The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-16
BY VOTE OF SEVEN TO ONE
WHOLE OF THE AFTERNOON De
VOTED TO A HEARING.
LITTLE NV DATA WAS PRESENTED
Messrs Shaw and Neal Spoke for Scotland
and Major shaw and Representatives
Wall ard atterson Spoke
Against H..

The question of Scotland county or no
Scotland county occupied the time of
the Senate committee on Counties,
Cities and Towns all Of yesterday after
noon. The whole matter was strenuous
ly argued but little new testimony or
data was offered by either side. The
committee voted to report the bill ia
vorably by a vote of to /.
Mr. Cameron Morrison, chairman of
the Democratic committee of Richmond
county, appeared before the committee
and stated his position on the question.
He said shat during the campaign he had
asked some of the leaders in the Scot
land movement if the matter was an
issue. They had replied that it was not;
that Democracy was first and Scotland
county afterward. 1t had not been an
issue and the organization had taken
no stand upon it. He did not think poll
tics should enter into the question. The
county should not be given to it's advo-
Gates as a political reward; they had
secured that already in good govern
ment. He was ashamed that the state
ment had been made that if Scotland
was established Richmond would go
Democratic to stay The matter sould
be considered strictly on it's merits.
Mr.. Walter l.. Neal said that Mr.
Morrison had correctly stated his posi-
ton. 1t was a business not POLITICAL
question. The county should be estab-
lished as matter of convenience At
present it is necessary for the citizen
of Laurinburg to spend the night in
Rockingham, if he went by rail, in Or
der to. transact his buisenss
The people of Scotland county want
it. Only twenty-five white men in the
tablishing the county. Even Major
Shaw, who appeared against it at the
hearing had voted for it.
Several witnesses were then brought
before the committee.
Ex-senator McRae said that all the
people in Scotland territory who had
any sense We're i'll favor of new coun-
ty. 1t had been said that it was
Laurinburg scheme. 1t would. benefit
the farmers more than the townspeople.
Mr. Patterson, who lived FIVE miles
above Laurinburg. said that all the peo-
pie of his township We're for Scotland
county.
L..
the people of his section were for the
establishment of the county.
Can't. Mcbride said he was a farmer
and that he knew of but one man who
was opposed to it.
Mr.. Mccain said he lived in Stewards
vile township and had inquired as to
tho sentiment on Scotland county. lie
had found but one man opposed to
it.
Mr.. McKinnon who lives near Lau-
rinburg said that a good portion OF ms
neighborhood was opposed to the Ior-
nation of Scotland county. lie did not
know that they were in favor of estab-
fishing new county from Richmond
and Robeson.
Representative Patterson, of Robson.
said that he had opposed the scheme all
the way through. lie had consulted the
wishes of the people living in the Scot
band district and had found that there
was much opposition to it. He read a
letter from Mr.. f. B. Gibson saying that
no had found much more opposition to
the county than he had thought and that
10 emf off Scotland would make Rich
mond permanently Republican. Rich
mond county had a debt of 100000 now
and the expenses of the new county
would fall almost exclusively upon the
agricultural people. The smaller coun-
ties of the State have been compelled
to levy extra taxes to pay mere run
ming expenses of the counties.
Major Shaw, against Scotland county,
said he did not believe that the opinions
of the Senate could be shaken by hred
attorneys. Radical and Democratic. he
knew public sentiment in Richmond
county. He had voted for the county
four years ago. but it was the most