The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-02-28
COURT DISTRICTS
HARD TO ARRANGE
Subcommittee Bill Meets
With Opposition.
ANOTHER MEETlN TODAY
Judge Brown Objects to the Six East
ern Districts
ANOTHER MEETING TODAY
AND MrcKLeNBuaG WANTS A JUDGE
Judge Graham Finds ''Shoe-Strng' and Mr.
Wright finds Himself in Republican
District. The Districts fix-d
in the Bill.

AS everybody must have foreseen, the
legislators will have no easy time in fix
ing the sixteen Judicial districts recently
decided upon.
ii anybody had doubted it, yesterday s
meeting Of the Committee on Courts
and Court Districts would have convinced
him.
The meeting was called to consider thc
report of the sub committee appointed to
prepare the bill 1t was read, and for
awhile things were So sweet and quiet
that it locked as if the districts as
formed in the bill would be adopted by
unanimous consent.
Then, as the chairman was about 10
put the question OF adoption, members
began slowly. to wake up. Some exam
ined the bill; one or TWO asked questions,
while others traced the outlines OF the
proposed districts on the map. One didn'
like this county in his district. another
wanted that. And the storm had COM
menced. ~
1t began with Senator Wards request
that action be POSTPONED on the six east
ern districts until he could consult with
Judge Brown. 1t reached the height OF
its fury when Mr. ShannOnhOuSe declared
chat he was member Of the subcom-
lnittee to draft the bill but had never
been notified of n meeting and did not
know the bill was drawn until he had
Just heard it read in full committee. The
storm showed nc sign OF abating as Mr..
Spainhour. chairman of the sub-commit-
tee replied in equally forceful language
that the reason Mr. Shannonhouse was
ignorant CT these things was that he
(Shannonhouse) was at home when the
hin was drawn. Mr.. Shannonhouse ac-
knowIedged that he wanted his district
so formed as to give his county Meek
lenburg) a Judge. This. it may be mag
ined, did not tend 10 help the matter
any more than did Senator Morrison's re-
proof Of those who were trying to fix
places for themselves or their friends.
Equally aggravating TO the situation was
Mr. Patterson > charge that Senator Nor
rison had given him and others to un>
derstand that he (Morrisonl favored as
little change as possible in the districts
along the Carolina Central Railroad This,
Mr. Morrison declared was a mistake.
In the meantime Senator Ward had
found Judge Brown and carried to him,
as he stood just outside the door. the
bill and the map the committee had been
using When Senator Ward came back
he renewed his request that action be
postponed saying he wished to present
a substitute fer the six eastern dis
trlcts.
Others opposed this, urging immediate
action on the bill.
The first oil poured on the troubled
waters came from the cruise of Mr.. Roun-
tree He didn't consider the bill an ideal
one, but he thought it about the best
that could be done at this time. Judge
Allen followed this with the suggestion.
that some of those attacking the bill
draw a better one.
Mr.. Wright protested that his district
Rad been made Republican, and Judge
Graham pointed cut that one of the pro-
posed districts extends from Person to
Wilkes county. and he called it "a shoe
string of the most pronounced type"
Il was evident that no amicable decision
could be reached at this meeting and the
committee adjourned to meet again this
afternoon at o'clock
The districts submitted by the sub-com-
mittee were as follows: