The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-21

who were going to be disfranchised. No,
tb,. naonla of the country districts mere
ly wished this Legislature TO relieve
tbem of what was a vast undertaking,
tho voting down of the liquor traffic.
with money coming from Kentucky, from
Tennessee and from all over the coun-
try.
He did not especially want the Watts
hin hut it was the best they could
set.
Mr. Morris. Of Polk, said he was here
renresenting a county that had been
Democratic since 1876, a county that
was rull of distlleries, a county whose
residents could have a pipe run out their
hnuses and turn a faucet to draw Wills
kew or brandy if they wished it.
He had been elected on a prohibition
platform. and he had told his people he
should raise his voice for any measure
that would help to drive liquor from the
western counties. They had helped the
East drive out the negro incubus. Now
LET the people of the East help to vote
down the awful curse in the West
The Watts bill was not all he wanted,
hut it was the best we could get, and
we ought to vote for it.
GEN. BRYAN.
Gen. Bryan said that Mr.. Morris must
have a very dry county. He was re-
liably informed that there were just
four distilleries in Polk county, and yet
the gentleman had said there was still
on every branch and in every hollow. So
it must be Q very dry county, He knew
the gentleman was young, and he sup
posed he was a little excited, and car
ried away with enthusiasm.
Mr. Morris: do you know how many
blockade stills there are in Polk coun-
tyr
Gen. Pegram: mo, I do not. Oaugl
teri But Polk, if it was sold out, would
not be rich enough to support still on
every branch and in every hollow. For
the county is nothing but branches,
ridges and hollows."
Then Gen. Bryan asked the Demo
Gratis if they knew that, when they were
disfranchising eighty per cent of the
people Of North arolina, they were not
dealing with niggers.
Mr.. Morphew: Would not you like
to see the Democratic party killed."
Gen Bryan: YES, but l don't want
it to die of itself, or kill itself like
those mules we heard of the other night.
When it does go, it will go for the good
of the State"
Gen Bryan went on to tell how the
bill would destroy property in Wilkes,
and how inconsistent it was within 1t
self.
Mr.. CURTIS.
Mr. Curtis, of Buncombe, said that
when insinuations were thrown out by
the gentleman from Wilkes that we were
going to perjure ourselves by violating
the constitution, it was time for him to
say something. We were used to talk
like that. We had heard it before.
He talks about our dealing with the
lily-whites now. We just had one tussle
with those fellows that call themselves
lily-whites, after We had rubbed the
black off of them, and we had come out
ali right
AS for him, he would feel good if he
could only help to wipe out one still
from the land. (Applause)
What was funny to him was the men
who spoke against the measure Were all
prohibition men. And yet they seemed
to be most solcitous about the liquor
men.
And some said they would not vote
for it unless they vote for it all at once.
Suppose you were to try to get men to
enlist in your army. and a fellow that
boasted of how good a man he was, and
he should say he would not go unless
he could get at the enemy all at once.
If they had to kill the Gu posts and
sentrcs first they would not go. What
would you think Of that?
And when the country people come I'M
here and ask us to give them temper
ance. these men say: Hold on, you'll
kill the constitution daughter and APP
rlause.)
Suppose you saw some wild animal
about to kill a little child, and were to
say: wait till / see the old man, and
ask him how he will vote on it," CAP
plause and laughter.l
I'D like to get a chance to vote down
the whole thing in the towns and take
the franchise from the town people as
well as the country. and then 1 suppose
the constitution would be busted sure
enough Oaughter.) But there are so
many of you that are afraid of busting
the constitution, that we had to make
He believed that if the gentleman from
Wilkes really believed that this measure
would put him in the Speakers chair
and fill this House with Republicans, he
would cast his vote for this bill. (Laugh-
teri
Judge Boyd had said that he found
it now impossible to get a jury in Wilkes
that would deal fairly with this distil-
lcry question there.
Gen. Bryan said the gentleman from
Buncombe was happy because he had a
great big distillery in Asheville, and
lots of saloons. Wilkes had no saloons.
Mr.. Curtis said he thought he had
defined his position very clearly. He
would wipe out the whole thing, if he
could. When Wilkes had as good law
as Buncombe, he would be ready to join
with any one to impart the saloons in
the towns.
MR.. WHITAKER, OF GUILFORD.
Mr.. Whitaker, of Guilford, said he rep
resented a county whose people were for
temperance He then told of the awful
bIighting effect of a distillcry that had