The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-11


which he said he would support the
proposition OF Senator Tillman for a
government armor plate plant, believ-
ing II the best way to solve the prob
lem.
Senator Chandler, Of New Hamp-
shire, who ex-secretary Of the navy,
said that If the United States was TO
build only the ships now authorized, IL
might be well to accede to the demand
Of the armor companies, but if We were
to become a world power and build
ships Tor the next twenty years, it
would De far cheaper to make armor at
the governments own plant.
At 5:15 o'clock p. m. the senate ad-
journed.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
The house today entered upon the
consideration Of the contested election
case or Pearson versus Crawford from
the Ninth North Carolina district. This
is the fifth OF the nine contested cleo
tion cases TO be considered by the
house The report of the majority in
the Pearson-Crawford case was
against the sitting member, a demo-
crat, on the general ground that Mr..
Pearson's election was prevented by
fraud, intimidation, bribery and blood
shed. The minority deny all the allie
cations OF the majority, pointing out
that the district is normally demo-
cratic. The debate today was on par
ty lines.
Without preliminary business, the
house entered upon the consideration
of the case.
Mr.. Roberts, of Massachusetts,, who
was in charge of the case, on behalf
of the majority, made a proposition
to vote Immediately after the reading
of the journal tomorrow. AS an in
6nPpmlnt "a
Mr.. Roberts said he would move to
strike from the majority report that
portion in favor of throwing out the
entire vote of Asheville. He did this,
he said, because many gentlemen SEEM
ed to believe that the vote of that
whole city would have to be eliminated
to seat Mr.. Pearson. This was, he said,
not the case. With the vote OF Ashe-
Vile in, the majority figured out ma
jority of 155 for Pearson.
MrfMers, of Indiana, for the minor
ity, rejected the proposition which he
declared indicated that the majority
had already seen the handwriting on
the wall. The vote in Asheville was
not, ne said, the only vulnerable point
in the case He said four hours on a
side was the least he would accept.
This, in turn, was rejected and Mr..
Roberts entered upon his opening ar
port without any agreement having
been reached as to the time for clos
ing the debate.
Mrss Crawford. the sitting member,
a democrat, had 23S plurality, on the
face lFof the returns. Mr.. Roberts
sought to prove that the race question
was the issue in the campaign in the
Ninth district and that by fraud,
bribery, bloodshed and intimidation
Mr.. Pearson had been defeated. He
figured out true plurality for Mr..
Pearson of 31S. In the course of his
rem&Tks, MT. ROBBERS denounced the
constitutional amendments and the
new election law in North Carolina
which he said, were designed to elimi-
nate the negro vote.
Mr.. Roberts said he had offered TO
allow the vote of Ashevilie to stand be-
cause it was Unnecessary to throw it
out for the establishment of his case
and its discussion would only delay the
case.
Mr. Miers, of Indiana, presented
the case of the minority in a lengthy
argument in which he charged that
the majority had submitted conclu-
sions without syllable of evidence
or warrant of law. He called atten-
ton to the fact that the district was
normally democratic and that the elec-
tion of 1898 was conducted under an
election law passed by the fusionists
which gave the contestants political
friends control of the election machin-
cry. All the charges Of intimidation
bribery and violence were denied.
Mr.. Kitchin, of North Carolina, con-
cluded the debate, reviewing the SER
vice in the house of both Mr.. Craw-
ford and Mr.. Pearson.
The house at 5:15 O'Clock p. m. and
| journed.