The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-22

At last a separate car law has. sue
ceeded in wormng its way through the
House.
Not clear through-only half way
through. For it only passed its second
reading and then stopped with bang.
A goodly number wanted to complete
the job, but others said no. SO further
consideration of the bill was postponed
until to-day. or some other old time
when the House can again screw its
courage up sufficiently to tackle it.
1t took much beating about the brush
to get it mp yesterday-this separate
car bill-and then a hard fight to pass
it. The final majority was a comfor-
table one, but nothing to boast of.
The trouble was not that anybody OPP
posed the bill-everybody professed to
be hungering and thirsting for just such
A law. But how to get it was the qu5s-
tiOn Every man, it did SEEM, had
separate plan, and a plan that nobody
else wanted to endorse.
The Railroad committee had a bill.
Mr.. Mclean, of Harnett, had a bill.
MIR Winston, of BERTHE, had a bill, and
there were no end of amendments to
each and every one of them.
For two hours the fight ragged. Some
ines it was only popping along the
iring line, then there would be a general
Engagement or a furious attack from one
side or the other.
Finally the committee bill won and
III, full oh on
reading.
1t looked like the deed was to be con-
summated, but it wasn't.
without objection the bill will be put
upon its third and final reading" said
he Speaker on announcing the result
IF the vote.
object" said several voices.
Il move a suspension of the rules"
luietly spoke Mr.. Winston.
Mr.. Craig. of Buncombe, said he had
objected. He thought there was danger
Of going too fast. He wanted more
time.
Were everybody smiled, remembering
hat he had had two montns).
He didn't want to railroad railroad
measure like this through. Like the il
ustrious Davy Crockett he wanted TO be
sure he was right before he went ahead.
The vote was taken. 1t stood 81 to
81. As it required twO-thirds majority
% suspend the rules the motion was lost
and the bin went over until such time
rs the House may again see fit to take
it up.
The debate on the bill began few
minutes after l. O'Clock and lasted until
2:15.
The first quarter of an hour was
consumed in discussion caused by at
rempts on the part of Mr. Winston, of
BERTHE, and Mr.. Mclean. of Harnett, to
have their bills substituted for the COM
mittce bill, which was before the House
Failing i'll this they introduced their
bills as amendments to the committee
bill, and as such they were considered,
voted on and duly inferred, as were also
something like Il score of amendments OF
sorts and sizes.
Those adopted We're:
BY Winston: TO compel conductors
to separate the races in the cars even
on roads that are exempt from operation
of the law
BY Robinson: To apply to steam
boats as well as railroads.
The discussion of the merits of the
Dll was opened Dy Judge Alien, VINO.
as chairman of the Railroad committee.
was in charge of the bill. He explained
that it is a very different matter saying
that you are in favor of separate cars
and sitting down to frame a bill thar
will be just to all parties.
In the West, for instance, he said
there was little negro travel, and the
grades were steep. To require the small
roads up there to put on extra cars, he
thought would destroy the roads.
'That is the reason we put in the pro-
viso excepting roads earning less than
81 800 per mile annually. And even
this power is discretionary-with the
Railroad COMMISSIONER the roads in
the east are bound to have separate
cars"
Mr.. Julian, of Rowan. agreed with
this view of the matter and hoped an
introduced by MIR. Justice
Ito strike out all exemptions) would
not pass.
Mr.. Mclean, of Harnett, also opposed
this amendment. He could not favor
putting onerous or unjust burdens on
the railroads.
I'VE are not here to make war on
corporations. When the new Railroad |
Commission is formed | hope it will con
sist of the three best men in the State. !