The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1907-02-28
mir. kitchin's bil! Lest Before Senate
Committee.

AS StdItu ia tCLoJ ICctC, 1SN lJi NA7N'iSSA
tive A. P. kitchin's bill to repeal the
Scotland Neck prohibition law and
submit it ia q vote Of the people,
passed the House in the General AS
semhly by a vote of ga to 20.
When the bill was reported to the
Senate it was referred to the Com
mittee on Propositions and Grey
ances, and after hearing the matter
the committee reported it unfavor-
ably.
The following account Of the hear
ing before the Senate committee Is
taken from the News and Observer
of che 22d:
The bill of Representative Kitchin
of Halifax, providing that the Scot
sand Neck act under which it is now
a prohibition town should be repeal
ed, so as to allow an election there
on the question of saloons, dispense
s.ies and prohibition, was yesterday
given an unfavorable report by the
Senate Committee on Propositions
and Grievances, after long hearing
in which many personal questions
were discussed by the clashing forces.
The bill as first introduced in the
House by Representative Kitchln and
supported BY him AMI Representa-
tive Neal, was unfavorably reported
a)y the House Committee on COun-
ties. Cities and Towns. Reaching
the House Mr.. Kitchin offered an
amendment providing that the Scot
land Neck prohibition act being re-
pealed the town vote on the liquor
question under the Watts and Ward
laws, and the bill was re-referred to
the committee, which, after numer-
Gus votes on different propositions,
returned it to the House with no
recommendation though an investi-
cation by the chairman and secretary
of the committee showed nine mem
bers against and seven for the bill.
As amended the bill passed the
House, was sent to the Senate and
yesterday received an unfavorable
report frc,;2 the Senate Committee.
Ten you !: ladies were present at
the heariur, which attracted large
crowd.
"Speai,;1g for the b;ll End urging g
favorable report wee Representa-
tive Neal ard Representative kitch-
in, Will il opposition there was q
speech bE Dr.. L, I. Vann, president
Of the Bapt;st University for Women
and q statement made in three OF
four rninH5e5 by Rev. G. I. Lump
kin, pastor cfe the Baptist church at
Scotland Neck. The arguments were
those as heretofore reported, except
there We're additional details as tt
the actions Of various parties Ell
gagged in the controversy.
REPRESENTATIVE MEALS POSITION.
Representative Neal spoke frs
for about ten minutes, and stated tina
in the matter he was acting as h
had told the people he would, being
guided in his course by the wishes o:
the majority CT the voters of Scot
land Neck in their petition, and tina
if the prohibition forces had ma
jority why did they object to an cleo
ton to settle the matter, as one coult
be held peaceahly III Scotland Neck
DR.. vANN OPPOSES THE BILL.
DIR. r. T. Vann spoke for forty
five minutes, and rehearsed all tn,
events leading up to the presen
status in Scotland Neck as he under
stood it, urging that the-bill be actet
on as to its merits and as to its trut
value. He declared the majority O
the people of Scotland Neck wantet
no election because Of bitterness
and trouble which would come, anc
would prefer to have the questio,
Of liquor or prohibition settled b,
the Legislature. He contended tina
on the information given him tn,
petition for no change in the law q
to Scotland Neck had a majority ant
even with = few votes difference NJ
change should be made in existing
conditions unless strong reasons 70
this could be shown. He held tina
events had SO shaped tfemselve
that Mr.. Kitchin should Withdraw
his bill, as he believed Mr.. Kitchil
had agreed to III his consent to joii
the issues with committee. Il
closing he made an eloquent pie;
against the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE KITCHIN FOR IT.
Representative Kitchin, who wa
i'll and who stated that he was unde
the influence Of medicine, defendet
his bill and spoke vigorously for i
for an hour and five minutes. H
made an exhaustive review Of tn
whole contention, saying that he wa
guided by the wishes of a clear ma
jority of the petitioners and that h.
believed in majority rule, and onl,
asked for what was right and prop
e., that the people Of Scotland Necl
be allowed TO vote on the question
He stated that he had disregarde'
no agreement or promise that h
hsd made, ard detailed the circam
stances as 20 various matters in
volved, declaring that Scotland Necl
could quietly and without bloOdshet
vote on the question, which now in
volved fractional fight in Sc0tlant
Neck. He held that prohibition wa
not prohibitory in Scotland Neck
and told of blind tigers, one havin!
come under his own observation
His contention, except as to persona
difference in the matter of events
was that the people asking for q re
peal of the Scotland Neck law had
majority, and as such were entitle
to have the bill passed, and that as
Representative from Halifax, h
spoke for only what was due tn