkable speech Mr..
Butler withdrew his amendment.
Mr.. Kitchin, the Democratic men,
Der from the Fifth district, made
fine speech in the House on the Hull
bill to increase the regular army to
one hundred thousand men. 1t was a
telling argument against the policy
of imperialism in general, and the
proposed increase in the army in par
ticular. He pointed out the menace
OF vast standing army to the very
stability of the Republic itself. This
bright young member is making an
excellent reputation in Congress, and
has received many congratulations on
his recent speech.
Senator Butler and Senator Pritch-
ard have both been very accommoda
ting the past week in introducing
bills by request. The former has in
troduced bill to limit the hours of
work of District of Columbia police
men to eight hours a day, and the
latter has introduced several bills for
Elkins, providing for the increase of
the salaries of numerous officials who
are proteges of the West Virginia
Senator.
Mr.. Butler presented the resolution
of the North Carolina Legislature de-
claring in favor of the election of SEN
ators by popular vote, and in present
ing it called attention to the fact that
twenty-four Legislatures had previ-
ously adopted resolutions of like
| tenor.
Mr.. Pritchard has presented a pc
tition for light-beacon in the Cape
channel in Pamlico sound, according
to a resolution passed by the North
Carolina Legislature.
The Senate committee on Judiciary
took up most of the session in the
consideration of the nomination of
Hamilton G. Ewart to be Judge for
| the Western district Of North Caro-
lima. Senator Pritchard, it was UNI
derstood, desired report on this
nomination as soon as possible. The
committee, after carefully consider
ing the case, which has been pending
many weeks, decided to report unfa-
vorably upon the nomination. This
came as great surprise to Mr.. Ewart
and his friends, who were expecting
a favorable report. Senator Pritch-
ard and his friends may carry the
fight into the Senate, but there is lit
tie prospect of their succeeding after
the unfavorable report of the COM
mittee.
| Only three members of the North
Carolina delegation favor the Hull
bill for reorganization of the army,
and they are the Republican members,
George White. Pearson and Linney.
| All the other members, so far as
known, will vote against the measure.
1t is understood that Senator Pritch-
ard favors the measure, while Senator
Butler will oppose it to the bitter end.
| Mrs. Ella &. Peace has been con-
firmed by the Senate as postmaster at
Oxford. She is the wife of Mr.. A. S.
Peace, the Populist leader who did so
much to secure Senator Pritchard's
reelection to the Senate two years
ago. This is regarded as the pay
ment of the political debt he owes
Peace.
The conviction of Commissary
General Eagan by the court-martial
was not unexpected. The question
now is, will the influence of Aiger be
sufficient to induce the President to
shield him, and retain him in the
army? The investigation of the en-
| balmed beef scandals seems to lag,
though it is understood that good
deal of damaging evidence has. just
been brought out regarding the deal
between the Chicago packers and the
war department..
The treaty of peace will be voted
on in the Senate on the 9th of Febru-
airy, and it will probably be ratified
with several votes to spare. A num-
Der of Senators who are opposed to
the policy of expansion will vote to
ratify the treaty on the ground that
a failure to ratify would seriously
embarra SIS the country.