The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-04-17
1t Went Through by Only
Three Votes.
AHARD TUSSLE
Had Two OF the Three Members From
North Carolina Who Favored the
Proposition Voted Against if.
the Appropriation Would
Have Met Defeat.


Washington, II. g, April l3.=Ths
champions Q fthe Southerr Railway
fast mail appropriation Won out Dy
a nose IN the Hous today, having til.
comfortable majority Of 3 votes when
the roll was called t. strike on, this
provision. Three North C|aroIIuians
Messrs. small, Gudger and Pou voted
for the appropriation. and Mr.. Black
burn was paired in its favor.
Had the three members from North
Carolina faNoring the proposition, OF
for that matter two Of them, voted
with the majority Of their colleagues
from the State, the appropriation
would have gone down to defeat. rs
an evidence Of the change OF senti-
nlent that has come over the House
this year With reference to this ap-
preparation for the Southern. it is
only necessary to state that the ma
iorit% last YEAR was something like
fifty in its favor.
There We're stirring scenes in the
House during the day. but interest was
never greater than when the vote was
being taken to decide the fate Of the
special mail provision. Uncertainty
was the prevailing element that con
tribGted to the suppressed excitement.
Members talked with much fire. but
there We're man Whispered confer
ences on the part of individuals that
had equally as important 4 bearing
on the result.
The contest FOR votes was as fierce
As ever witnessed in 4 city ward con
test, and it was no uncommon sight
when representatives we subjected
to the button hole process.
The motion 10 strike out was FIRST
settled on a division vote. in which
members passed between ~tellers. On
this vote there We're loo votes for
and 102 against. There were doubts
about getting q roll call vote, but
Speaker Cannon agreed to recognize
Moon, Of Tennessee. and this settled
the question. 4 number of members
had gone out and there was more
doubt about the result than ever. Alb
dilute stiffness prevailed when it was
for and SO against. The only change
on the part Of North Carolinians was
in the vote cast by Mir. Pou. In the
37th Congress he voted for the ap-
preparation, while i'll the 58th CON
gress he was paired against it. IN
for the measure today he
Il five minute speech giving his
reasons for his change Of position.
Representative w. w. kitchin made
a ringing speech against the appro-
Dr.ation. Twenty minutes was al
each side to close the debate,
and Mr.. kitchin was given ten MIN
utes to speak for the opponents.
Among his listeners We're Governor
who spent some time on the
aoor and the two North Carolina Sena-
tors.
Mr.. Pou States His Position.
Mr.. Pou in speaking for the appro-
priation said.
"Since / have been a member of
Iir Ialx-T hnIiny-L 1any-1 - IH-n NC ~
ported that item in the p~ostoffice sup
ply bill known as the appropriation
for the maintenance of necessary and
special mail facilities on trunk lines
between Washington n New Or
leans, except when this item was con-
5idered III the committee IN the whole
years ago. It was then repeatedly
stated that the government received
little or IL benefit from that item in
he bill. Indeed. | think it was urged
hat mail was being delivered in At
and New Orleans over roads
which did not receive this ~appfoprIl-
ion practically as soon as the mail
delivered by the fast train. | did not
investigate the matter carefully.
And for reasons then satisfactory to
myself in the committee of the whole
hin | voted to strike out that item
along With other items attacked in
hat debate.
Nov, 50 much has been said about
his appropriation that | have inyes-
.igated it with some care and With a
sincere purpose to ascertain what the
are.
I'm the first place this is not an ap- |
)ropriation made by Congress to the
Southern Railroad. but the mono
goes to that railroad which makes the
schedule between Washing i
Atlanta. and New Orleans. For |
,-x,I.y 4I.@Zp@.r+ L two t,al u So |
o carry the fast mail. but voluntarily |
abandoned its contract because of the |
li~fficuity in making the schedule re-
iuired by the government. Therefore, |