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

at.
If they want a new county lex en-
| furnish the dirt. | don't want 'em to
| have ours.
Now | feel kindly enough toward
Richmond county. / was born and rails
ed there. | once had the honor of be-
| ing an overseer of one of those long
sand-hll roads you hear so much about
| The people of Richmond thus delighted
| to honor me. And in that connection
| I want to say it was THE second time
| that the office sought the man. Once
when George Washington was made
| President and next time when | vas
made overseer of a Richmond county
road.
but | love Robson county. too. and
| I'm sorry to see the mean attitude in
which she stands mere today. Just look
ut yourselves, standing at the door, bag
gage in hand, not even invited in.
"These Scotland county people don't
want you and they've told you so.
wouldn't play in their back yard any
more. I'd take my doll rags and 60
home. That's what Ia do.
Of | thought you were serious about
this proposition to divide my county.
1
| you'd have to build an annex to this
| Capitol to entertain them.
II want to say also that if I'm ever
unfortunate enough to be sent to the
Legislature and somebody wants to cut
mp your county, I'll treat you just as
shall expect you to now treat me-"
Mr.. Il. T. McRae, who was in the
Senate during the fight over this same
| question in 1893, was the next speaker.
| He strongly advocated Mr.. Patterson s
| BILL After reviewing the different
fights before various legislatures on the
question of the establishment of this new
county, he said:
1--WE have Inconvenience as well as
you people in Richmond. The other day
| had some business in Lumberton and
it took me three days to go there and
back. Why they are not willing to trust
the people on the establishment of the
county, and the location of the court
house | don't know. The Scotch, you
know, are very peculiar people. We
like to stick together. The lower Rich
mond folk say they don't want us; but
we want to be with them. Don't divide
the clan. 1t will make a better, Il larg-
err, stronger county. If you are go
ing to establish county, while you are
at it do it right"
Mr.. ". d. Harker spoke much to the
same effect. To him it seemed that
this proposition to make a county out
of four townships had not been exceed
ed in absurdity since Don Quixote with
his faithful Sancho Panza made that
famous assault on the windmills. He
argued that if part of Robson were
taken into the new county, thre coun-
ties-Robeson, Scotland and Richmond
would be about equal as to area, popu-
lation and taxable property. Mr.. Hark-
er agreed with Mr.. Patterson that it
was a question of county seats. With
Laurinburg it is a cry of make me a
county seat or | die" He compared the
circular Of four years ago with that
distributed in the present Legislature
and claimed that while the population
of the proposed county had increased.
the number of inhabitants i'll Laurinburg
showed a great falling off.
Mr. Harken presented statistics show
ing that the smaller counties, as a rule,
are getting permission from every Leg
islature to levy special taxes.
Referring to the large number of law
yers employed to lobby for the new
county, he said he suspected some Of
them had been promised $50 bills.
others had in view a seat in Congress,
while still others had visions of ncreas-
ed value in corner lots.
Mr.. Oliver, of Robson, said he was
opposed to the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of his
county, and he was sure a majority Of
the people were opposed to it.
lt,+ &c m 11c. OF.
cd at all it onght to be made out of
lower Richmond and upper Robson
something like Mr. Patterson's bill, ex-
cept that he takes too much"
Senator Mcintyre asked that none of
Robson be taken.
"There is less necessity for it now
than there has ever been. The railroad
facilities are better than ever before.
The public roads are being improved
every year. Then there are telegraphs
and telephone lines. l can sit in my Of
flee and with telephone receiver in hand
talk to every township i'll the county,
save two; and soon / can talk with
| them. And again you will take the
very best part of our county. There is
no demand whatever for new county.
and the proposition would be defeated"
Mr.. Patterson-"If new county is to
| be formed, how should it be formed?"
Mr.. McIntyre-''The people in Robe
son county, along the line would want
| to be included.
"But l ask you to let Robson county
stay as she is. | don't want my people
| to have to come here to lobby against
this bill. | venture to say that the
| fighting and lobbying on this bill has
cost the State already more than the
building of court houses and jails will
cost for the next forty years"
The argument was closed by strong
| speech in behalf of the new county by
| Mr.. Walter FL. Neil, of Laurinburg He
| said this was very singular state OF
| affairs.
Here is Mr.. Patterson with a bill
| to take off about as much of Richmond
county as we propose to take. And yet
the upper Richmond people cheer and
applaud him, while they fight us at
every turn"
Mr.. Patterson-''Who cheered George
| HallY'
Mr.. Neil-'I did, because we don't
| want any of Robeson."
Mr.. Wall-"We cheer Mr.. Patterson
| because we cheer q good thing wherever