The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-24
FIVE TO TWO THE VOTE
DRAMATIC SCENES IN HEARING
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
SPEECHES WERE PUNcruATED BY CHEERS
Senator Osborne Received the Brunt Of the
Attack. Appealed TO his Colleagues
to Stand by Him as He
Had by Them.
The stormiest meeting

The stormiest meeting of amy
sort during this session of the
General Assembly was the hear
ing of the Charlotte dispensary bill be-
fore the Senate Committee ON PROPOSE
tions and Grievances yesterday after
noon There we're more people and more
passion. more cheers and more Kisses
than on any previous occasion. The
hearing lasted from $3.50 to seven o'clock
and throughout the time the Senate
chamber was packed, floor and galleries,
to the suffocation point and people in
nowise concerned looked on with the in
terest born of the magnetism of emo
tion.
At the end of the bill was acted ON adj
versely by Il vote of to ,.
1t was not very pleasant occasion.
that dispensary hearing. 1t is never
very pleasant to see men who have
shortly been standing shoulder to should
er in an urgent matter and worthy
fall to and roundly score. the one the
other, and say that hereafter. when the
moment calls. it shall not be as before.
But it was interesting. mighty interest
ing, and to none more so than to those
whom the good white men of Mecklem-
burg. at it tooth and nail before them.
had lately helped to wallop.
1t was we'll understood from the first
that Senator Osborne was the open OPP
ponent of the bill and every speaker for
the dispensary, save one. hinged his re-
marks ON Senatorial courtesy and urged
that the bill be passed over Senator Os-
borne's vote and protest, while all paid
"A tribute to his worth and his ability.
On that ground the fight was waged and
lost.
MIR. TILLETT's SPEECH.
The first speaker was MIR. G. w.
Tillett for the dispensary. Mr.. Tillet
was fluent and forceful.
He said the town had been thoroughly
canvassed and an overwhelming ma
jority of the white people had signed a
petition for the dispensary.
What effect would it have upon the
Democratic party? If the bill was not
passed the party would be ruined in the
county.
Senator Glenn: Would your people
vote against the Democratic party it
this bill is not passed."
Mr.. Tillett: .They will mot But. 2.
declared Mr.. Tilett, 1.-TWO years hence
we will nominate dispensary Democrats
The bar-rooms will line up against them
and the result will be the bitterest fight
of our history. Ii we get the dispensary
the fight will be peaceful and we will
roll UP the biggest majority of our his
tory
But Senatorial courtesy comes in.
The Senator from Mecklenburg is OPP
posed to the dispensary. If you must
vote as he says then let us have IL
statute that nothing can be law un-
less the Senator favors it. The moral
sense of the people will revolt against
such a decision. j went to our Senator
when this matter came UP. / had nomi-
mated him in the last convention.
told him it panied me to see him part
company with me, to see him side with
the bar-keepers and handful of business
men who We're with them. / told him
! would stand by him if he would re-
main neutral, but he said he would op-
pose it. | do not believe that this Sen
ate will deny to hear the demands of the
people of Mecklenburg.'
MR. CANSLERiS SPEECH.
Mr. E. T. Canister, for the dispensary.
said he came representing $3.50 white
men who would not under any circum-
stances bow the knee TO the whiskey
traffic. The time had been when the
whiskey men had dictated nominations.
SO far as Mecklenburg was concerned
that time had passed. 1t was mo politi-
cal question and the Senate had no
right to so consider it. The Senator from
Mecklenburg was the peer of any man III
the State. The speaker asked the Sen
ate to take the responsibility for the dis
pensary from his shoulders upon their
own. If the dispensary was granted it
could not hurt the Senator; il the bill