The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-29
BILL WAS RE-REtERRED
SENATOR'S BRYAN AND McIN-
TYRE HAD A SHARP TILT.
AS TO HIGH LICENSES AND LOCAL OPTION
Few Bills Were Introduced and the New Week
Will Begin With Practically Clear
Deck. Sury County Mat
ter Dropped,

Inc senate depends largely on the
House to keep it busy these days, and
the House lives up to expectations.
Messages from the House" are of fire.
quent recurrence and portentous size
aud if the bills are not matters for
deep thought they are for frequent votes
and the sessions Of the Senate have
gradually increased in length
The great bulk of the local legisla
ton has been worked off in tho Senate
and Senators are anxious to get down to
some of the things that concern larger
areas of the State than townships or
counties. Nearly half - the session
has passed and few 1C he things which
all the State is expecting to be done
have been done as yet, though some of
them are well under way That they
are to be done all understand perfectly,
but there is a feeling that the necessity
for taking pains with them makes it
imperative that they should soon as
sumo tangible shape. The Finance Com
mittee is lahoring daily on the revenue
bill the bill to reorganize the peniten-
tiary has become a law. and the inves-
tigatiOn of that institution is being
prosecuted vigorously; the bill to domes-
ticate foreign corporations has passed
the House: but the means of assuring
white supremacy, the election laws and
Constitutional amendment, are yet to be
perfected and passed or recommended;
the reorganization of certain of the
departments is yet to be accomplished;
the appropriations to charitable and
educational institutions are to be voted
on: the Railroad Commission act, sep
arate cars for the races and other inn
portant matters must be disposed of in
the half of the session that remains.
Besides it is desired that a fraction Of
the session should be reserved for en-
The bill to repeal BIB of the Code
and to enact substitute providing that
local option elections may he held on
petition of one-third of the qualified
voters and at any time except within
120 days of general election, but not
oftener than every two years created
something of a stir.
Senator Franks said he objected to the
bill because it permitted two many cleo
tions. 1t would cause confusion and
keep up n continual racket.
Senator Glenn said he old nOc' see
that it would interfere with the rights
Of any one. He thought the petitioners
were entitled to what they asked for
Senator Bryan thought that unless
there was some necessity for a
change. none should be made.
He was opposed to ali local option
laws as now carried out. They were
notorously a failure 1t caused young
men to live a lie. Instead Of buying
their WhiSkey in Il bar-rOom or
taking it at home Ike Il gentleman they
patronized blind tigers. The whole
system Of local option in this
State is a failure. They carry ,ltt0 thr
localities having local option he EilCst
stuff made. There were two sides TO
the question. He did not drink liquor
but if he wished to do SO he hal as
much right as the local opti0niSt had to
wear a straw hat Temperance People
would resort to the same methods 10
get petitions signed as liquor men. There
were fanatics Oh both sides
Senator Mcintyre said he favored the
BILL In due Difference to the gentle
man from Newbern he wished to tell
him that local option does prohibit. Fif
teen years ago LumbertOn was a dis
grace to North Carolina \ lady could
hardly pass the streets. Now there
are not 100 arrests for drunkenness IN
a year. The best people OF the county
favor the law. The theory that town
cannot prosper without bar-rooms has
been exploded. He believed that the WO
men and children should have as much
opportunity as the liquor men. There
is not in Robeson county one hundredth
part of the former drunkenness and
crime has decreased since local option
was adopted. He says make the traffic
respectable by putting II high license on
it. 1t won't make it respectable. He nc
tered his protest against an amendment
requiring one-half the voters to call IN
election.
Senator Ward said that he thought
the truth lay about half way between
the two gentlemen. He favored making
it apply to whole counties. Unless the
amendment was made he should vote
against the bill Ii was a dangerous
thing for politicians to touch, but he
was not politician. He thought tenn
perance should come through education.
The saloon appeared to him to be doom
cd and that the men who were at The
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