The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-05-06

was precipitated in the senate today
sy Senator Pritchard, Of North Carroll
Ra- by some remarks he made on poll
tics and political methods in North Car
slina I'm the course Of a discussion of the
Philippine bill. He maintained that -
pending measure dealt simply with ad-
ninistrative features OF the Philippines
and insisted that charges made against
the American army that %tortures and
~barbarities were practiced in the is
lands were not relevant to the discus
SION He said that if the charges were
true the guilty ought to be punished
severely and undoubtedly would be. He
suggested that some of the methods
employed by the opponents of the bill
in this country ought to be reformed
and told Of what is called the sand
cure in North Carolina, the victim
having his face crushed into the sand
to stihe his cries while he was being
beaten to intimidate him politically.
This drew the fire of Senator Sim
mons. of North Carolina, who declared
that he never heard of such a practice.
The debate thus started covered 4
vide range or subjects concerning North
Carolina politics.
Senator P~ritichard declared that Il
majority of the people of North Caro-
lima and of the south were in favor of
the proposition of the majority of the
Philippine committee and he quoted
The Charlotte Observer as a leading
democratic paper of the south in sup
port OF the retention of the Philippines.
Does not the senator known" inter
rupted Senator Simmons, that the
Charlotte Observer opposed the election
Of William j. Bryan to the presidency"
That is true" replied Senator Pritch-
ard. but the paper opposed him pure
ly on the issue of free silver"
In response to another question by
Senator Simmons, senator Pritchard
said he knew of nobody in the south
republican or democrat-who was in ia
vor Of imperialism, but he asserted
that a majority Of the business men of
the south were in favor of expansion.
Concerning the charges of cruelties
and torture alleged to have been in
ficted upon the Filipinos by the Ameri-
can army. Senator Pritchard said he
could not see the relevancy of the
charges to the pending measure. He
was in favor of the prompt and speedy
investigation of the alleged cruelties
and the punishment OF the guilty, but he
believed the charges had nothing to do
with this measure. which provided
merely for a civil administration in the
Philippines.
IF We retain the Philippine islands,"
said he. "as we will. the United States
will retain the bulk of the Philippines
trade and the south will be the chief
beneficiary of the extension of cotton
goods trade in the orient"
He said that a republican voter was
taken from his home at night and beat
en-. his face being crushed into the
sand to stifle his cries.
Senator Simmons declared that this
was the first time he ever had heard of
the 'sand cure" He said he did not
believe the statement of the witness
quoted by Senator Pritichard and in
sisted that if it were true, the sand
cure" was not administered for political
purposes. He said that for six years
he had been the chairman of the demo-
cratic executive committee of North
Carolina and he had never known o.
any cases of outrage and violence for
political purposes.
Senator Pritchard inquired if it were
not a fact hat organized bands of red
shirts rode over the state of North
Carolina for the purpose of terrorizing
republican voters.
THAT organization (the red shirts)
replied Senator Simmons, never had
for it's object any bellicose of beIliger-
ent toward any part of the
voters of North Carolina. 1t is merely
an organization for the urpos of
more e~ffectually organizing the voters
OF the state" prolonged laughter on
the floor n in the galleries.)
In the course Of a colloquy with Sena-
tor Clay. who said that while he had
no doubt about the validity of the title
of the United States to the Philippine
islands. but though the islands ought
to be turned over to the inhabitants In
order that they might govern them
selves. Senator Pritchard declared
-1-I-l IA. haliaf thof tho IInjfod States
ought to retain the islands permanently.
Senator Pritichard discussed at con-
siderable length the suffrage conditions
and political situation in North Carroll
ma. in the course of which he said tina,
In the so-called BLACK belt" OF the
state w. j. Bryan had a majority O
5000 at the last presidential election
Either the colored voters were cheat
ed out of their votes" said he, "or they
voted the democratic ticket. L don
say which," He recited he de-
une as 'outrages" which had beer
perpetrated by the democrats OF Nortt
Carolina upon republican voters, bu'
he said he did not think a majority OF
the democrats of the state approved OF
such outrages.
He did not think. therefore, that ths
isolated cases of outrages n torture
in the Philippines should be cited as ar.
guments against the republican policy
in the islands. He expressed the hops
that the punishment of offender:
against the articles of war would bt
swift and sure. as he believed 1t WoulC
be.
Senator Simmons replied to some o
the suggestions made by senator
Pritchard as to North Carolina politics
In the course of which he justined TN
"yhite people in protecting themselves
against irresponsible majorities.
At the request of Senator McComas
Senator Pritichard explained what n.
had meant by the sand cure TO Wnlc:
he had referred.
Does my colleague say" INQUIRE
Senator Pritchard. that the red shirt
did not ride through the state and ter
roriZe voters?"
"I state" declared Senator Simmons
upon my authority as a senator an
as a chairman of the democratic exec
utiye committee that the stories of out
RACES committed by red shirts are alb
solutely and utterly without foundation
r know of no outrages that can be trac