The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-18
ISAAC SMITH GOES
A-SA|PE HUN ING
Continued from First Page.)

Radical rule is wrong rule.
Replying to this, Mr. Robinson, of
Cumberland, said the leading issue in the
recent campaign had been that OF white
supremacy.
During the past four years North
Carolina has suffered more and been
more degraded than during any other
twenty-five years of her history, and all
because of the Radical Rule Of which
the gentleman Hampton boasts"
Touching Mr.. Snipc's charge that the
object of the bill is to rob the present
officers of their Offices, Mr.. Robinson
said that could be the object of IT only
under the condition, and that is that
they he incompetent and fan to give IA
bond that would protect the interests
of the taxpayers.
And for that / would vote, be the
present officers Democratic, Republican
or Mugwumps. We were sent here to
perform sacred duty, viz: To Restore
Good Government. Not only in North
Carolina in the aggregate. bat To every
section of the dear old State. and | shall
take great pleasure N voting for the
bill.
They say the present officers IRE
white men. Perhaps they are. The evil
dence is that there is Il negro majority in
this county; that these a.cD panderal 10
these negroes to secure their election.
Therefore / say it makes no difference
what the complexion of these men say
be, in the light of this evidence and of
recent events, l declare to you Hartford
county has not white government
Much III the same tenor was the
speech of Mr.. Gillian, of Edgecombe.
he said the committee, in its investiga-
ton of this bill, had found that some of
the officials were incompetent, others
not in sympathy with the people of
the county and are holding their positions
by gift of the negroes.
When we came to consider this bill
III committee we invited all parties in
terested to come before us. Only the
Representative from Hartford came in
opposition to the bill. In response to
objections made by him certain changes
have been made in the bill and yet he
and the gentleman from Surry stand
up here and assert that there are provis-
ions in the bill that as a matter of fact
are not there Neither of them have
read the bill and they do not know what
its provisions are. The only power Civ
en- the commissioners is to examine and
approve the bonds, in case they are suffi-
cient; if not. to compel the officials TO
amend them to such extent as is neces-
sary to protect the taxpayers of the
county.
THE gentleman from Hartford comes
here as the accredited agent of 1900
negroes and 100 white men. And this
morning the first words he utters are
against the very negroes that sent him
here. He says the white women of Hert-
ford would suffer by the passage of this
bill. / would like to ask him who con-
stituted him the guardian of white
women of HEREFORD county or any other
county?"
Mr.. Rountree. of New Hanover: "The
plea of the gentleman from Surry (Mr.
Hampton for far treatment comes
with very poor grace after the conduct
of his party in the last two Legislatures.
Has he forgotten their action putting
the towns of Eastern North Carolina
under Negro Rule? This must look to
him like Retribution. (Applause) l
have been II the humiliating position of
being under the beatitude of their care
and their fairness. / don't want any
more of it.
This Is not the first time such relief
as is asked in this L4ll has been extend
ed to counties and towns. The only
question here is: Shall the white people,
who own so per cent of the property
and pay over 80 per cent of the taxes
control? Or shall they be controlled by
vicious negroes and their agents?
1T seems to me the member from
Craven is more capable of giving an
answer to these questions than is the
member from Hartford Men with white
skins who are in the position of these
men are little if any better than negroes,
and for this | have as authority the let
ter of Mr.. Chadbourn. of Wilmington,
published during the campaign
Mr. Ray, of Macon. didn't intend to
say anything but had expected to vote
against the bill He said, he lived in
a section where the people couldn't real
ize. the enormity Of outrages complained
of in the East He understood one Re
publican on the committee refused to
vote against the bill. Then there was
the member from Craven (Smith) who
had been placed i'll a position of promi-
nence as leader of his race.
when he told MS it was proper bill
to pass it did not take ME long to de-
eide; and | want to say Smiths speech
had much to do with my decision"
Mr.. Petree, of Stokes, said he had been
a member for four terms and had al
ways tried to do right. III failed to see
the slightest reason for asking this legis-
lation. There are no charges against the
present off:cers-not word against the
financial condition Of the country. On the
contrary it is out of debt and has money
to its credit
This is an act conceived in q spirit
of resentment and not in spirit of
fairness. / believe to the victor belongs
the spoils. These people have won and
now ii is wrong to take from these men
that which belongs to them
9 am glad the gentleman from New
Hanover referred to Wilmington's char
ter. / voted against it. | believed il
wrong then. ! know it now. 1t is one
of the things that damned the Renubli-
can party in the last campaign. ] ask
you to now do as / did theun-act fairly
and honestly, regardless of politics. You
are following in the steps Of those who
passed that Wilmington charter amend
ment, when you pass this bill.
Mr.. Council, Of Watauga, said he OBJ
jeeted to the first bill. But all of his
objections had been met and the objec-
tionabe features stricken out. He