North Carolina Newspapers

Weather To-Day: FAIR ; COLDER. VMM.. ki,v NO. 14<>. W.th Rifles and Cannon FIRE BUGS OF MANILA TAUGHT A HOT LESSON* Several Sharp Skirmishes —The Monadnock Shells Insurgents—Quiet Follows a Tempest—Dark Threats. Manila, Fob. 23.-5:05 i>. m.—With daylight this morning the enemy com menced worrying tactics at various parts of the American line, apparently for the purpose of withdrawing attention from affairs inside the city. An attempt was made to rush through our extreme left, near Caloocan, but it, was promptly checked by a hot and ef fective musketry and artillery lire. In the meantime small bodies of the insur gents. evidently some of those engaged last night in the cowardly work at Tondo, spread out between the city and the out posts. Every available man was sent to drive them away, with the result that there was desultory tiring all the morn ing. From 8 to 10:30 a. m. the United States double-turreted monitor Monad nock joined in the engagement, hurling ton-inch shells over the American lines into bodies of the enemy as indicated by , the signal corps. So far our casualties are one man kill ed and ten men wounded. At 11 o’clock there were sharp engage ments at the Chinese cemetery and at San Pedro Maeati almost simultaneous ly, but the artiillery fire from both po sitions drove the enemy back. From the high towers of the city tires' can lie seen burning at a dozen different ]>oints out side. Some of these are probably due to the Monadnock’s shells. It is currently reported that the na tives have threatened to burn Escolata and the walled city tonight. Scones of rebels have been arrested in the Tondo district. A band of sixty rebels, having two carloads of arms and accoutrements, was captured in a house. Business is temporarily suspended. FIRES STILL BURNING. Manila, Feb. 23. —5:35 p. m.—Major General Otis today issued a general or der directing all the inhabitants of Ma nila until otherwise ordered to confine themselves to their homes after 7 o’clock in the evening, when the streets will be cleared by the police. The Gen eral also warns incendiaries and sus pects that, they will be severely dealt with if discovered in any locality. Extraordinary precautions have been taken for the suppression of further trouble which is threatened to take place in the <jity tonight. But it is generally believed that last night’s experience will effectively quell the disturbing element. Fire lias been burning all day in the Tondo district and has been clearing the residents out of many houses in the out skirts from which the enemy previously fired on the Americans. A cloud of smoke hangs over the city today, conveying the impression to peo ple about the bay and in the outside dis tricts that the whole city is burning. The rebels between the city and the outposts are being smoked out this af ternoon and driven toward the beach. Sharpshooters at various parts of the line are very annoying, but otherwise there has been no further excitement since the frustrations of the morning’s attack. Lieutenant Eugene S. French, of Com pany L, First Montana volunteers, and Private Oscar Felton, of Company C, South Dakota volunteers, were killed and two other Dakotans were wounded. TO BEG EUROPE’S SYMPATHY. London, Feb. 23.—The Filipino agents in London have received a cablegram from Agoncillo, the agent in America of Aguinaldo, saying the former is coining to Europe in order to endeavor to en list the sympathies of European Gov ernments. FIRED BY OUR SHELLS. Filipinos Claim the Flames at Iloilo Were Started Thus. Paris, Feb. 32.—Agents in this city of the Filipinos have received news from Iloilo saying that the outbreak there of tire was not the work of the natives, but was started by the Ameri can shells. When the attack commenced, the Filipinos add, the foreign residents were endeavoring to persuade General Lopez, the Filipino commander, to sub mil. as Iloilo was not fortified and was therefore not in a position to resist the American attack. The whole commercial quarter of Iloilo, it appears, was destroyed with four-fifths of the rest of the town. Finally the Filipinos say, the foreign residents subsequently met, protested against the bombardment and resolved to put in claims for damages. REINFORCEMENTS FOR OTIS. Washington, Feb. 23.—The War De partment has arranged to dispatch fur ther reinforcements to General Otis at Manila. The regiments selected are the Ninth infantry now at New York and the Sixth infantry at San Antonio, Texas. Both these regiments will go byway of San Francisco. It is expected that the transports taking them will be able to leave by March 15th. Solitude frequently surrounds the man who is alone with his thoughts. The News and Observer. LEADB 111 NORTH CAROLINA HUES II lEIS 111 CIRCULATION. EAGAN DECLARES BEEF GOOD. Colonel Western. General Eagan’s Suc cessor, Corroborates His Statement. Washington. Feb. 23.—The testimony of Colonel J. F. Weston, who was at the outbreak of the war Assistant Com missary General and who is now the successor of Commissary General Chas. P. Eagan, together with the appearance of General Eagan, was the feature of to day's proceedings of the court of in quiry investigating the charges of Gen oral Miles as to the beef supplied to tin* army in Cuba and Porto Rico. Each contended that the canned roast beef was a wholesome and nuitritious com ponent of the army ration which was furnished the Santiago and Porto Rican expeditions and took issue with the reg ular army officers who have criticized it. Regarding the refrigerated beef the tes timony of today tended to show that it was satisfactory. i General Eagan entered into circum stances attending the entry into con tracts with the beef concerns and will conclude his testimony tomorrow. SULTAN FORCED TO YIELD. France Gets No Coaling Station from His Highness of Muscat.. Bombay, Feb. 23.—Important details regarding the action of the British au thorities at Muscat, tlie capital of the Sultanate of Oman, have just become public. It appears that the news of the lease by the Sultan of Oman of a coal ing station to France on the const of Oman leaked out while the British po litical agent at Muscat, Major Hagan, was absent. He promptly returned to his post, but the Sultan refused to fur nish him with any information. The commander of the gunboat Sphuix there upon dispatched a lieutenant and armed party to the Bandar —Jiosili. But the Sultan, hoping to receive aid from the French, continued to be recalcitrant. The arrival of the second class cruiser Eclipse, flagship of the East Indies sta tion. with Rear Admiral E. Drum mond on board, threw tho Sultan's snle jeets into a panic, though the Sultan himself remained obdurate. During the morning of February Kith Admiral Drummond sent word ashore that unless the Sultan attended a durbar on board the Eclipse at 2 o'clock that afternoon lie would bombard the forts at 2:30 p. m. Notice of the Admiral’s intention was sent to the Foreign Consuls and tin* town was speedily in confusion. Tin advisers of the Sultan entreated him to submit, and the Eclipse took up a position broadside to the town, while the other British ships cleared for ac tion. The Sultan thereupon posted a notification tit the custom house ami on the gates of the town that the agree ment with the French was cancelled. At noon the Sultan sent his brother on board the Eclipse, but the British Admiral refused to receive him as a su bordinate. .lust before 2 o'clock the Sultan of Oman, almost unattended, arrived on board the flagship and remained there for three hours, while the whole popu lation lined tlie beach and anxiously awaited the outcome. The Sultan, it appears, ’ completely acquiesced to the British demands am! handed over to Admiral Drummond the treaty with France. On the following day the Admiral went to the palace, where a great durbar was held, and the Sultan publicly repudiated his agree ment with France. GOMEZ' TRIUMPHAL PROGRESS. Amid Cheering Crowds he Reaches M;i rfanao, and is Welcomed by Ix-c. Marianao. Province of Havana, Feb. 23.—General Maximo Gomez left Gnines at half past two this afternoon and is now at Marianao. This evening he is at a banquet tendered by the town—the la sit, except that, to bo given in Havana, of a long series of such entertain nr arts. The special train of five stopped be tween Guinea and Cienaga for a few minutes each at Palengune, San Felipe. Quivican, Bejiteal and Rincon, arriving at Ci naga at half past four. The peo ple had assembled at each of these points to cheer tin- Cuban Commumler-in-Chief, while the bands played Cuban airs. General Gomez shook hands with many persons tit each station. Mayor LaCoste, of Havana, Senor Federico Mora, the civil Governor of the city, and the members of the Havana council, accompanied Gomez from Gnines to Marianao. At Cienaga, about three miles from Havana, a | crowd of 2,000 persons collected, some on foot, others in private earring s while all the trains from Havana were jammed. These people cheered vocifer ously. As the train drew into the sta lion General Gomez appeared u|w>n the platform. Stops were made nt Puentes Grandes and Buena Vista. At the lat ter point Major General Lee went upon the platform and welcomed General Gomez informally in m few hearty wards. The train stopped next at Quern ados, where crowds of A men can soldiers had gathered and finally reached - Marianao where a tumultuous welcome j awaited General Gomez. RALEIUH, N.C., FRIDAY MORNINf*. FEBRUARY 24 1*99. HALF THE TOWN IN ASHES. Fire Arms, Cartridges and Oil in the Houses Exploded Continuously. Waggoner, 1. T. Feb. 23.—A ■ fire which started at Muscogee, 1. T„ at 9:30 last night destroyed almost one-half of that town entailing a loss aggregating nearly $500,000. The fire began in a negro shanty near the court house. It destroyed the greater portion of the business district and many private resi dences. There was no loss of life or serious casualties. Th. presence in many buildings of loaded fire arms, cartridges, oils, etc., and their continuous explosion interfered with the work of extinguishing the fire and endangered life. About forty per cent of tin- loss is covered by insurance. ARMY REORGANIZATION BILL. Adjustment of the Differences in the Senate Now Likely. Washington, Feb. 23.—That there is to be an adjustment of the differences o - . tin* Army Reorganization Bill in the Sen ate- is the general understanding among Senators tonight. The Democratic Senators have contended for little more than the fixing of a time limit for the continuance of the existence of the en larged army, being willing, as they say, to give the Administration all the men and till tin- money necessary to its pur pose for the present. Accordingly the time for the. continuance of the increase has been fixed at July Ist, 1:101. There is a mutual understanding that the new army shall not evened 07.000 men, as provided in the Cockrell bill and that the staff provisions of the llull- Ilawley bill shall be retained in substan tially the same form as reported from the Military Committee. Os the troops authorized 35.000 are to be raised sub ject to the discretion of the President, and may he natives of the new posses sions or otherwise as he may determine. The Committee on Military Affairs has been called to meet tomorrow and tin presumption is that tilt- new bill will receive attention at this meeting. The programme is to continue the truce to morrow and not to attempt to take up the army bill in the Senate before Saturday. It is hoped that the new measure may then be reported and pass ed—not without explanation and de bate, but after only reasonable delay. The present understanding is that the bill shall be a new measure, not a sub stitute for the Hull bill. To make it a substitute would leave the matter open to a conference committee, and the Democrats are not willing to take their chances in a conference, lienee after the bill shall have passed the Senate it will have to go to the House and Ik? acted upon as if no army bill had pass ed that body. THE R. P. AND C. ROAD. Richmond. Va., Feb. 2-“..—The Rich mond. Petersburg and Carolina Rail road people today closed some $200,000 of the options they had on property for right of way and depot site in this city. Mr. Dewitt Smith, President of tin* company, left for New York tonight. He sahl today that as soon us the Rich mond franchise was secured work on the road would be commenced at these points and it would be completed in seven months. As before stilted, there is talk of the Chesapeake and Ohio uniting with the R. P. and C. in building via ducts and a depot, and it is now said that the Norfolk and Western may also come into the union depot scheme, run ning into Richmond over the tracks of the new road. D’ALMENAS WON’T FIGHT. But Will Continue to Shoot Off His Lip Against the Generals. Madrid. Feb. 23. —In the Cortes today the debate on the conduct of the war with tin- United States was continued, but little interest was developed in either chamber. (’'omit D’Almenas declines to accept the challenge to a duel sent him by General Linares, whom he had charged with cowardice in connection with the capitulation of Santiago. lie declares that lit* will not yield to intimidation, but will continue the campaign against the generals in the Senate, where he will read a violently provocative letter he lias received from General Linares. General Pando intends to speak against peace with the United States and will then resign his Souatorship. KILLED BY THE FREIGHT. Colored Man llitnjivi-r on the Southern Near Wfflon's Mills. Selma, N. ('.. Feb. 23.—(Special.)—.Toe Rodgers, colored, of Wilson’s Mills, was struck and instantly killed by a freight on the Southern road about 11:30 o'clock yesterday morning. The seem- of the fatal accident was about three miles this side of Wilson’s Mills, near the railroad bridge over Neuse River. At this point the road makes it sharp curve. It is believed that Rodgers was caught by the engine here when too much under the influence of liquor to Ik* master of his actions. A broken bottle of whiskey was found in his pocket when the body was taken up later. KIPLING MUCH THE SAME. N-ftw York, Fib. 23.—The following bulletin was issued at 10:30 o’clock to night bv the physicians attending Itud yard Kipling: “Mr. Kipling has had a fairly com fortable day, although in the late after noon and early evening, as usually hap pens, the symptoms have become about as they wen* last evening, but not worse.” When questioned as to whether both lungs an* now affected Dr. Ham-way said tlie disease was only in its fourth day and intimated that any positive diagnosis at this time was impossible. ROW ROYAL DYER ARMOR HLA T E The Naval Appropriation Bill Passes the House. PRICE ON ARMOR PLATE BOFTELLE AND IIOPKINS HAVE A WORDY DUEL. All over the price of armor plate Gocd Progress Was Made in the Senate on Riv er and Harbor Bill, 88 Pages Having Been Completed When it Was Laid Aside. Washington, Feb. 23 The House, af ter declining to consider the case of Brown vs. Swanson, went into commit tee of the whole and resumed the con sideration of the Naval Appropriation Bill, the pending question being on the point of oruer raised against the amend ment offered by Mr. Underwood,( Dem., Ala.), to appropriate $4,000,000 for the construction of an armor plate plant at such place as a board of naval officers might select. Mr. Boutelle continued his defense of the recommendation of the committee to increase the maximum price of armor to $545. Tests had demonstrated, he said, that the Ivrupp armor of 25 per cent less weight than llarveyized armor had equal resisting power. Mr. Sherman, (Rep., N. Yd. who was in tin* chair, sustained tin* [mint of order against the Underwood amendment. The question then recurred upon Mr. Boutell’s amendment fixing the price of armor at $545 per ton. Owing to its resisting power, Mr. Boutelle contended that the cost of Krupp armor for like protection would le slightly less than that of llarveyized armor at S4OO per ton. Mr. Hopkins, (Rep., Ills.), moved to amend the Boutett nu-ndment so as to fix the price of armor plate at $445 per toil. The royalty on Krupp armor, he said, was $45 per ton, and he had searched in vain for evidence to show that the manufacture of Krupp armor was more expensive than llarveyized armor. There had been no independent investigation. There was no recommendation save from a subordinate official of the Navy I lepartment. “That is not true.” interrupted Mr. Boutelle, flourishing aloft a haudfull of documents. "I have here the evidence which the House refuses to hear.” Mr. Hopkins declared that he had been informed upon reputable authority that the proposition in the bill was an attempt to “bunco” the Government. This statement aroused the indignation of Mr. Boutelle and Mr. Dalzell ,(Rep.. Pa.) “Give the name of your authority,” said Mr. Dalzell. “He won’t” shouted Mr. Boutelle. “I challenge him to name a single man who ever made such a statement.” “Tlie gentlemen would not permit the member from Maine to black his boot,” retorted Mr. Hopkins, turning indignant ly on his antagonist At this point the gavel took Mr. Hop kins off the floor, and Mr. Rixey, (Dem.. Va.), a member of the Naval Committee, in a five minute speech opposed the committee’s proposition which he said would increase the cost of armor for a single ship $440,000. Mr. Burke, (Dem., Tex.), siad it was humiliating to hear a member of the Naval Committee admit that the Gov ernment was absolutely at the mercy of the armor manufacturers. Mr. Walker, (Rep.. Mass.), offered an amendment to Mr. Hopkins’ amendment providing that the Government should not pay more for armor plate than any foreign Government paid. The amend ment was adoptee —112 to 48. The Hopkins amendment to the amend ment was carried 102 to 78, and as amended (fixing the price of armor at $445), the amendment was adopted with out division. Mr. Boutelle gave notice ho would de mand it separate vote in the House. Mr. Moody, (Rep., Mass.), then creat ed something of a furor by offering at the end of the bill a copy of the Senate bill to create the rank of Admiral of the Navy. Uproarious applause greeted the reading of the amendment. The Naval Committee had amended this bill so as to create the rank of A iee-Admiral its well as Admiral. Mr. Boutelle at first reserved it [mint against the amendment, but turning suddenly upon Mr- Moody, declared he would withdraw the point in deference to what appeared to be the general de mand of the House, if the amendment could be voted upon without debate. “We will vote without it word.” said Mr. Moody. “Vote!” "Vote!” went up in chorus from nil sides of the House. The question on the amendment was 1 nt. ami it was carried with a rousing cheer. When tin- nays were called for there wits the silence of the grave. The bill was then reported to the House. Separate votes were demanded by Mr. Boutelle upon the Naval Academy and armor plate amendments, both of which were carried, the former bv 80 to 70. and the latter by 130 to 58. Mr. Boutelle then moved to recom mit the bill with instructions to restore the price of armor [date to $545 per ton as originallv recommended by the committee. The motion was voted down 70 to 155. The bill was then passed. Mr. Hull, chairman of the Military Committee, gave notice that he would call up the Army Appropriation Bill j to-morrow. The Senate amendments to | ihe Military Academy Bill were adopted. I ; This bill now goes to the President. The Senate Bill to permit volunteer regi ments of the Spanish war to retain their colors was passed. At 5:30 p. m., the House adjourned. PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE. Washington, Feb. 23. —During tin* en tire session to-da.v, until (i o’clock, the Senate bad under consideration the j River and Harbor Bill. Good progress j was made. 58 pages having been dis posed of, with the exception of one j amendment. The bill’s consideration will be resumed to-morrow at 11 o’clock. Shortly after the opening of the session Mr. Faulkner, (W. Va.), presented the protest of John T. McCraw against the seating of N. B. Scott, elected a Senator from West Virginia. It was ordered to lie on the table. A bill reported from the Committee on Militav Affairs permitting volunteer reg iments to retain their colors and to de posit them in the State capitals was passed. At 5:45 p. m. the River and Harbor Bill was laid aside, 58 pages having been completed. A bill granting to the Denison, Bon ham and Gulf Railway Company all rights, privileges - and franchises hereto fore granted to the Denison, Bonham and New Orleans Railroad Company, was passed: also a bill authorizing the Georgia Pine Railway Company of Geor gia to construct a bridge across the Flint River in Decatur county, Georgia. On motion of Mr. Carter the Senate at 5:50 went into executive session. After a brief executive session the reading of the Alaska code bill was re sumed in open session, an agreement be ing reached that no other business should be transacted to-night. Upon completing the reading of the bill, the Senate at 7:35 adjourned. CIIAR LOTTE CITIZ EN S H ERE. Over 100 Delegates for Dispensary—A Small Delegation of Antis. Two delegations arrived from Char lotte yesterday to be present at the hearing of the Mecklenburg dispensary, i to he established at Charlotte, which came up before tlie Senate committee yesterday afternoon. The antis .rriveu first by the Southern railway. There were only fourteen of these. At 12:30 the dispensary delegation arrived via the Seaboard Air Line. These came ■ one hundred strong and wore blue ! badges, with the inscription declaring for the dispensary. It was a fine body of men, among them the most prominent j citizens of the Queen City of the State. They attracted a great deal of attention as they marched in a body from the Fnioii depot up Martin, thence up Fay etteville street to the eapitol. They marched two by two and the line in length reached from the Citizens Nat ional Bank to King’s drug store. They wore present at the meeting of the committee yesterday and manifested their gr.ut interest in the question tin der consideration. j In addition to the delegations which j arrived here yesterday there were al ready a large number of citizens from Charlotte her; who had preceded them the day before. It was a warm time before the committee. DISPENSARY DELEGATES. The following composed the delega tion in favor of the dispensary: Judge Burwell. C. W. Tillett. Capt. Bason. Dr. .T. W. Faison, Maj. Harris, J. Sol Reid, C. W. Caldwell. N. M. Lawrence, S. IV. Reid. J. J. Blakley, C. L. Abernethy. Rev. J. T. Allison, E. H. Brockenhorongh, W. S. Alexander, I>. F. Summey, J. M. Simms, J. W. Dur ham. \\\ M. Amh-rson. Vinton Lyddell, J. 11. 1 lorn. J. 11. Ross. J. A. Helvin, <i. P. MoKoy, Rev. A. C. Barren. .T. C. Herring, C. Gresham, Walter Brent, George Stevens, Dr. Pressley, Rev. .T. R. Howerton. C. M. Carson. Capt. 11. E. Cochran, A. G. Brenizer. ,T. C. Bur rough. R. C. Corsen, A. Graham, W. F. Dowd. W. C. Dowd, Rev. Dr. Critz j burg, C. P. Wheeler, Wm. Barringer, Rev. D. M. Alston, Mr. Freeland. Allen i Craig. J. W. Sheppard, Rev. G. A.Page. I Hugh W. Harris, F. C. Abbott, Frank : Mahan, J. C. MeNeelv, Rev. J. F. Butt, C. W. Johnson, J. S. Withers, M. E. Crowell. Capt. 11. M. Dickson. Alger Reece. M. P. Pegram, .Tr„ John j A. Berryhill, Tom Stuart, W. O. Rerrv i hill, W. J. M. Finger. It. M. .Miller. Sr., A. F. Most(*lla, F. M. Shannetihouse, J. B. Hawkins, .T. L. Davis. H. W. Wil son. C. 11. Dudley, J. J. Ezzcll. Dr. j W. J. Martin, Jr., Rev. A. T. Graham, • J. L. Sloan. J. B. Boyd, .T. L. Choate, i John W. Moore, A. L. Butt, D. M. Me* ! Ivor, Rev. L. 11. Pruitt. Rev. S. F. Conrad, A. Rtirwell, Jr., X. S. Alexan der. 'J'. A. Sykes, J. W. Cross, P. A. Thomas, dames Sledge. E. M. Andrews, M. F. Kirby. W. X. Mullen. J. M. Davis. Dr. Kirby, J. Y. Oilers, John Farrier, Rev. J. A. Baldwin. I). S. Yates, j The following is the delegation in op j position to the dispensary: J. M. Trott. W. S. Shaffer. J. U. Tray wick, (’. M. ( "its we 11. It. A. I>tili cit n. S. W. Petters, B. J. Swinson, J. I). Ross. J. S. Bigsbee. J. A. Ryan. J. A. Ryan, J. M. Jones, .1. M. Woodside. W. 11. Hoover, R L. Lucas. FALSE DATES ON BEEF CANS. I Bueyrns. Ohio, Feb. 22.—Adjutant Scbaber of the Eighth Ohio volunteer regiment, who, during the Spanish war, handled large quantities of the canned beef provided for the soldiers, says that ! all the cans bore labels with the figures 1808 printed on them. By soaking the i cans these labels could be pulled off, showing an original wrapper with tln flate 1888 or some other equally ancient period marked on them. It’s difficult for men to check their J expenses, unless they have a bank bal ance. I Tax On The Rai’roads A HOT FIGHT IN THE HOUSE ON THE QUESTION. Consumed an Hour Yesterday and Will be Resumed To-day—A Privilege Tax on All Dispensaries. To tax railroads on their gross earnings or not to rax them was the question in the House yesterday. Anda wide difference on this question paused the consideration of tin* Revenue Act by the House to end up in what bids fair to lx* a memorable tight over the 4 ncation of taxing the gross earnings of railroads. This is- provided for in sections 59, 00, 101 and 02. These sections tin* House had adopted without opiiosition and had skimmed blithely along to the end of the chapter. This reached, Mr. Julian, of Rowan, said he was absent when these sections were adopted and he moved to reconsider the vote by which they passed. » The motion to reconsider prevailing, he sent up an amendment striking out these sections. Speaking to this amendment, Mr. Ju lian said the proposition to tax the gross earnings of railroads was unwise and unjust. "We don’t want to cripple these cor porations. They have come here and de veloped the State and I’m opposed to coming here now and trying to tax them out of existence.” Mr. Thompson, of Onslow —“We’ve taxed all other corporations, why not the railroads? What is there about them tl|ut we should make an exception in their ease? Why shall they enjoy spe cial privileges not accorded to others?” Mr. Julian—“ Have you exempted rail roads from an ad valorem tax?” Mr. Thompson—“ No. Now a question to you. Have you voted to exempt other corporations from a tax on their gross earnings, as you would have us do in the ease of railroads?” Mr. Julian —“No.” Mr. Thompson—“ You put a tax like this on toll gates, bridges, insurance companies and the.like. Why except rail roads?” Mr. Petree (Rep..) of Stokes, thought the tax an unjust one. Like Mr. Julian he thought we were under great obliga tions to the railroads for developing the State. “No tax except an ad valorem tax is just,” he announced. Mr. Willard, of New Hanover, couldn’t see why railroads shouldn’t be made to IIS4) MR. C. M. THOMPSON. Who Redeemed the County of Davidson. pay a tax on their gross earnings. It was, he argued, simply a franchise tax and the franchise was given by the State and was in its very nature monopolistic. “These corporations/ have the most valuable of all franchises, and they ought to be compelled to pay a license tax on them. All other corporations and quasi corporations do so. and are taxed in this very bill. Why an ex ception should la* made of railroads I can’t, imagine. “The committee heard all sides on this question. It considered the argument carefully ami 1 have no doubt its report will be upheld.” Mr. Petree —“How much revenue will In? raised by this tax?” Mr. Willard —“Between $60,000 and $75,000.” Mr. Julian —“Don’t you know it will raise over $100,000?” Mr. Willard —"1 know it will not.” Mr. Carroll, of Alamance, said lit* would be the last man in the world to vote for anything looking toward a war on corporations. He wanted to do equal and exact justice by all men and all interests. | “But we make toll gates and bridges and banks and merchants and insurance? companies and all other corjiorations pay this tax and I don’t see why the railroad companies shouldn’t pay it, too.” Nobody undertook to crack tllls nut. Mr. Allen, of Wayne, argued that the Supreme Court of North Carolina had weeided that a railroad’s franchise was a part of its property, and in taxing the road the franchise could he levied on as much as any other species of its be longings. “Now the Railroad Commission has front year to year been fixing the valua tion of these roads. If this valuation is too low, let the commission increase it. That is the correct way to act about it. I’m not in favor of this method of in- 1 THIRD EDITION) PRIOR FIVE CENTS creasing the railroad taxes.” Mr. Julian—“ Judge Allen is right. The railroads are willing to bear their just proportion of the taxes and they are willing to have the valuation of their property increased by the Commission.” Mr. Thompson, of Onslow—“There were now thirteen States in the Union that have adopted this system- of tax ing railroads. They are for the most part, too, the shrewd, business-like New England States. It cannot, therefore, he charged that this is a Populistic idea. All the States that have tric'd it have found it not only a satisfactory but a proper method of taxation. Vermont raises nearly all her taxes for State pur poses on railroads: and Illinois has a tax of 7 per cent on gross earnings oe railroads.” Mr. Julian —“That State lias many more railroads than we have. They are a nuisance there. Does the gentle man want to tax the railroads of this State as a nuisance and run them out of the State? I'm opposed to this tax from principle.” Mr. Thompson—“ Yes, and I’m in fa vor of it from principle—and not for policy. I’m willing for these railroads to come here, but I want them to hear their just proportion of the burdens ns well as enjoy the privileges.” Mr. Gattis, of Orange—“l. roo, want this thing done fair, and I’d like to ask the gentleman from Onslow why he doesn't tax insurance companies as he does railroad companies?” Mr. Thompson—“We have done so.” Mr. Gattis—“Then that’s treating all fair. But still I’m opposed to this tax, because railroads have property here to tax and insurance companies have not.” Mr. Willard—“ The company 1 rep resent owns $165,000 worth of property in this State: the company here in Ral eigh owns $128,000 of property; one at Tarboro owns SIOO,OOO and several oth ers in the State own as much.” Mr. Connor—“lsn’t this a new princi ple in taxation?” Mr. Thompson—“ May be new in North Carolina, but it’s old elsewhere.” Mr. Connor inquired if it was not the policy in North Carolina to reduce rail road rates. He had so understood, and now this proposition to tax the gross &L / I MR. G. M FLEMING. Representative From the Stalwart Little County of Clay. earnings looked like taking off at both ends. Nobody called the Judge’s attention to the fact that if its rates were reduced the gross earnings would be cut down and thereby the road’s taxes reduced, and so he continued: “If rates are not reduced the people will lose in that way what they save in taxes. It looks to me like we tire going in at one hole and out at another and never getting : nywhere. It is sue.- ply a nest ion of which pocket you’ll take the money out of.” Mr. Thompson suggested that the same principle applied to every tax; and later in the argument Mr. Hart sell, of Cabarrus, said this was exactly the principle of tariff taxation. To this Judge? Connor replied that he was a free trader. Certainly he was opposed to new ideas in taxation, lie said; and what concerned him in this question was how the people were to he benefit ted. As for this tax b ing a new idea in taxation, Mr. Willard said a large number of States had adopted it. 11c read the list. Judge Connor inquired if these States had Railroad Commissions like North Carolina to fix rates and place a tax valuation on railroad property. Mr, Willard said most of them had. In Wisconsin there is just such it coin mission, he said, and then the Itax on gross earnings is 4 per cent. The committee had fully investigated the question: they had found that the railroads were amply able to pay this tax, Mr. IVillard said, and hence they had levied it. “We adopted the pet- centum tax lo calise we thought it more equitably than it ’lump sum.’ Some States have a graduated privilege tax. In Tennessee, for instance, this is $15,000 down. And there is hardly a State In the Union, (Continued on Second Page.)