Weather To-Dayi FAIR; WARMER.
VOL. XI,V. NO. 143.
Miles CoUrt of Inquiry
'ONLY ONCE DID THE GENERAL'S
INDIGNATION FLAME FORTH.
His Testimony Cool and Deliberate —Quali-
fied Denial of Two Newspaper Inter
views— Col. Minor Testifies.
Washington, Fob. 20.- The Miles
Court of Inquiry to-day made a good
start in its work. The court was com- 1
fort ably quartered in the old meeting
room of the war investigation commis- j
sion in the Lemon building with accom
modations for representatives of the
press associations and the local papers.
Falls of ceremony on the President and
the General commanding the Army oc
cupied a large part of the forenoon, and
immediately thereafter General Nelson
A Miles appeared as the tirst witness. |
He and three other army officers
summoned as witnesses were examined
and disposed of before the court closed
its session at 3 o’clock.
General Miles’ testimony of course was
the feature of the day’s proceedings.
Colonel Frank Michler. his chief of
staff, and a gentleman in citizen’s clothes
who took a seat by the tire place and
gravely watched the course of proceed
ings, retiring with the General as silent
ly as he had come, accompanied the
General to the court room.
General Miles appeared in fatigue uni
form. rather striking in its contrast with
the display of scarfs, bullion and but
tons of the full dress uniforms of the
court. He submitted to the questioning
of Colonel Davis, recorder of the Court,
with equanimity except for a Hash of
mingled indignation and irony when he
informed tne recorder that he was not
compelled to “report” to the Commissary
General o the Army. This was in reply
to a question its to whether or not he
had reported to the Commissary Depart
ment the fact that complaints had been
made to him as to the quality of meat
being issuer! to tne troops. An instant
lajer General Miles resumed bis cool
and carefully considered replies to the
inquiries of the court.
As indicated by a letter of the Ad
jutant General, read by the recorder
for the information of the court, tin*
scope of the inquiry was limited to the
allegations of General Miles before the
war commission as to the quality of the
army beef “and the matter purporting
to have been furnished to the press by
the same official.” Only two inter
views were called up by the court, the
tirst an interview with a New' York
Journal representative early in the beef
controversy in which General Miles was
quoted as charging that certain chem
icals were used in the preservation of
the army meat, and another of the New
York Herald under date of February Ist
covering about tlie same ground.
General Miles was very slow and
careful in his replies to the recorder’s
question on this point. lie called atten
tion to the fact that in both instances
he was credited in the interviews with
refusing to answer certain question and
insisted that these refusals should be
given due weight in considering the
questions to w hich he did reply. He said
in the case of the interview of February
Ist that he had a letter from the man
who wrote the story offering to swear
that General Miles had refused to be
interviewed, and that the whole story
was made up in the office from the
writer’s general knowledge of the facts.
Notwithstanding this, when his final an
swer was asked as to the authenticity
of the interview General Miles did not
specifically deny it but merely said that
it did not quite fairly represent bis own
opinion in the case. The same qualified
denial as to the Journal interview of
December 23rd was made, leaving the
witness on record as not assuming any
responsibility for the newspaper state
ments but tactitly admitting that there
was a good deal in them with which he
agreed.
The trend of questions put to the other
witnesses of the day indicated that so
long as they agreed with General Miles
as to the quality of the meat furnished
the troops in the field the only criticism
of their position the court had to make
was why they had not taken some offi
cial steps to have the matter remedied
at the time. In every instance
ply was that the circumstances in which
the army was placed in a sickly foreign
country with a large amount of fighting
and a great scarcity of transportation on
hand, precluded the possibility of any
such action. In each tin* question was
pushed no further on this line.
General Miles during his testimony as
to the Herald interview, pointed out that
the interview was erroneous in that
place where it represented him
to have said that he had
overwhelming evidence that Iho
refrigerated beef was treated with
chemicals. The fact was that bis only
evidence was what was contained in the
reports of officers and statements of
men who claimed that the beef bad the
odor of an embalmed body, that they
bad seen fluid injected into beef and
other indications of chemical treatment.
Folonel Davis, recurring to tin* state
ment of General Miles before the war
commission, asked what bis idea as to
the beef supply for the army was when
war broke out.
Reliving. General Miles said while bis
attention was occupied with weightier
' matters of mobilization and eonipment
of troops, be felt confident that the
usage of an hundred years would be
followed and cattle herds would be
shipped to the army ip the tropics and
killed there, Just as they bad been
The News and Observer.
'LEADS ALL 1»M CAROLINA DAUB 11 lEIS AND CIRCUIAHON,
through the South during the Civil War;
in Arizona, Texas and in Mexico, where
1 it was so hot that a soldier could not
sit upon the rooks. He understood Cuba
. and Porto Itico were excellent grass
countries, and cattle could be shipped
and kept in prime condition. He re
viewed his action in cabling the Depart
ment to send no more refrigerated beef
to Porto Rico while he was there, find
ing it possible to use beef on the lioof.
General Miles said that he understood
i that our troops in Porto Rico were still
being supplied with a iorm of refrigerat
ed beef, although the country was a
good grass country, and there were
1 plenty of cattle there.
“Do you think,” continued Colonel
Davis, .“that the native beefVould keep
as well as the refrigerated beef in the
absence of cooling apparatus on whoreV”
“I am quite sure it would unless the
refrigerator beef was chemically treat
ed with preservatives. If it was treat
ed so as to keep for 72 hours after com
ing out of the coolers, of course it: had
the advantage of the native beef so far
as keeping goes.”
General Miles said the first complaints
on the canned roast beef lu* beard at
Tampa from some of the Rough Riders
and then again aboard the Yale when
the men declared they could not eat it.
Again he heard complaints of it in the
trenches at Santiago. What finally‘drew
his attention seriously to tin* matter was
the reports of officers that the whole
‘Fifth corps was weak and prostrated
This was in August when tin* question
of a parade through New York was
broached. General Rates at that time
reported that only about one-fifth of the
men at Montank Point were m condi
tion to march through New York. Gen
| oral Miles said this seemed to him re
markable as there was no yellow fever
at the point and he thought the men
certainly ought to bo over their malaria.
He therefore ordered an inquiry into the
beef about whic h there had been so much
complaint.
“Did you report this matter at the
time to the Commissary General’s of
fice?” asked Colonel Davis.
General Miles leaned forward, draw
ing his brows to a furrow, and replied
forcefully:
“I am not required sir so report to
the Commissary General.”
“Well did you report it to (lie Secre
tary of War?” ask cl Colonel Davis
pleasantly.
j General Miles in reply went at some
length into an explanation of the routine
of army headquarters, showing why
he preferred to conclude his inquiry so
that be might have something tangible to
present to the Secretary. Finally he
issued his orders to officers to report to
the Secretary of War because under a
rule of 1800 the order should go from
the Adjutant General to tne Secretary.
His attacks upon the canned and re
frigerated beef before the war com
mission wore then taken up specifically.
Colonel Davis reading testimony of the
commanding General in which lie re
ferred to it as “embalmed” beef, and
said it had been sent as “a pretense of
experiment.”
General Miles was asked if he knew
when war began that canned roast beef
was a part of the army ration. This
question brought out a partial explana
tion of ids using the phrase “pretense
of experiment.” He said lie* did not
know that canned roast beef was a parr
of the army ration, though in 1888 an
order had been issued including canned,
corn ad or fresh beef. He did not un
derstand the canned beef now in ques
j tiou was meat. When his attention was
finally attracted to the canned roast
beef, recently issued, he assumed, be
declared, that “it was being issued as
an experiment,” since it was not un
derstood by him that canned roast beef
was a part of the regular ration.
Fon'tinuing this explanation in an
swer to a question of Colonel Davis,
General Miles said he thought liis use
of “pretense (if experiment” was unfortu
nate and lie disclaimed any Intention to
impute fraud to any one.
“So far as indicating fraud, lie said,
"I wish to state that no such inference
was intended. It was perhaps an un
j fortunate expression and had my atten
! tion bet'll called to it I might have
amended it to say “on the theory of an
experiment.” As a matter of fact it
was an experiment and a very costly
one.”
Replying to a question General Miles
said he tirst heard complaints against
refrigerated beef at Ponce. The tirst:
direct statement that it had been treated
chemically came, he believed, from Dr.
Daly, who presented it late in September
and appeared subsequently before tin*
war commission.
Hi* said he did not recollect whether
I)r. Daly's report was volunteered oi*
whether he had been ordered to inves
tigate! and rejHirt on the meat.
It was general talk among the offi>
eers at Ponce, General Miles continued,
that the refrigerated beef must have
b; cn subjected to some chemical treat
ment to make* it keep for 72 hours.
General Miles then read a long sum
mary of 100 letters received by him at
army headquarters, giving the various
terms in which the army meat was
characterized. These included "ern-
RALEIttH, N. C., TUESDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 21,
baloil,” “decomposed,” “injected,”
“poisoned,” “spoiled, ’ and the like.
In addition he showed a summary of
.reports on refrigerated beef coilemnod
and thrown overboard from transpoils.
C. C. Teamans’ from the Y. re
ported the condemnation of 8,000
pounds; Lieutenant Colonel O Aei,. of
the steamsip Chester. 4,000 pounds; Col
ouel James Hamilton Lewis, 10,000,
pounds.
Folonel Gillespie took a niml in the
inquiry when General Miles finished
describing the nauseating qualities of
the canned and refrigerated beef.
“Did you, General, ever eat any of
this beef?” Colonel Gillespie asked.
“I presume 1 did, about the Time we
were at Ponce,” said General Miles
with scvme hesitation. “Yes, I presume
1 did.”
“Then,” said Colonel Gillespie*, “it has
not such characteristic qua'ities as
would permit you to detect it off band?”
“No sir.”
General Miles then left the witness
chair and Lieutenant Colonel Wan
Horn s ot me Thirteenth infantry wa«
sworn. He said lie was at the outbreak
of the war Major of the Twenty-Second
infantry and was througn the entire
Cuban campaign.
Witness said he had used all kinds,
canned, corned, refrigerated and canned
roast *beof. He said the criticisms of
the canned roast beef began early and
were made often. It was objected to
on the score of its lack of nutriment,
its taste, and its appearance.
iWtness did not recollect that l! e
large sick list of his rogim nt ;n Cuba
had been laid at the time to tii ** caancJ
meat. When the refrigerator be f arn
ved a large part of it was spoiled and
the men continued to use the canned
meat. The spoiled refrigerator beef
was laid out on the hill for H e blizzards.
Several issues were lost in this way
Witness had eaten some of the refrigera
tor beef which arrived in camp untaint
ed and found that good. The men site
it without complaint, end he had no
reason to believe it was different from
the beef he had gotten at army po*.ts in
the States.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles W. Minor,
of the Sixth infantry, was the next wit
ness. His regiment was among the first
to leave Camp Thomas an 1 to camp at
Tampa. They reached Cuba and dis
embarked on June 22nd. Canned roast
beef was issued as a travel rati »n wh»*n
they left Tampa and until ihe end of
tlie siege. It was replac'd with refrig
erated beef after the surrender. Mean
time*. be said, absolutely no other fr **di
meat could have been furn'shed dm* ng
the siege.
Complaints against the canned beef
became general and market about July
2nd. He said he was using aid win n
opened it was apparently fresh, but
stringy and absolutely without nmrisii
mont, and when cut, it fell to piece.-.
The men could not and did not eat it.
“I believed then and believe now.” he
said, “that that beef had been used for
making beef extract and the nutriment
taken out. It appeared to have been
boiled to pieces.”
Colonel Minor said he knew nothing
of canned beef’s preparation. llis regi
ment was in good condition until about
July 3rd after which it deteriorated
suddenly and generally. When moy be
came weak and sick the m?n dil m l
want meat.
Examined as to refrigerated beef be
declared it was excellent and satisfac
tory and no complaints about it were
heard. Only one quarter was spu.’ed.
He was unable, he said, to le f ecr any
difference -between the refrigerated beef
issued in Cuba and that whieh had been
issued at the posts in this country at
which he had been stationed.
Major Hmiry Jackson, Third cavalry,
who was with his regiment throughout
the Santiago campaign, was called. He
said his experience with the canned
roast beef began aboard the transport
en route for Cuba and continued iill
his return to Montauk. Complaints
commenced of the meat being stringy,
tasteless and unpalatable. The officers
had remarked the same thing to him
and he agreed with them fully. Ci!o
neWtavis asked if witness had made any
effort to get different meat for his men,
he replied that there was nothing to do
but take what was issued.
Major Daly will probably be out* <>f
the witnesses at to-morrow’s session.
PONTIAC WELCOMES BRYAN.
A Grand Demonstration—His Speech—
Leaves for Washington Today.
Pontiac, Midi., Feb. 20. —Oakland
county Democracy gave Colonel Bryan
a most enthusiastic reception here to
day. The demonstration has not been
equalled by .invfliing of the kind since
the campaign of 1800. The city was
crowded with people from the surround
ing country and many towns, including
many from Detroit and and Grand Rap
ids. Colonel Bryan came over front De
troit at noon and spoilt t,n* nfteruo m at
the hotel, where he sluok hands with
t liousands.
Tonight the Jefferson Club gave a
banquet at which 'plates were laid tor
a thousand guests.
Ex-Congressman Tarsney was toast
master and addresses were made by
Thomas E. Barwooth. of Jackson, and
others preceding the guest t. f honor.
Col. Bryan’s remarks followed closely
the lines of his Ann Arbor speech. He
reiterated tin* statement that tin* fight
ing at Manila could be stopped easily by
the President who could make friends
instead of foes of the Filipinos by mere
ly assuring them that the American sol
diers are not there to subjugate them and
rob them of their independence, but to
maintain order and help them establish
a stable government.
Colonel Bryan will leave tor Washing
ton tomorrow morning.
The new President of France, M.
Loubet, it is said, will pursue a conser
vative policy both at home and abroad.
He will retain the Dupuv Cabinet, prov
ing thus that he is no Dreyfusard, The
aspect of affairs in Paris is quieter and
more hopeful.
THE MONUMENT
FOH LJFMETTE
Gen Cox One of the Speakers
at Columbia Theatre,
HISTORY REPEATS ITSE E
SENATOR MASON SAYS: "EWART
WILL BE CONFIRMED OR
RECOMMISSIONED.”
NORTH CAROLINA RIVERS Ml HARBORS
T he Appropriations to Nodh Carolina’s Waters
and Harbors Have “Swunk” Like
Vance's Celebrated
Ca'fish.
Washington, D. Feb. 20.—(Spe
cial.) —There was a packed house at the
Columbia Theater last night, Sunday
night, to inaugurate in Washington the
movement for getting funds for the mon
ument to Lafayette which it is proposed
that the people of the United States
shall erect next year in Paris in com
memoration of his services in the war
for American independence.
The undertaking was under the patron
age of the Societies of the Revolu
tionary Sous, and had good backing and
much popularity.
The sudden death of the President cf
the French Republic has focussed the* at
tention of the world upon Paris and
France, and anything connected with
this people is just now of especial inter
est.
The meeting had h, en given additional
prominence because of the protest of
such eminent divines as the Bishop of
Washington, and I>r. Randolph McKim.
and other celebrati d preachers who are
also enthusiastic members of the society
having the matter in charge. The pro
test was againsit lfuncbiiig the under
taking in violation of the accepted rec
ognition of the American Sabbath. This
contention was met by spirited defense,
and, as an advertisement, and in a
worldly point of view, nothing was to
he dt sired. Hundreds who had never
dreamed of facing the wet night over
half-frozen streets, as soon as they
sniffed the air of criticism, rushed to see
somi thing new.
It is a coincidence worthy of notice,
perhaps, that when Lafayette came to
our shores to make his memorable pil
grimage of triumph, the vessel bearing
liim dropped anchor in our port on Sun
day night, and after sharp discussion it
was determined not to welcome him un
til the following Monday in order to
avoid turning Sunday into a celebration
day. Now, two generations after this,
comes up the same question in another
form as to the propriety of a mass-meet-,
ing in ids honor.
Among the principal speaKers, General
Cox, of North Carolina, mad/ an ad
dress that was elegant 'and Scholarly.
He took Lafayette as a type of
volunteer soldiers, and paid the follow
ing tribute to these heroes, which was
received with much applause:
“It was the volunteer who wrested
Magna Charta from a relentless King;
it was the volunteer that established
Puritanism; it was the volunteer who
fought the battle for religious freedom:
it was the volunteer who established
our liberties: and it was the volunteer
who filled the ranks in all our great
wars, 'both external and Civil. And
what American heart does not thrill
with a glow of pride and patriotism as
lie recalls the fact that, when our
President called for a hundred thous
and men to tight our war with Spain,
a million tendered their services.”
Senator Mason, of Illinois, who is a
strong supporter of Judge Ewart,
to-day cvhon asked if tin* Judge would
be confirmed, said, "He’ll be confirmed
or reappointed after the adjournment.”
This is taken to mean by some of Judge
Ewart’s friends that if he can be con
firmed at this session the opposition will
do as they did last, year and prevent
a vote and then require the President to
reappoint him. Senator Butler lias
polic'd the Senate and claims that lie lias
Ewart beat.
Tin* River and Harbor bill which has
been reported to the Senate contains
the* following amendments of interest to
North Carolina:
The Secretary of War Is authorized
to apiHfint a board of three army engin
eers to make examination, naming plan
and estimate for a harbor of refuge at
or near Cape Lookout. Five thousand
dollars is appropriated to pay necessary
expenses.
For improving Cape Fear river_ above
Wilmington increased from $2,500 to
$5,000.
Nouse river Tucriased from $.>,000 to
SIO,OOO.
Trent River increased from SI,OOO to
$2,000.
Black River increased from $1,500 to
$2,000. -
Completing improvement of Fishing
Creek increased from $2,000 to $<,700.
In the matter of increase North Car
olina fared better than any other State.
Adjutant General Corbin lias an
nounced the assignment of the cadets
who graduated from West Point on the
15th. The following appointees from
North Carolina have been assigned as
follows: Second Lieutenant Samuel T.
| Ansell, Barco, Currituck county, to
I the Eleventh infantry, stationed at San
I Juan, Porto Rico; Second Lieutenant
Francis N. Choke, of Louisburg, I* rank
lin county, to the Fifth United States
artiibry, stationed in the New England
States.
North Carolina is entitled to nine sec
ond lieutenants under the 'Hull bill.
Pritchard and Butler are both oppos-
I ing the confirmation of Mayo to be post
master at Littleton.
STORMY SESSION OF ORTES.
Count D’Almenas Regrets That Five
Months Have Passed and Not a
Single General lias Been Shot.
Madrid. February 20.—The Cortes re
assembled to-day. The galleries in both
| chambers were thronged with an ex
pectant crowd. The Senate was vcv,
full, hardly a single general being ab
i sent.
Senor Mtmicro Rios, President of the
Senate, in opening the proceedings, pro
nounced a eulogy upon M. Faure and a
resolution of condolence with France
was adopted unanimously.
Senor Sagasta, the Premier, then pro
posed to refer the bill providing for the
cession of the Philippines to the United
States to a special committee, but this
the Conservatives protested against,
* declaring that, the bill ought to be con
j scieiitiously discussed and Senor Sagas
ta withdrew his proposal.
Count D’Almenas then brought up the
! question of tin* conduct of the generals
■ engaged in the war in Cuba, declaring
that General Prime de Rivera. General
Weyler, General Blanco, Admiral Fer
vent and General Linares had proved
failures. This declaration elicited much
: applause from tiu* public galleries, in
' consequence of wa'e.i several >f tin
spectators were expelled from the cham-
I bet
Observing that le* would deal wiilt
! the “shameful /a;)i vratiem of Santiago."
j Count D’Almenas asked the House
I whether hi* should proceed and was
answered with cries of "yes" and “no.'
and a general uproar ensued. A tepi
tition of the query provoking still greater
tumult, Senor Sagasta rose and de
fended the Government and its Spanish
peace commission. The Premier criti
cised America’s “unjustified conduct,”
j and said that everything might !.a dis-
J cussed except the war, because the
| eases of the generals were stilt sub
judiee.
| Count D’Almenas resumed ills attack
upon tlie generals and complained mat
“five, months had elapsed and not a s:n
gle general had been shot.” This gave
rise to another tumult and Count
D’Almenas was called to order. Again
he asked why the generals who capi
tulated had not been executed. It is
quite true, he declared, thrff the army
is an army of lions led by asses. Cap
tain Blanco's administration in Cuba
was deplorable, he said, but In* was not
responsible for the surrender of San
tiago.
Recriminations continued between
Count D’Almenas and Lieutenant Gen
eral Correa, the Minister of War, and
there was renewed disorder. Then Gen
eral Prime do Rivera arose and do
nounced Count D’Almenas as a “con
temptible calumniator.”
Genera Blaueo followed, defending tin*
generals and accepting full responsibili
ty for events in Cuba during his com
mand in the island. General Barges
also denounced Count D’Almenas as a
calumniator.
After a promise on the part of Count
D’Almenas to produce proofs of his as
sertions to-morrow the Senate ad
journed.
In the Chamber a resolution of condo
lence with France over the death of
President Fanre was unanimously adop
ted.
Senor Silvela, leader of the Dissident
Conservatives, moved a vote signed by
the Conservative Deputies, censuring
this Government for its indifference to
the country’s troubles.
Senor Annix, in seconding the motion,
denounced the Ministry for accepting
the war through fear of the Carlists
and declared that the country was now
suffering the consequence of the Gov
ernment’s pusillanimity.
He proceeded to detail the lack of
preparations and of war materials, ami
charged the Government with responsi
bility for the surrender of Santiago,
"which they ordered although the garri
son there numbered 23.000 and there
was sufficient provisions in the place
for three months.”
This declaration created a sensation.
In proof that the Government was re
sponsible for the surrender of Cuba
Senor Annix read telegrams from Se
nor Sagasta and Lieutenant General
Correa to General Blaueo ordering the
surrender of Cuba as a means of saving
Porto Rico and the Philippines and pre
serving order in the Peninsula.
He also read General Blanco's tele
gram in reply, opposing the surrender,
but agreeing to obey the Government's
order.
Senor Annix added that President Mc-
Kinley had telegraphed to General Snaf
ter that the* surrender of Santiago hafl
been arranged with the Madrid Govern
ment and that therefore, he must, make
a sort of sham attack.
Captain Aunon, Minister of Marine,
interposed at this point, saying h*> be
lieved this story to be incorrect; where
upon Senor Annix repeated the state
ment that Premier Sagasta had ordered
the surrender of Cuba in order to save
the monarchy.
.MOVING FOR DISPENSARY.
Charlotte, X. Feb. 20. —(Special.)—
There was a large and enthusiastic meet
ing to-niglit of the committee appointed
for advocating the dispensary.
The 'enrollm; lit of petitioners for the
dispensary has passed the 3,000 mark.
One hundred representative men of
Charlotte, with others from different
parts of Mecklenburg county, will be in
Raleigh on Thursday to urge the passage
of the dispensary law, for which the
will of the people has been so over
whelmingly expressed.
Such an uprising of the people has
not been known iu fifty years.
A Hot Fight 0/;f Fees
THE SALARIES OF STATE OFFICERS
REDUCED 20 PER CENT.
But the Proposition to Put Fees of County
Officers on a Five-cent-Cotton Basis
Raised a Mighty Howl.
We denounce the .... extravagance
.... of the present Republican State
administration.
We .... promise the people ....
economical administration —[Democratic
platform, 18518.]
It lias been said that political plat
forms are made to get in on, not to stand
on.
Too often the saying has proved a true
one. But that’s not the kind of a hair
pin the present Legislature is.
At least si majority of the House is not
doing business on that basis.
In proof of this statement witness the
following reductions made yesterday in
the salaries of State officers:
State Treasurer. s2,2so—was $3,000.
Chief Clerk to Treasurer, sl.2so—was
SI,BOO.
Secretary of State, sl,Boo—was $2,500.
State Librarian, SS(O0 —was SI,OOO.
Reporter of Supreme court. $750 —was
SI,OOO.
Clerk to Supreme court, S2OO and
fees —was S3OO and fees.
Secretary to Board of Public Charities.
s3a day—was $4.
Private secretary to the Governor,
sl.ooo—was $1,200.
The Railroad Commissioners’ salary
was not touched for tin* reason that it
will be fixed in the new Railroad Com
mission Act which Judge Allen will in
troduce to-day.
The Salary- of the Superintendent of
the Penitentiary was not reduced be
cause that office has been abolished.
- The Labor Commissioner’s salary and
that of liis clerk were reduced Satur
day.
It was decided, and with very little
opposition, that the salaries of judges,
superintendents of asylums, superintend
cuts of tlie State schools and colleges
slu>nbl stand as they are.
These reductions were not aecomplish-
MR. J. C. CURRIE, OF MOORE.
Leader in the Fight to Reduce Salaries
and Fees.
ed except by hard work on the part of the
friends of the bill. The reduction forces
were led by Messrs. Williams, of Ire
dell, and Currie, of Moore; while the
opposition lined up behind. Messrs. Roun
tree, of New Hanover, and Moore, of
Jackson. Os course, there were others
on either side, but the plumes of these
four could be seen waving along the
firing line in every skirmish.
All the afternoon session of the House
was occupied by consideration of a bill
reducing fees of county officers. But at
half past six o’clock the bid was only
about half completed, and the House ad
journed without finishing it.
This bill, like that making a reduc
tion in tlie salaries of State officers,
makes a cut of about 20 to 2.> per cent.
And the opposition it met with was about
25 per cent fiercer than that developed
on the State officer bill.
The county officer fee bill is as fol
lows:
1. Fee of solicitors for attending eaca
term of Superior court, from S2O to s!•>,
and to pay nothing for civil terms.
2. Appeal from clerk to judge, for
docketing, from 50 to 30 cents.
3. Appeal to Supreme court, including
certificate and seal, from 82 to sl.
4. Fees for auditing final settlement
of any trustee required to render ac
counts, maximum from sls to $10; in
case of contest, maximum from $25 to
sls.
5. Bond or undertaking, including jus
tification, from 00 to 50 cents.
<>. Capias, each defendant from $1 to
7<> cents.
7. Execution and return therei n, from
50 to 25 cents.
8. Indictment for *\ich defendant*from
00 to 40 cents.
5». Judgment, final, against each de
fendant, including docksting, in criminal
actions, from $1 to 50 cents.
10. Juror ticket from 10 to 5 cents.
11. Justification of sureties on any
bond or undertaking, from 50 to 25
cents.
12. Notices, from 25 to 10 cents.
13. Order for arrest, from $1 to 50
cents.
14. Recording and copying papers, per
copy sheet, from 10 to 8 cents.
15. Subpoena, each name, from 15 to
10 cents.
10. Transcript of any matter of record
or paper on file, per copy sheet, from 10 i
to 8 cents.
17. Registering any deed, with certifi
cate or private examination of any mar
ried woman, containing not more than j
three copy sheets, from SO to 00 cents: |
THIRD EDITION]
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
and for every additional copy sheet,
from 10 to 8 cents.
18. For issuing each notice required
by the county commissioners, including
subpoenas for witnesses, from 15 to 10
cents.
10. For recording each order of com
missioners, from 10 to 5 cents; if over
one copy sheet, for every one over, from
10 to 5 cents.
20. Making out original tax list, from
2 to 1 cent for each name, and for each
name on copy made, from 2 to 1 cents
for each* name.
21. For issuing marriage license, front
$1 to 75 cents.
This bill was drawn for the purpose of
sawing off high fees in lengths more
nearly equal to tive-cent cotton prices.
Its leading champion was Mr. Winston
of Bertie, who can put on (Ik* mit with
my high salary champion and go him
four rounds or to a finish. Whenever
the big fee geezers got oil a dead run to
ward tlie gap he simply lassoed them
•vith a roll-call rope. They could never
stand that, and always dropped on their
knees quick enough.
First the opponents of the bill resort
’d to amendments, and but for Mr. Win
ston’s roll-call lasso they would have
nreceded.
Mr. Council, of Watauga, commenced
the attack by amending so as not to
apply to his county. Through tin* same
hole that he went some forty or fifty
others followed.
As the last on** cleared the gap Mr.
Williams, of Iredell, who had so mag
nificently led the State-officer-salary
fight, threw up the sponge, strode to the
front of the Speaker's desk and an
nounced liis desire to withdraw the bill.
Thereupon there was great rejoicing
' F Zy*'
MR. WALTER E. MOORE,
of Jackson,
i Leader iu the Fight Against the Salary
and Fee Bill.
among the anti-reductionists. But their
joy was short-lived.
“The gentleman moves to lay the bill
on the table,” announced the Speaker.
Mr. Winston; “On that l call the
ayes and tines."
Mr. Robinson, of Cumberland, made
the point that Mr. Winston could not
do this.
j The Speaker held that he could.
Others protested that Mr. Williams
had not moved to table at all —only ask
ed to be allowed to withdraw,
j ".Vs many of tin* members seem aux
| ions to consider the bib. 1 will not w. n
draw it,” said Mr. Williams.
For the present the herd was corralled
' all right enough.
Just longe enough to pass one section
of the bill—that reducing the fees of so
licitors—did this peaceful state of affairs
last. Then the stampede broke out
again. \
Mr. Allen, of Wayne, objected to sec
tion 2 —reducing front 50 to 301 cents
the fee for an appeal from chVk to
judge. He sent forward an amendment
to strike out this section.
Mr. Rountree moved to table ti\|
amendment, saying he wanted so Ml
the whole bill.
The motion to table prevailed, ticcord™
ing to tin* count of the clerk, by a vote
iof 42 to 38.
Mr. Brown, of Stanly, grabbed this
right off tin* bat and made a motion
to reconsider.
Mr. Leak: "I move to lay that mo
tion on the table.”
(Applause among the anti-reduction
ists.)
Mr. Winston: “On that I call the
ayes and noes.”
(Dismay among the anti-reductionists.)
Mr. Robinson made the point that Mr.
Winston couldn’t call the ayes and
noes.
The Speaker couldn't see so imaginary
a point.
Mr. Rountree wanted to know whether
Mr. Brown voted with the majority oil
the motion to table.
Mr. Brown said that didn’t make any
difference.
Mr .Gilliam said it made a great deal,
and besides Mr. Brown had made it"
motion to reconsider, but had only lodged
such a motion.
Mr. Brown: “1 make it now, then.”
The vote was on Mr. Leak’s motion to
lay the motion to reconsider on the table.
It resulted: Ayes, 25); noes, 54.
(Continued ou Second Page.)