The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-05
VOTED PROHIBITION
FOR WILKES COUNTY
That's What the Committee
Did Yesterday.
THE WILKES DELEGATION
Many Prominent Citizens Plead With the Com
mittec- Republican Representatives
Stand Out for Vote Of the
Peopp,


There was another hearing yesterday
afternoon on the Wilkes prohibition BILL
The House Committee on Propositions
and Grievances decided by an overwhelm-
ing vote to report favorably this bill, in
troduced by Mr.. Kinsland, of Haywood
at the request of a large number OF
Wilkes county citizens, who want pro-
hibition.
There was present at the hearing yes
terday afternoon in the Attorney Cen
erals office a delegation from Wilkes
county asking for a favorable report
The delegation consisted of R. A. SPAIN
hour, Representative, and Chairman
County Board of Education A. NJ. Church,
eX-Sheriff and member Democratic Exc
cutive Committee, j. L. Hemphill, whole
sale grocer; Rev. L. f. Webster, Rev. c.
w. Robinson, of the Presbyterian church;
church; Mr. d. E. Marks, Mr.. Gordon
Hackett, Rev. w. r. Bradshaw
There was another lengthy discussion
on the question, the Republican repre-
sentatives from Wilkes standing out for
people of the county
First the clerk read three letters from
lawyers in Wilkes regretting their inabil-
ity to be present, and expressing a wish
that the hearing might be continued.
and saying that there was no doubt that
the majority of the people of iWlkes
were opposed to the enactment of any
such legislation as that proposed.
a 1f4
MCNEIL, and two were from w w. Bar
Der, one to Secretary Burke of the COM
mittee, and the other to Gen. Bryan, Rep
resentatiye from Wilkes.
Gen. Bryan then asked that the matter
might be postponed until next week, af-
ter court had adjourned, when these gem
tlemen could get here. They would all
be Democrats, who would come.
EX-Sheriff Church of Wilkes, was
called upon, and he stated that court had
broken up three hours before he started,
and there was no reason why these gen
tlemen could not have gotten here, if they
wished.
1t was then moved to discuss the ques-
tion to a finality.
Gen. Bryan addressed the committee,
and asked if he as a representative of
Wilkes was to be entirely disregarded,
and bill passed with which he had
nothing to do. He thought that it was
only right that his wishes as a repre-
sentative should be regarded and that he
should be listened to. The great Demo-
cratic principle of local elf-government
should be observed, and the people of
Wilkes should be given the opportunity
of voting on the question
In the course of his remarks Gen Bryan
said he supposed that the whole thing
was cut and dried and that only one side
of the question would be heard.
Mr.. Curtis thought this reflected upon
the committee, and he objected to any
such inSinuation. Every one who had de-
sired to address the committee had been
courteously heard.
Mr.. Watts said he hardly thought that
Gen. Bryan had meant to reflect upon
the committee.
Mr.. Frank Hackett stated that there
were several gentlemen present from
Wilkes, and he asked that they be heard.
First r. A. Spainhour, Superintendent
of the County Schools, said that there
was no doubt that large majority of the
better element in the county favored pro-
Gen. Bryan know their wishes.
He was asked several questions bv the
members of the committee, and gave the
following information:
The people would be better off if the bill
were passed, regardless of politics. There
would be more money in the county The
crops would be better. Shilling was not
profitable, so far as he knew A profit
could not be made, if the distillers obey
ed the law. All the LIQUOR made was not
sent out of the county. 1t might lessen
the price of corn, but the lower price
would on the whole be a benefit Wilkes
county does not produce more corn than
is used, even outside of the distilleries
Corn was always worth whatever western
corn would bring laid down, wherever
there We're railroads
EX-Sheriff Church gave practically the
same testimony, and said that he had
noticed from the dockets that whenever
the brandy crop was big, the dockets were
likewise heavy.
former distiller. L. L. Church had
told him that he never intended to still
any more. that he considered it was
bad thing for his neighbors generally
Sheriff Church said that rhe distiller's
politics usually followed the ldmlnistra-
tion. Stilling was not profitable. He
thought the better part of the people
would be suited if the bill were to pass.
The making of brandy usually left men
in worse condition than they were before.
The money from the liquor sent out of
the county went mainly to the merchants
who dealt in western corn, and not to the
farmers.
He did not think the people of Wilkes
would feel that they had been misrepre-