The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-10
HIS LINE OF ARGUMENT
Race Question the Issue. Pearson De-
feated by Fraud, Violence.
Mr.. GIERS PRESENTS CRAWFORD'S SIDE
Election Conducted Under Law Giving Pear
sons Friends Control Of Election Machin-
cry. District Normally Democratic.
Vote Today Possible
(By the Associated Press.(

Washington, May 9.--The House enter
cd upon the consideration of the con-
tested election case Of Pearson VS.. Craw-
ford from the Ninth North Carolina Dis
trct. This is the fifth of the nine con-
tested election cases 10 be considered by
the House. The report of the majority
in the Pearson Crawford case was against
the sitting member, a Democrat on the
general ground that MIR. Pearson'S cleo
ton was prevented by fraud intimida-
ton, bribery and bloodshed. The minor
ity deny all the allegations of the ma
jority, pointing out that the district is
normally Democratic. The debate today
was on party lines.
Without preliminary business the
House entered upon the consideration Of
the case. Mr.. Roberts (Mass.), who was
in charge Of the case, on behalf of the
majority, made a proposition 10 vote
Immediately after the reading of the
journal tomorrow. As an inducement for
closing debate today Mr.. Roberts said
he would move to strike from the ma
iority report that portion in favor of
throwing out the entire vote of Ashc-
vile. He did this, he said, because many
gentlemen seemed 20 believe that the
vote of that whole city would have to
be eliminated 10 seat Mr.. Pearson. This
was, he said, not the case. With the
vote Of Ashevlle in. the majority figured
out majority of 135 for Pearson.
Mr. Mier Gnd), for the minority reject
ed The proposition which he declared ndi-
Gated that the majority had already seen
the handwriting on the wall. The vote
in sheville was not, he 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 MIR. Roberts entered upon his open
ing argument in support of the majority
report without any agreement having
been reached as to the time fer closing
the debate.
Mr.. Crawford, the sitting member.
Democrat, has 23S plurality on the face
Of the returns. Mr.. Roberts sought to
prove that the race question was the
issue in the campaign in the Ninth dis
trict and that by fraud. bribery, blood
shed and intimidation Mr.. Pearson had
been defeated. He figured out a true
plurality for Mr.. Pearson of 31S. In
the course OF his remarks Mr. Roberts
denounced the Constitutional Amendment
and the new election law in North Caro-
lima which he said were designed TO
eliminate the negro vote.
MIR. Roberts said he had offered to al
low the vote OF Asheville to stand be-
cause it was unnecessary to throw il out
for the establishment Of his case, and its
discussion would only delay the case.
Mr.. Mier (Ind), presented the case of
the minority in a lengthy argument in
which he charged that the majority had
submitted conclusions without a syllable
OF evidence or warrant OF law lie called
attention to the fact that the district
was normally Democratic and that the
election Of 1898 was conducted under an
election law passed by the Fusionists,
which gave the contestants political
friends control of the election machinery.
All the charges of intimidation, bribery
and violence were denied.
Mr.. Kitchin On. c., concluding the de-
bate, reviewing the service in the House
of both Mr.. Crawford and Mr.. Pearson.