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Weather To-Dayi CLOUDY; PROBABLY RAIN. THiRD EDITION) i The News and Observer. VOL. XLV. NO. 144. dears Sustain Miles AIL TESTIFYING JOIN IN CON ' DEMNING THE CANNED BEEF. Ftw Complaints of the Refrigerated—Beef on f the Hoof Preferred —Wheeler and Roosevelt Will Testify* /Washington, D. C., Fob. 21—The spurt of inquiry, on gag: <1 in mve-eiga'ing plO lieef charges preferred by (!ener il Miles, continued to-day the hea.ung C /testimony bearing upon the controversy. A number of army officers who partici pated in the Santiago campaign were hoard. Practically without exception the officers condemned the canned roast beef, furnished as a travel ration, and reviewed complaints about it which the men very generally made, declaring it unpalatable and wanting in nutriment. On the other hand, the refrigerated beef suffered but little at the bauds of to day's witnesses, it being generally con ceded that it was good when delivered from the transports, and when it escaped the decomposing effect of the tropical sun en route to the several commands it was found to be satisfactory. General commissary methods in Cuba were inquired into. Difficulty in pre venting taint before cooking was ex perienced.generally. There was very lit tle in to-day’s evidence pointing to any use of chemicals upon tllls beef. The contention of General Milos that the army in Cuba and Porto Rico should have been supplied with herds of cattle, or beef on the hoof, instead of refriger ated beef was supported by every wit ness who to-day gave bis opinion upon this question. A feature of to-day’s ses sion was the general assertion of wit nesses that they would not have felt it their duty to the men or the army or ganization to have made any special report upon the beef had it not been for the special orders calling for such re ports. but rather would have permitted the unsatisfactory ration to pass with out further notice as an incident to warfare, and to the peculiarly trying conditions with, which the army was con fronted at the outbreak of the war. A number of officers testified to the be lief that a very small proportion of sick ness in Cuba was due to the beef or un wholesome rations, but rather to the climate. The examination of witnesses will continue to-morrow and perhaps all of this week in Washington and the tes timony henceforth is expected to be generally cumulative. Many oflicirs are to appear, among them being General Joe Wheeler and Governor Roosevelt. Late this week or early next week the court will leave for Chicago and other western meat cen tres where they will inspect the pack ing houses of the firms which furnished beef to the army. A thorough study of the methods employed in preparing refrigerated and canned roast beef will be made and witnesses will be examined in the different cities. Colonel William If. Powell, of the Ninth infantry, testifying in regard to the canned roast beef, said he had some of it served at bis own table at Santiago. "I could not <-at it." he continued. *lt was u stringy, unwholesome looking mass, more like wet seaweed than any thing else I can think of. We had at that time L>- sick. Soon after than the fresh beef began to arrive, and the men ate readily and began to pick up in health. Afterward we were moved near the Sun Juan battlefield. Here much of our meat spoiled before we could get it.” Regarding the refrigerated beef, Col. Powell said there was. little to Ik* said against it except that some of it spoiled before it arrived. There were no facili ties for cooking while in Ihe city except a tire in the gutter, and all food had to lx* boiled. Colonel Davis then produced a report from witness, made from Governors’ Island on September 20th, in which he condemned the canned roast Iteef, saying it produced disorders of the stomach. Colonel Prnvoii said he had made that report on an order from the Adjutant General’s office, and it was based on personal knowledge and reports from his company commands. Replying to another question he said he had disclosed to fellow officers either at Santiago or Aloninuk that the refriger ated beef tasted as though it had come in contact with chloroform or kerosene. This jvas noticeably true when boiled. For years he said he bad not personally used refrigerated beef upon his own table, because he felt it would nauseate him. In reply to a direct question of Col. Davis, the witness said lie had never entertained an idea tit Santiago or I}.-. tauk that the beef had boon tre chemically to preserve it. Colonel Albert T. Smith. Thirty infantry, who was with his regime Santiago, testified that the relrifit,., t , beef was good except on one day il was spoiled. He understood the beef had been lying in the sun on the dock. Colonel Smith said lie had reason to believe very little canned roast beef had been eaten except in soup. Investigation made in September showed that it had given practically no satisfaction in eith er soup or when eaten from the can. lb* bad no suspicions while using either the canned or refrigerated beef that if had been treated with chemicals. Lieutenant Colonel Charles D. Viele. of the lrirst cavalry, testified that the canned roast beef gave no satisfaction at all. lie saw a great deal of it thrown LEMS 111 wra CAROUMA DAILIES il NEWS MO dRCULATIION. overboard. Wliat refrigerated beef bis command received in Santiago seemed to be good. lie only remembered one issue which was tainted. He had no complaints as to it from the men. "Did you have any reason to suspect while you wen* at Santiago that the refrigerated Iteef had been treated with chemicals’:” asked Colonel Davis. “I had never heard of such a thing at the time,” was the reply, “and such an explanation did not occur to me.” "Did you eat any of the refrigerator meat yourself:” "Once —that was enough for me.” "Witness explained that the beef had a “close, musty smell, as though it had ' ecu shut up in a close room, “and it turned him against the meat so he took bacon in preference. Witness said the refrigerated beef at Santiago had a yellow appearance on the outside, that he had never noticed upon ‘lie refrigerated beef formerly furnished at Fort Riley, Kansas, where he was stationed. When he ate it at Santiago, he was inclined to nausea. Referring to he canned roast beef he said it seemed to be scraps and the men would not eat it. Captain .1. W. Duncan, of the Twenty- First infantry, said the canned mas beef did not give satisfaction, the men generally complaining, lie saw much of 1 it opened and it appeared coarse, uusen ; soned, tasted flat, was in long strips and the grease, “or whatever it was,” was in globules. Apparently it was proserv ed. All complaints brought to him, he said, I were that the beef was repugnant, un palatable. Referring to refrigerated beef, Captain ; Duncan said it was very satisfactory; he ate it. saw no difference between it : and beef used at stations in this country. ; and never susjiected its treatment with | chemicals. j Captain William N. Hughes, Thir i teenth infantry, testified that canned beef was first used after the landing at Santiago and complaints followed at once. He attempted personally, he said, to use it, but found it unpalatable; it <!i»l riot satisfy hunger and lie could not eat it. Sueli was the experience gener ally of the men. It was stringy and i without nutritive value. Captain William Ennis, Fourth artil lery, was with tin l Shatter expedition, and remained at Santiago until August 14th. He said the canned roast beef : was used on the transport and more or less throughout the stay of bis command in Cuba. None of the men complained , while there, but personally he had taken i it as a stew and was often nauseated. Since his return he said he inquired of the men as to its effect and complaints were made. Rrefrigerated beef was furnished after tlie surrender and was satisfactory. Everybody, lie said, liked it and he never suspected any use of chemicals. Since lie had reflected, lie was surprised that lie had been able to keep it twenty-four I hours after issue. “A great many, of the men would eat the canned roast beef and turn about quickly and vomit,” Captain j Ennis said, “and finally they refused to eat it at all.” A number of other witnesses were ex amined and their.evidence was similar to the foregoing. SCARE NEITHER AGE NOR SEN. An Order Secured by Otis (liven by a Filipinos Government Offical. Washington, Feb. 21. —’Flu* following despatch was received this afternoon from General Otis: “Manila. Feb. 21. “Adjutant General. Washington: “Following issued by an important officer of insurgent Govern ment at Males, February sth, lSifi), for execution during that evening and night in this city. (Signed.) “OTIS.” ! “First—You vill so dispose that at S ■ o’clock at night the individuals of the territorial militia at your order will be found united in all the streets of San Pedro, armed with their halos and re volvers or guns and ammunition if eon , venient. “Second —Philippine-families only will be respected. They should not be tno 'estod, but all other individuals of wliat ,er race they may lie will be exfcrnii jited without any compassion after the termination of the. army of occupn ; ./‘Third—The defenders of the Philip pines in your command will attack the guard at Bilihid and liberate the prison ers and ‘presidiaries,’ and having ac complished his they will be i nied, you saving to hen: ‘Brothers. >vt must avenge ourselves on the Americans and exterminate them that we may take our revenge for the infamy and treachery which they have committed upon us; have no compassion upon them: attack with vigor. All Filipinos en masse will second von: 'Long live Filipino inde pendence.’ “Fourth- The order which will he fol lowed in the attack will be as follows: The sharpshooters of Tondo and Santa RALEIGH, N. C., WEDNESDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 22 1899. Ana will begin the attack from without, and these shots will he the signal for the militia of Trozo, Rinondo. Quiato. and Sampaloc to go out into the street and do their duty; those of Pako, Erniita and Malate, Santa Cruz, and San Miguel will not start out until 12 o clock, unless they see that their companions need assistance. “Fisth —The militia of Tondo will start out at 3 o'clock in the morning; if all do their duty or revenge he complete. Brothers, Europe contemplates ns; we know how to die as men, shedding our blood in defense of the liberty of our country; death to the tyrants. “War without venter i > the false Americans who have deceived us. “Either independence or death." The portion of General Otis’ dispatch indicated by dashes the officials wore unable to decipher to ailYi'lit. MILLER CAN HOLD IIIS OWN. Native Forces Reported Disintegrating— Snail Force Driven Away. Washington, Feb. 21. —The War De partment lias received the following: “Manila, Feb. 21. “Adjutant General, Washington: “General Miller reports on the I'dth instant insifrgent forces few miles out from Iloilo believed to bo disintegrating. Can maintain his position with present force. Business in the city being resumed. He lias sent up four representative men. officials from capital of Island of Negros, where the American flag has been raised, and American protection is requested against a small insurgent force in the island. Affairs there and in Cebu are very encouraging. Shall endeavor to maintain and improve present promis ing conditions. Affairs Ire re are quiet. Small insurgent force east of the city driven away yesterday with considerable loss to enemy. (Signed.) “OTIS.” LITTLE RESISTANCE LIKELY. Washington, Felt. 21.—Owing to lack of punctuation and regard to economy in cable tolls, General Otis' bulletin is not very clear in some essential points, particularly the reference to the island of Negros. A careful study of the des patch on that point has convinced the officials here that General Otis means to say that four representative inhabi tants of the Islands <d' Negros have come to Manila, having been sent by General Miller to meet and confer with General Otis in regard to an extension of American occupation to that island. Negros is the fourth island in the Phil ippine group iu importance. It lies at the nearest point about U> miles from the island of Pan ay, and General Miller’s forces must have been in plain sight of Negros during the weeks preceding tie capture of Iloilo. Just to the east of Negros, separated by a very narrow strait, is the Island of Cebu, which it is also a part of General Otis’ purpose to occupy. From General Otis' despatch it is gathered that neither at that point nor at Negros is there likely to be substan tial resistance*. OUR WORD WAS PLEDGED. And Was Violated by General Otis, Says The IJong-Kong Junta. Hong Kong, Fed). 21.—The following statement has been issued by the* Fili pino Junta here: “Information which lias leaked through the Pinkertons sent by President Mc- Kinley to investigate the shipment of anus to the Filipinos shows that tin* first shipments to Agninablo were* made by order of the American Government through Consul Wildinan, hence the shipment per the Wing-Foo. The Ameri can Government subsequently telegraph ed to cease this, coincident! with the* hange* of policy of annexation. Mr. Wihlman and Rear Admiral Dewey promised to pay, hut have not yet paid "or a subsequent expedition by the Ab bey, authorized by Admiral Dewey, who afterwards seizes! the steamer and she* : s still held. Papers respecting this are now in tin* possession of the Secretary of the Navy. The protestations of Ad miral Dewey and other Americans that ;hey made no promise's an* ridiculous. 1 n view of these facts, let the Anieri •an people judge how the nation's word of honor was pledged to the* Filipinos and confided in by them and violated by the recent treachery of General Otis.” NO MORE CONCESSION’S. American Joint High Commissioners Will Give No Better Terms. Washington, Fob. 21.—Without any nurpose* to start a Hood of recriminations the American members of the joint high Canadian commission feel that they have not been to blame for the failure to reach an agreement, hut they are justi fied in the statement that they have made concession after concession. It is supposed that reasons of internal policy, founded on the belief that they would he in better position before the session of the Parliament just beginning if able to assert that they had refused to sacrifice Canadian interests have animated the Canadian members of the oinniissiou in thciT course. It is just possible that better results may attend i further conference of the joint body next summer, hut while the officials here regret exceedingly the failure so far to reach an agreement it is stated positively •hat the American side has made its last concession and the Canadians can not expect any better terms hereafter than they have now refused. OUR PUBLIC BFILLINGS. Washington, Feb. 21. —The Senate Committee oil Public Buildings and Grounds to-day made favorable reports on public buildings as follows: To provide for tin* erection of now buildings at Elizabeth City, N. C., s><V 000. Columbus, Ga., $50,000. Repairs were authorized on the build ing at Macon, Ga., at a cost of S'.iS.OOO. THE POSIOFFICE APPROPRIATION Senate Passes Bill, Defeating Butler’s Amendment. ALLEN AROUSES QUAY CHARGE* A PUBLIC BUILDING COMBINATION EXISTS. WHICH QUAY, WITH SOVIE FORCE, DENIES Warm Debate on the A-my Reorganization Bill. Judiciary Committee Reports on Mem bers in House Holdirg Com missions in Army. Washington, Feb. 21. —Formal discus sion of the Hull Hawley Army Reorgani zation Bill was begun by the Senate this afternoon. Mr. Hawley and Mr. Warren, (Reps.), supported the measure, and Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Cockrell, (Denis.), opposed it, while Air. Proctor, (Rep.), addressed the Senate in favor of some amendments which he had pro posed to the bill. A bill for the relief of certain Lynch burg. Va., tobacconists who had faded to pay their internal revenue taxes in time, was passed. The conference report on tin* Legisla tive. Executive and Judicial Ap'iropriu tion Bill was agreed to. Air. \liison reported from tae Finance Committee a House joint resolution amending the act of June 13ta, . *-4. by adding t*> it a provision that wheueve; any ho id or note shall be secured liy a mortgage or deed of trust, but one stamp shall be required, that being the highest rate required for either paper. The bill was passed. Air. Quay. (Pa.), chairman of the Public Buildings and Grounds Commit tee, presented a hatch of reports fa vorable to tie i recti on of public buihl ings in various parts of the country. These reports brought Air. A'.h n, (Neb.), to his feet with an inquiry as to why cer tain bills which had been bo'ote the committee for a year or more had not been act-d upon. He said: “This reporting of public building hills is like the expert shuffling of cards. The favored bills are placed on the calendar in the order in which the commit tee ic sires their passage. I make this distinct charge: That there lias been no meet ing of the Committee bn Public* Build ings and Grounds at which these bills wore authorized to he reported. If any meeting of the* committee lias been held it was a secret meeting. I make this stntement simply to call the attention of the Senate and the country to a matter and not because 1 expect any change in the methods of the committee.” Air. Allen proceeded to charge a public building combination existed, and that none but a favored few could gain consideration by the combination. “I want to say to the Senator.” replied Air. Quay, emphatically, “that his state ment that there is any combination is unwarranted and false*. It is not true in any sense.” A message was received from the House transmitting the hill passed by that body appropriating $20,000,000 to he paid to Spain in accordance with the terms of the Paris treaty. It was re ferred to the Committee on Appropria tions. The Post Office Appropriation Bill was laid before the Senate and its con sideration was resumed. Air. Butler. (N. C.t. resumed his speech of yesterday. At 2 o'clock the debate closed and the* voting began. Air. Butler’s amendment reducing the amount paid to railroads was defeated by a vote of 45 to 15. The hill was then passed. Air. Ilawley was then recognized tu speak on the Army Reorganization Bill, and as he proceeded was given very close attention. He said he did not see how anybody could have voted against taking up the bill, for it was evident to all that something must be done to strengthen the President’s arm. He thought there could he* no doubt that the Spanish Cortes would ratify the peace treaty within the next two or three days With Ibis proceeding concluded and the exchange completed, the* army neeessa rily must be reduced to its original di mensions of 27.0000, unless some law should be enacted. Even Air. Cockrell was willing to con cede a large* army. For this tin* country should he duly thankful, hut for him self he could not sanction the proposition jo create la iurcos of native* troops as proposed by tin* Cockrell hill. lit contended that the Filipinos were a revo lutionary people, and prophesied that a native force* would join Aguinaldo within forty-eight hours after its organization Hence he* predicted a grand and calami tous failure* of such an experiment. Air. Hawley wanted an army of Americans entirely. Ihe President could he trusted. “Are we,” he asked, "afraid of our army? It ,1S much under our control as the key of a piano, through appropriations.” Air. Mitchell, (Wis.), also a member of the* Military Committee, followed Air. Ilawley. He criticised the Hull Bill, saving that it was not. as claimed, a re organization bill, the only material change in the present system was in the artillery, lit* agreed that there should be a few more troops in this country, but I in providing for this increase he would confine it to “the United States proper l and not extend it to the United States improper.” This remark caused a burst of laughter on the'Democratic side of the chamber, and with it Air. Alitchell concluded his talk. Mr. Proctor, (Vt.), offered his amend ments proposed yesterday. lie said that, if the present hill became a law no proper reorganization of the army could Ik* expected for twenty-five years. Air. Cockrell, speaking in Opposition to the Ilull-llawley bill, agreed that reor ganization of the army was absolutely necessary. The necessity for a change had been distinctly shown. It was evi dent. lie said, that either the original force was deficient, or the officers were inefficient. Air. Cockrell declared that there was not sufficient time in the ten remaining days of this session to discuss, formulate and pass a perfect reorganization bill, and he added that no hill, such as had been proposed, should be passed. “We propose,” said ho, “ample provi sions for every emergency. / We will give the Executive every dollar and every man to sustain the Government that is necessary.” He then analyzed and ex plained his hill offered as a substitute for Ihe Hull-Hawley measure. In the course of this part of his argument, Air. Cockrell maintained that one brigade was amply sufficient for the needs of the United States in Cuba and that a greater force was a menace to the peace of the island. Discussing Mr. Hawley’s contention that the additional men provided for in the measure lie had reported were ne cessary, Air, Cockrell said: "\V e will give you every man and every officer that is necessary, but we are not willing at this short session to fasten upon the country a standing army of 100.000 men and to increase the expense of the people by millions of dollars. We are offering everything that is fair and just and right. We have no disposition or intention, to force an extra session o* Congress, and we say to you that everv hill that legitimately and of right ought to he a law can he passed at tins session We will give you every man von need bv the extension of the provisions of the present law for two years. That wil' meet every emergency likely f<7 arise end in the next Congress we can discus*- carefully and considerately a mensur*' for the proper reorganization of Un arm v.” Air. Cockrell at 4:20 p. m. yielded tie floor to Mr. Pritchard. (N. C.). and tin* Senate on his motion went into execn tivp session. At (5:02 p. m. the Senate adjourned. PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE. Washington, Feb. 21.—Tip* JJovjs reached the last page of the Naval Bill today and adjourned with a point o' order pending against a provision fixing the price of armor plate at $545 per ton The provision in the bill went out on a point of order on the ground that it was not limited to the armor to he pur based with the appropriation in the bill, whereupon it was modified to meet his objection, and against it the point of order pending an adjournment wa* raised. Much of the time today was occupied n debating the amendment offered by Hr. Afudii (Rep., Aid.) appropriating '72D.000 to complete the three build ngs authorized to he erected at th< Naval Academy at Annapolis. The Na val Committee with the exception o Mr. Cummings, strenuously opposed proceeding with the work of rehabili fating the Naval Academy until com srehensive plans had been decided upon hut the House over-ruled the committee mil adopted the amendment. 75 to 53. Two important provisions in tin* para graph providing for the construction of lew ships went out on points of order 1 >no provided that no more than two battleships, two armored and two pro looted cruisers should be built at any •ne yard, and the other provided that to hid for the construction of ship should lie entertained from any firm oi company which had not at the time of bidding an adequate plank Air. Henderson (Rep.. la.), Chairman ui the Committee on Judiciary, which nvest igated tin* right, of Genera) Wheeler, of Air. Robbins, of Pennsylvania; Air. Colson, of Kentucky: Air. Campbell, of Illinois, who held com missions in tin* army, and members who served on various civil commissions to continue to hold their seats in the House orinally presented the report of the •ommittee, which was in favor of the view that the four members who accept 'd military commissions thereby vacated heir seats in the House. The report went upon the calendar, and Alessrs. DeArmond (Deni.. AIo.) and Parker (Rep., N. .7.) were given leave to file a minority report in which they will con end that the same rule should govern members who accepted civil commis sions. Mr. Henderson did not give notice of lie time when lie would call up tin* re port, hut as it is n question of privilege, it can be called up at any .Lin* j The House a‘ 5-25 p. u. adjourned. COURT CONFIRMS THE SALE. Receiver Fries Files His Report of Sale of the C. F. and Y. V. R. R. Winston, N. ('.. Feb. 21.—(Special.)— Mr. J. W. Fries, receiver, has filed his report with the court in srssion here, in the ease entitled Congregation of United Brethren vs. North State Improvement Company. He says in December he sold to 11. Walters, of flu* Atlantic Coast Line Railroad all rolling stock be longing to the North State Company in Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railroad for $37,750. He asked the court for an order confirming the sale and for a declaration of a dividend of seventeen per cent to be paid upon the debts of the company. The order was granted by Judge Al len. The Salem commissioners met to-day and decided to accept the proposition from the Postoffice Department for free delivery, beginning July Ist. Jim Grow Car 61 Passed WENT THROUGH THE HOUSE ON SECOND READING. Then Stopped With a Bang, lor Somebody Got Afraid We Had Blundered--A Stiff Fight Over it. To the General Assembly: What the people are rubber-necking for these days is a separate car law. They art* looking to you to give it. Fail and the public will file its teeth for you and you will win sort* grief. Do not close your eyes and purr stretorously because some railroad fellow gives you a pipe dream about tin* bankruptcy that will follow in the wake of an extra car hung to the taiL-eml of his train, or tin* ruin that will come from running a partition through the middle of a caboose. Decidedly you must do this if you would live long in the land which the lord thy god of |Ktlifies has given thee. Do this not, and you are a gone fawn-skin. At last a separate car law has suc ceeded in worming its way through the House. Not clear through—only half way through. For it. only passed its second reading and then stopped with a hang. A goodly number wanted to complete the job, but others said no. So further consideration of the hill was postponed until to-day, or some other old time when tie* House can again screw its courage up sufficiently to tackle it. It took much beating about the brush to get it up yesterday—this separate ear hill—and then a hard light to pass it. The final majority was a comfor table one, but nothing to boast of. The trouble was not that anybody op posed the bill—everybody professed to he hungering and thirsting for just such i law. But how to get it was the ques tion. Every man, it did seem, had a separate plan, and a plan that nobody ■lse wanted to endorse. The Railroad committee had a bill. Air. McLean, of Harnett, had a bill. -Mr; Winston, of Berth*, Had a hill, and there were no end of amendments to each and every one of them. For two hours the fight raged. Some imes it was only a popping along the iring line, then there would be a general ■ngagement or a furious attack from one ride or the other. Finally the committee bill won and glided peacefully through on its second reading. It looked like the deed was to be con dim mated, hut it wasn’t. “Without obj etion the bill will be put upon its third and final reading,” said la* Speaker on announcing the result •f the vote. “Object,” said several voices. “I move a suspension of the rules,” juietly spoke Air. Winston. Alr. # Craig, of Buncombe, said lie had ibjeoted. He thought there was danger >f going too fast. He wanted more time. (Here everybody smiled, remembering hat he had had two months). He didn’t want to railroad a railroad measure like this through. Like the il lustrious Davy Crocket lie wanted to be sure he was right before he went ahead. The vote was taken. It stood 514 to 34. As it required two-thirds majority d suspend the rules the morion was lost and the bill went over until such time is the House may again see fit to take it up. The debate on the lull began a few minutes after 12 o’clock and lasted until 2:15. The first quarter of an hour was consumed in discussion caused by at tempts on the part of Mr. Winston, of Bertie, and Air. McLean, of Harnett, to Have their hills substituted for the com mittee bill, which was before the House. Failing in this they introduced their hills as amendments to the committee hill, and as such they were considered, voted on and duly Interred, as were also something like a score of amendments ot sorts and sizes. Those adopted were: By Winston: To compel conductors to separate the races in the cars even on roads that are exempt from operation of the law. By Robinson: To apply to steam-' boats as well as railroads. The discussion of the merits of the hill was opened by Judge Allen, who, is chairman of the Railroad committee, was in charge of the bill. He explained that it is a very different matter- saying that you are in favor of separate cars and sitting down to frame a bill that will’he just to all parties. In the West, for instance, lie said there was little negro travel, and the grades were steep. To require the small roads up there to put on extra ears, he thought would destroy the roads. “That is tin* reason we put in the pro viso excepting roads earning less than $1,500 per mile annually. And even this power is discretionary—with the Railroad Commission—for the roads in the east 'are ltonud to have separate ears.” Air. Julian, of Rowan, agreed with this view of the matter and hoped an amendment introduced by Air. Justice (to strike out all exemptions) would not pass. Air. AL L an, of Harnett, also opposed this amendment. lie could not favor putting onerous or unjust burdens on the railroads. “Wo are not here to make war on corporations. When the new Railroad j Commission is formed I hope it will con- j sist of the three best men in the State,,l PRICE FIVE CENTS. and I believe it will be wise to leave this matter to their discretion.” Mr. Craig wanted to know of Air. Allen what assurance he had that the $1,500 exemption would not let out the main line of the big roads. Air. Allen said he had investigated the matter and under this bill the Wil mington and Weldon, the Seaboard, the Southern, the Norfolk and Southern, the Atlantic and North Carolina and other roads xvill have to provide separate cars. It was made $1,500 instead of $2,000 in order to apply to the Atlantic | and North Carolina Railroad. Air. Leatherwood, of Swain, said he lived where the mountains are very rug ged and negroes are very scarce. “The railroads are doing all they can to give us good service and l think there ought to I* - discrimination lodged some where. To impose on them a burden of additional ears would not only mean an immense increase in expenses, hut would endanger the service.” In his county h said there were only between sixty and seventy negroes, and they always rode in the second-elkss ear. j Air. Patterson, of Caldwell, hoped the ' amendment would not prevail. Ho rep resented the narrow gauge road and no necessity for separate cars prevailed on i that line.” Air. IMoore, of Jackson, thought on ! the road through his county it would mean two trains instead of one—one for negroes and one for white people. They can’t pull extra cars.” Air. Ray—" And how often would there be a first-class negro passenger?” Air. Aloore—"About one a month, possibly six a ytar.” Air. Winston sent forward his bill as a substitute. To this Air. McLean, of Harnett, ob jected, saying that they wouldn’t allow him to send up his bill as a substitute and he didn’t see how the gentleman from Bertie could do so. Air. Winston —“You have not to-day offered your hill as a substitute.” Air. McLean —“Yes 1 have and if I’m out of order you are out of order.” The Speaker ruled that the committee bill was a substitute and no substitute cotlld he offered to a substitute-. Air. Justice speaking t«> his am ndment, said: “My observation of the R iroad Com niission is that it's not very - tie to leave anything to them. And my experience since I've been here Ini' n : tended to increase my estimate of the . *mini<**i»n. It is and lias li<*en a disgrace to the State. One da,\ they r<tc'«--,*h-*:ie ratis; the next day they re-core them. One crowd refuses to re . r e- an 1 the Governor puts in «*r r-*wd pledged to low rates; hu; -a tarn square around and refu* rates down. Thus they see--.i'\ V, n ) forth. There is not m i a e Hient, therefore, to put .< * -mg into their hands until they rent* * *->nie of tin* disgrace that attache** :o them by tii ii* imbecility or venality." Air. McLean—“The gentleman says he is opposed to putting anything in the hands of the Railroad Commission. Why not abolish the office then?” Air. Justice—“ That’s just what I'ui in favor of doing unless we can get a better Commission than we’v got now.” He pointed out that the roads that need protection by a separate car law are those that do not make the most money. The richest roads, lie argued, having plenty of ears and good accom modations. one need not he thrown hi direct contact with tin* colored passen ger, hut in tin* little stuffy car of the poor road there is no scape. "No road ought to be exempt if there are any negroes living along it. I bad occasion to go to Liucolnton last sum mer on the narrow gauge that the gentle man from Caldwell (Patterson) is ask ing to* be exempted. There were about a dozen white men and two dozen ne groes iu the ear. Os course there was nothing to do but make the best of the situation.” He argued that the expense of provid ing separate cars was not so great as tin* roads pretend. IL* thought all the roads could afford to comply with this law. Air. Justice's amendment was defeat ed, as was also one by Smith, of Craven, providing that white prisoners should not he taken into the negro car. It was at this point that Mr. Winston sent forward his bill as an amendment and Air. Nicholson, of Beaufort, sent tip Air. Ale Lean’s bill as an amendment. (Continued ou Second Page.) j
The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 22, 1899, edition 1
1
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