The news & observer., 1905-06-28

well, a bitter partisan, but a man with
clean hands, and soon began an inve5-
tigation. The Senate also passed a
bill repeating all this railroad leGisla~
ton, which came to the House on Feb
ruary 10th, where it was fought with
great desperation. Dlatory tactics
were rcsorted to to defeat it without
avail. Motions to amend, to Substi-
tute to refer consumed day after day,
but the friends of the bill, under the
leadership of Thomas j. Jarvis and
Mr. Pou pressed it On to its passage.
After it had passed its third reading,
a motion to reconsider was successful
by one vote, and the bill was postpon-
cd for several days by a majority of
ten. 1t looked, indeed, as if Littlefield
had fully regained his mastery over
the House. But eventually MIR. Pou
was able to carry his point and the
bill was passed. The Acts we're all
repealed.
The investigation by the House in
committee of the whole had not an
swcred the purposes intended. Little
fields influence dominated it's proceed
ings. The meetings were postponed
from time to time and witnesses re-
fused to attend or declined to answer
or answered evasively. Lttlefield bull
baited the House and made his cX-
animation a passing jest. He turned
the proceeding into ridicule and bore
himself as a hero with conscious
strength rather than as a culprlt al
the bar of justice. But the Bragg com
mission was making Investigations al
the same time and crisis was beng
rapidly reached.
On March 4th the House, in COM
mittee of the whole, spurred up by
the proceedings Of the Bragg commits
sion. resolved that it would pursue
the matter with greater diligence and
that the committee should not adj
iourn for more than two days at
time.
And on the same day the House
pa ssed a resolution directing the SEN
ate Commission to report It's proceed
ines up to the 18th of March. Tht
purpose of this move was evidently
TO interrupt the investigation.
The day following. the Bragg Com
mission had Littlefield before it on
examination. and the House, at the
instance of the committee of the
whole. resolved that Littleheld Should
not be required to testify in regard
to his dealings with private parties.
but that he might be examined In re-
gard to his transactions with mem
bers of the Legislature.
ON Monday, March 9th, however,
might be excused from appearing be-
fore the committee of the whole. ENl-
IDENTIFY the trail was getting very warm.
The fox was being run to cover An
other Maynard had brought the Black
Beard to close quarters. and fears were
felt lest other witnesses would give
away the whole business.
A supper was given 1T the motel
where many Of the Republican leaders
iIan
cigars comforted the faithful. Speech
es were made by Littlefield and other
leading Republicans on the necessity
of repeating the Bragg Commission,
as if was said the Democrats could
make political capital out of the IN
vestigation. Littlefeld however,
struck the bulls eye when he SAID,
"if they knew as much about thal
Bragg commission as he dld, they
would vote to repeal it the next day.
That was an irresistible argument. IL
was most persuasive 1t was so agreed
and the next day-Saturday March
10Th. when the Commission made its
report under the resolution calling lof
it, a motion was promptly nA4dc u
discharge the Commission. At once
the contest began. Had Littiefcld the
mower to dominate the Senate as nc
had dominated the House? Dld ne
nOl0
against the fair fame of the honest
people Of North Carolina? The vote
resulted in a tie! But honest C1ldWeu
broke the tie and voted against the
motion to discharge the Commission
without avail, however. Col. Ham
.Ioncs moved to continue the Comml8-
sion but Senator Sweet again moved
to discharge it-and Littlcfeld oaf-
ried the day.
A few DAYS later. a bill having beer
passed appointing some of the STOCK
holders of the w. n. @. Railroad q
romInittea to settle with Swepson and
Iittleiicld for the funds Of that com
pany. and that committee being about
to assemble here at Raleigh, Littlefield
seized his carpet-bag, ond as he was
coming out of the hotel. saw Col. ham
Jones stopping a moment. he Sald
col Jones. / am about TO leave town
NV departure will be the subject OF
much comment. [ do not wish tc
leave without telling some one that
am going. | therefore tell you now
that [ am going" And, jumping inte
n waiting omnibus. he was soon or
! his way to tiorida-a fuGltlFe iron
| Justice.
| AS all mcn who dealt with the Spe-
J cjaI Tax bonds were required 10 looi
| 10 tho legality and constitutionailtS
| of their issue. they had notice of th(
| limitation on the power of the Genera
| Assembly to impose taxes; aud thF
| taxes imposed by these Special Ta1
| Bonds amounted to 81 cents on tht
! hundred dollars of property, Whlca
was largely in excess of the power o
the General Assembly 20 lay. SO th'
| public had notice that this taxation
was beyond the power of the Legisl L
| ture and unconstitutional, and tho7
had notice that the Legislature hat
! no power to issue any bond without {
| Special Tax. the bonds of the STATE
not being then at par.
And those who dealt in those bonds
! after February. 1870, also had notice
| of the re1eal Of the acts under which
! they were issued.
Fribery. fraud. ilIegality. swindlint
/ characterized the whole proceeding
| and you. Mr.. Carlyle. with your big
club. now demand your mono" o.
your life
| NOScitur SocllS
| At the ensuing election the Demo
Continued on Page S1X)