North Carolina Newspapers

t if. VOL. XVIII. RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, APRIL 5.1900. NO. 18. CAUCASIAN .1 IMS B LU 1 Manhood Suffrage in North Carolina and the osed Constitutional Amendment. Propi I GRANDFATHER UK OF I PROPOSED AMENDMENT II: CLEARLY IWIIII! Tie Quotes Abundant und Conclusive Legal Authority to Show That Sec tion Is Not Only Unoonntltutlonal, Hut That It Will Fall, heaving The Remainder of the Amendment to Stand. lie Discuses Judge Brown's Proposed Amendment and Shows That the Court Would Unquestion ably Ignore any Attempt of the Lejr, Inlrtturo tolu trtiut tt How to De cide ThU or any Other Question. He Brnods the Charge of Negro Domina tion ni a Slander on the State.--('tier Features of the Amendment Dis cussed. Ho Snys That the Proposed Amendment Is Not Only Unconstitu tional and Dangeroui to i he Liber ties of Fifty Thousand White Men In North Carolina, Hut That It Is Dishonest In Us Msthod and Puts the South In a Fale Position. Continued from last wet-'.) THE CIIAR3K OF NEGRO NOMINA TIONA P-ASB SLANDER. "Mr. President. I have said all that I o-tlginally intended to say in discussing the" resolution offered by my colleague and the prepared amendment, but th. charge that has been made in this chamber, indirectly, if not directly, that there has been negro domination in North Carolina and that it is threatened with more of it if this pro posed amendment Is not adopted makes it nce?8iry for me to say tforuoth'.Mg further. No 'better answer is needed in reply to this unfounded and false charge than to call attention to the fact, which is a fact and which nobody will iirntr. that tho ooli'ticians in North Carolina who have forced before the people this proposed amendment and who are toduy supporting it pledged the people on every s-.tu.mp in my State from mountains to sea in the last cam paign that If they were put In power, they would not favor, support, cr pro pose amy sufTr.ige scheme that would disfranchise anybody, while or black. I can prove out of the mouths of the men who are now supporting this amendment, by declarations and pWl ges officially made on the stump and In interview, that the charge that there Is or has been negro domination In North Carolina is unfounded and Tabs and a base slander on the State. If there was any negro domination in North Carolina, why was it neces rary for tnese Democratic politicians to pledge the people, in crner u get enough votes to ele ' t -'- that they were In favcr of manhood suffrage and opposed to any disfranchisement of Anybody? If there had been any ne gro domination which neither the people of my State or of any other State, North or South, will permit theo he papular thing to have done to secure votes would have been the promise to the people to devise some scheme 'to limit suffrage as eoon a? they got in power. Did they do tnat: No. But. on the other hand, they pledged the people that they would not disfranchise a single voter in the Stalte. white or black. But the Sr.ator from Mississippi, speaking on thin resolution, and with an apparent effort to thow that there was negro domination v-.-:. Caro i Jina, putt into the Record some master Vlrom a political document to show that "HJiertJ 11 a 5 'i.Tni iriciiuj '.aegroe-s eiecteu ro he majority o tbe people from repu- I llatlnir at. t:he noil the raritv oreaniza- ion chat forced irpon 'them such, an rJiouB machin? system. In the campaign of 1891 the levolt in tho Democratic party against this machine county governing system and against the cpcji and ncato,',-"- '"' methods was so large that in spite of 1 3 election law under which at least 30,000 votta were stolen, suppressed, or falsely cour.if.ed, a majority of 20,000 was piled up against tfca Democratic party as a repudiation of the michine county government system and the fraudukr.it election methods. The Is sue In that campailgn were honest elections and local self-government. The majority of the legislature elect ed was? composed cf Republicans and Pnpulkt, who were elected on their nledge that ithey would eutablish a Kysern of county local self-government. It wa well known to the peo ple when they voted that as long as that i.trange and anomalous decision of the court to which I have referred should stand that under local welf-gov-ernmemt there would necessarily be lf.ss nezroes elected to minor positions in some of 'the twelve e.ist '.m fimintips: 'but there was at the same I .imu strong hope that 'the Supreme ! Court would! reverse that troublesome and, I might say, what seemed to be an unnecessary and an uncalled-for de cision. It was net, however, until 1S97 that the supreme court reversed the coun ty jrovernmenit decision ar-' held that lcglsla tktw, a numoer ct minor positions In i.viv state, ana luco iraii 3 me wi )'sjifor the chief part of his TU rlldefnse of the State, and iu order that " tfca cnatn and the country may know that false . IT ' If I Lowt1' 8taemut to hTanA LUUr"- THE FACTS. ulK f. i Thp nsro Dooulaticn of L rnn'Mvn. ro,m'nrisM les than North Car- one-third of t.cX'hYthe whole population and less than VrW4oo-tb,ird of the voting population. er vrnere are ouij a iuoc in which the negro population is in a ot!h iVaioritiv. while in the remaining 8 A 1 iV-ounties the white populatkm is in an e-stclielming majorny. luiuhliiiiv i (.number or years ago me ouue COUU, m uecisiuu, mm fhw Biate constitution tne iegi&- lattire could net give to the 83 white courltiea local seir-governmenu wime rr.? i ..M.ti Via t. n-ffro csTinties unoer a i H8 kjruw.ii. "u" r-- tion Vdifferen't system. Iook4 In short, they fcsld that the consti nd luMon required a uniform system of ThA Mmtv evernment. Under that de- s.Jn clslcra the legislature forced upon tho r s; r.-nrtie,3 the same Kina vi i 1 Vt l'JVOI to me tereot t 4 iue exfft. 1 s.0 lnd if t grace a 4 I Do jti f 1 that all I County V be lor: 4 IF HO in count1 government system that it Tnd bert to them to adopt in th 12 negro counties. Thus the people in the 85 white counties were robbed of tlw Tight and power tx elect tbeir county governing officers, but instead were .forced to submit to their county onrtniTi officers being elected dlreet- w or Indirectly by the legislature. This, of course, proved to very vn wiiTviitar tn the 85 counties. For many years1, rt every Democratic taut cor'voEtlcn. tlure was a contest over county gcvertment, the represen tatives frcm the 85 counties insisting hfv fhiould oe aiiowea xo eieti on leers aiwi .that County better p than in V County, lihelr -ounty governing o 3mfu awai'.tijus have dirert r-ri'.--' f i 3 Tlnf If ho at f -ill te tr,polltrcal mach 7 J I lipower of dicta I . I 'ha tf) 1 State central chine, which enjoyed the atlng and controllmg tae' ffalt.i f everv county by butlldlng up . w arwa - v - - whaftllocal and subordinate macnines at tne least warioua county tei'ts to receive orders there tend do the bidding cf the Sta te ma in A'jVhln-e. hid. hiowever, up to 1894, been SUttable to force the counties of th'e State to submit to tnat oaious ana unaemo cratilc system. But eaich year that sys tem had grown more ani more un popular, to such an extent th.it it be cam necessary rear by year to provide new nvetbDd for 'MHotJbox stuffiing, tnoulaiUn?. and the compiling of frauJtileii't returns. In order to keep! ;t was ccnE'Mtuti'cmai tor . tne ture to provide one system of county government for one county and another system :for another county. Thils de cision was so jus-t and so in accord ance wi'tCi the constitution that no law yer of any party in th? Sta te has ever i criticised the coin,t for rendering it or even questioned that it was acmling to tbe censtitutlon. Now, this decis ion having been rendered, the way wjv Derfectly clear for the 85 counties tc have tieir local self-government and fur the legislature to provide a differ ent system for tha 12 black counties by which no negro would ever be put in a .position of power or authority over white people. Now, It is true that until this de cision Ktomift ciegroes were elected t? minor position's in thes eastern coun ties, as everybody knew there woulf be un'til the decision cf the court could be reversed, but not in a single one of these counties were the negroes in con trol; in not a single one were they in any position df power to dominate or dictate. Indeed, the legislature that adopted this local self-government iTheme, while un?"ole to prevent the election of any colored man to any place, yet did devise a scheme which was constitutional that made It im-n-osble for the county legislative board, known as county commissioners. In any couaty to ever be controlled by colored mica; and tobe fa'ct is that county or town or townMp lias ever had or could have a majority cf ne groes on any controlling beard or com mlttee. iNow, that is the "nei?ro domi nation" that certain politicians have attempted to advertise to tbe -woiid under false and lurid coloring. But even that imperfection in the new sys'tiem of local self-government haa 1een removed, and who removed it? An undemocratic decision by a Democratic coawt ma.de it necessairy. I will not question the motives of the court tin rendering the decision and in refusing to reverse It, but I will say that it was not necessary under the constitution to render snch a decision, and that it resulted tin building up a State political maohine to control county affaiirs that was so undemo cratic amid odicin that the people elected a legislature pledged to repeal it and nt the same time defeat the Demo cratic supreme court for re-election and elected a nonpartisan supreme court This new siipreme court at the first op portunity reversed the old county government decision, and in doifltg so it has had iihe approval of the people of !the iState, and has not been criti cised by a single lawyer, as far as I know; ncr has anyone ever suggested that the decision, was Dot in accord ance with the constitution. What 'has "been the result? The peo ple got the siystem of local self-government that they wanted, and the sup preme court, by its decision, has re moved the only defect to the system bv reversing a former decision of the same cotirt. The only trouble there has ever been under the system was that bettweea the time when the legis latUTe adopted it and tl" time when the decision of titoe court referred to was rendered. Burins this short period there were, necessarily tome negroes elected to some minor places in a few of the negro ce-urtfres, as everybody knew there would bs. But that condi tion 'is now and forever removed by the decision of the court. Mr. President, When tbs last cam paign was on, did our Democratic friends denounce thla new county gov ernment system that gave to the peo ple the control of their local affairs? No. Did they denounce the present court for the deciision tihat removed the only defect 4n the system, or rather make It possible for the regislatuire to do it? No. Why? Because the people indorsed both and would never submit to goixig iback to the old system. Then what did tttifsy do? Why, they Joined the People's Party and every other political party In pledging them sslvc3 to .Vha people that they would keep that system of county govern ment whildh. we had1 tstabllshed; and, Tn afi'ditu'co, they pledged themselves to enact legislation in a'coorcantoe with the recent decision of the supreme court to remove the only d'efect in that system (under which come negroes had been elected to office) 'by establisnlng a different system of county govern ment in the twelve negro counties re ferred to. This lis exactly what the fusion legislature promised the people they would do as soon as the court would reverse tihat county government decision., and thi? was the only remedy offered by the Democratic parity for wfoat they called negro dorr'aation I repeait, every political party In tie State la tbis last campaign made- this same pledge, and that was the remedy and th only remedy offered hy any body, because it was what was neces sary and all that anybody demanded. Mr. President, so clear and patent was It to every voter In North Carolina that that aemady was all that was needed to establish forever permanent white supremacy and at the same time local salf-gavemrment without disfran chising anybody that when It was charged dn the campaign t'hat if the Democratic party got Jntx power they would go further, and su'bmit a dis franchising amendment, every Demo cratic paper and speaker In the State made baste to declare that the charge was fal&. SOLEMN PLEDGES TO THE PEO PLE NOT TO DO THIS THING. The Democratic leaders knew that if they declared in favor of disfranchis ing a single voter In 'the State, or al lowed or permitted a suspicion to that effect to rest in the mind of the voter, 'Jbere was no - hope for them to carry Wxn election. Realizing this. th?y pledged their paity officially, from tbein- State comimi'ttee down to their humblest candidate, that if placed in power they would attempt nothing o? ;he kind. They put it officially in their hand book and declared that all their can didates, from the higheslt to the lowest, would make this pledge on every stump. Yes, the handibook issued by the Democ-rat!:c State committee not only denounced the charge, but also declared that they were not In favor of disfranchising a single voter, white or black, and further declared for man hood suffrage and that they were in favor or upholding the fifteenth amend ment in good faith, and fa ther point ed out that a3 Ions as that amendment stood it was impossible to disfranchise a single colored man without at the same time disfranchising a white man for th? same reason. OFFICIAL PAlRTY PLEDGE IN THE DEMOCRATIC HANDBOOK. In spite of 'that, Mr. President, the People's Party handbook made the charge that there wore many leaders i of fJho Democratic party m lavor oi a i disfra nch i s'ing amendment. The Dem ocratic S'ta-te committee thought k was necessary to reoly to that charge. What did they do. Tbey issued a second hanJocok, a supplement to the first handbook, in which they denounced lhe charge made in the People's Party handbook as false. They went fcrfflier, and S:aid that a Democratic convention would spit upon any man who would make such a pro position. Tbey went further, and said that the men who madte the charge ougM to oe aishamed of themselves for willfully lying, becauso their whole -ecord had shown that -they would not -io anything of the kind. Here is tho language; it is official; it will speak for itself. It is as follows: The Democratic party is i:ae puui j man's party. N.iEi3-tenths of mem bers are poor men. How utterly ab--urd, then, is the false charge -that tho Republicans ire trumping up to de ceive the unwary. In order to givo 'ome color to it. they quote something from a Yankee newspaper, wfcosa rwners and editors are, we have alwavs 'icderstood. Republicans, tbsit Gen. W. R. Cox, who livas in WasWr ten, told a reporter if t:h Dm:corats succee.d4 they would eliisfraneblse the igncran't negro. But General Cox publishes over his own name a declaraitica that .e never said that and never paid any thing like it. for he well knew that if ?ven the Democrats should succeed and should 'have ccr'.rol cf the leg'ts- attire tbey would be powerless to dis 'racchise anybody. The Constitution forbids it. , The Ceasti tuition gives the right of suffrage to all male parsons over 21 uu j ----- . nd this re-gisiatur'S can not auu ji orov a letter,- fi .in that. Thit can vn.iv h den a "bv the people themselves, and the Democrat's will never submit any proposition to th:9 people akc from a man his right to vote. No Dem-r-mf ever Droocsed such a thing. The cfciairgs is only initeDide d! to mislead, o deceive, and to make political capi tal. It is entirely false. There is not no.fM.rtrira.tlc convention that would nrnr smLt uoon the miaiii who might make s-uch a prcposotion. There Is net a Democratic candidate for office who would not pledge himseir most solemn iy against it. pi Prvr.R RT DEMOCRATIC STATE CHAIRMAN. Later on in the campaign, on Decem ber 27. 'Mr. Simmons, tfae Democratic State chairman, realizing that tnere was some doubt as to their sincerity and some suspicion tnat tney rn.ten.o-3a t.n submi't a .disfranchising scheme, th.Yiniht r nflfwsarv to ;ssue an ad- LUAUQ.uv. w drvr&a. Here is "his aaare-ss: ne iki only repeats the pledges in the Demo cratic Handioock, out ne miKE9 tn even stronger amd more cmphatiic. He declared strongly and .unequivocally por manhcod suffrage, white and black; that "never under any circumsiaince.3 under the sun" would he or tine Dem ocratic party favcr or consent to the passage of any law that would in any way lessen their present rights amd privileges of voting. So solemn and positive were these pledges tihat not only were the White people fooled but even thousandts of negroes -were made to beli'ove that the Democratic party wag their 'best friend; and the result was that 'the Democreitic party in the laat camtpaign got more negro votes than their majority at tho election amounted to. Listen to the following extract from that address: For the pas't twertiy years ox more just before every election, the Repub Mcan ppmkers, at tb-ir micraight meet- inss, iha ve been in the naoit or xeumg the negro if the Democrats came into Dowerr the'.r right to vote wouia ne taken away from them. First, they told them if the Demo crats got the Sate government they would disfranchise them. The uemo- witn eat rt.h.5 Stai'Je sjovernm'emit ana did not dTsfraraclHse t.nem. 'i kb 'tney told tbean if !the Democrats elected a Presideiitt thfey would dasfnamchlse Hwrn. The Etccnoara'ts1 elected a piresi- dect and they did rot dasfranchise hem. Then, they told them if the Democrats gcit control of Corress they would disfranchiise .thern. The Demo crats got control of Congress and did not disEranohlse them. All a'ong the hones white men of the Staito laughed at tfheso lies, and marveled that the negTO did cot have sen enough to see that be was duped. Finallv the negtro himself oegan to see fTn-rire-h tihe trick. He had seen the Democrats in full power in tbe State for twenty-two years, and had learned .through, experkace tht .. party did not propose to dilfcfrancihls'e him and he, too, began to laugh at -e liars, and finally refused to be fright ened by rfbrir rot any longer. So the ola Reouolica'a ecar&cirO'W bad to be hauled down and put a.way. Tbey fcr.ow that the Democrat! e nasty fcas always esood! far manhood j suffrage, and "they know that the Dem ocrstlo party will nen'er, under any cir-1 cumstances under the aim, consent to the passage of any law which will take from them, however poor and ignorant they may be, the right to vote, or which will In any way diminish or les sen that great privilege. Mr. President, could pledges t3 more direct and solemn? PLEDGE BY THE DEMOCRATIC FRES3. Net only this, Mr. President, bitt every Democratic newspaper in the State denounced the charge that their party had any such intention in most vigorous language. The following is an extract frcm an editorial in the Daily Wilmington Messenger of Sep tem'ber 18, 1898. which is- a sample of the editorial utterances of the Demo cratic press of the State on this ques- ' tion. Mr. President, before reading the ex tiact I desire to call attention to its language. It will be noticed that the ediitor denounced as a liar, and used many adjectives to strengthen that word, any and every man who dared to make such a charge against th-i pur poses of the Democratic party. Hq wrote a long argument to show that any attempt to disfranchise the negro voters, unless at t'ae same time illiter at3 white roter3 were also disfran chised, would be unconstitutional and would not stand the test of the court. I read the following extract from the editorial referred to: The most stupid lie of the campaign is the Populist He put cut by the Skinner and Thompon gang and slyly repeated by the black radicals, the bald-faced lie that if tho Democrats should carry the State thev would dis franchise the negroes. If they desired it ever so much, they have no power; to effect it. The lie is so stupid that it could not have been started and re peated but for the profound ignorance of the niggers generally. If they kmew anything, they would know that North Carolina has no power under heaven to abridge the political rights and to deprive of the privilege of vot ing the negroes any more than the Whites. The franchise is a right secured under the Constitution of the Umited States, and it takes the same roower td abrogate the right as to con fer, to repeal a law as to make It. 00 it is all bosh and falsehood to try and bewilder and befool the poor, Ignorant negroes in the way It has done. It is oiirlful and mean to so work upon tihem by lying and deception. Their right to vote U as absolutely secure as t'ba white man's right to vote. As we stated vesiterday, the three amendments to the Constitution intro duoed and adopted soon after the -war fixed tb?. status of the negroes as citi zens eaual with that of the whites in tJh&Lr rights. The only way to rid the country of the negro ballet is by the same means and processes that were gone through with to enfranchise him in his stolid and stupid condition. So it 4s a lie oust of whole clohh when the dirty taickPteirs imposed upon the ig norant, credulous negroes by telling them that a Democratrc victory means depriving them of the rigM to vote. Mr. President, that editor is now contending that it is constitutional to do the very tih-Lng that he proved then would be un'coneitutional. He is now freely using the words "lie" and "liar to denounce those who question the eonstitutloniaii'ty of section 5, amd ne piles up the adjectives and1 foams and rave3 when anyone calls attention to his editorials of 1898 or to the otner solemn pledges ma-Je in that campaign. DEMOCRATIC SPEAKERS. "Not cQily th's, 'but every speaker put into the c3m.pa.ign by the Democratic State comimiit'tee, so far as I van learn, made b3 same pledge. Hon. James H. Pou, ex-chairman of the Demo cratic State committee, mot only made the pledge in Ms speeches, 'but be also made an affidavit to that effect. It seems bat at one of Ms speakings eome porson in the audience doubted his intention and asked him if he would miake an affidavit to support what he said in his speech. He agreed to imake the affidavit, and he did make the affidavit, and here It Is: State of North Carolina, County of Wake. Jaimes H. Pou, being duly sworn, de poses amd says: "I have never eaid that if tbe Demo crats regained control of the State they intended to disfranchise the ne groes and' illiterate white voters. T, nsfver have said anything like this, and I fcnow i'inat such -Is not the intention of the Democratic party. I have never ibsard a single Democrat give utter ance to euch a s&mtimenit, and I do not ibelieve, if such a proposition comes be fore the general assembly, that it would reoeive a single Democratic vote. I believe that a majority of the unedu-. csited white voters of North Carolina are Democraiis. The DemioOTatic party, is a ppealing to them for aid in preserv ing White supremacy in the center west and In restoring it in the eastern psrt of this State. "They are responding to our appeal, and to repay them for their aid with a dlsf ranohisemeir.t of their votes would be folly and ingratitude indeed, ine men who make -these charges know Tiber sneak falsely, but their campaign this yeair is run upon the idea that the people of North Carolina would ratner 'believe a falsehood tnan tne iruxn, ana fchev would rather heair libels upon the honored dead than to hear arguments based upon truth. JAMES H. Sworn "to and subscribed before me this October 1, 1898. (Seal) GEO. W. THOMPSON. Notary Public. !Mr. Pcu is the only speaker, so far as I know, who made an affidavit him self to try to convince his audiences that he was telling the trutn wnen ne was making these pledges. But I have on my desk a nurooer of affidavits .r.rm voters, who testify that otner Democratic speaktsrs made on the stump the tame pledge that the party oreaMzaticci officially made in their MJEimaiieini handbook. I will read one of them: Shit of Xcrth Carolina, Hertford Oouniv: A. w. Simons 2nd Jack Exerett he- iryg duly Fwcro, depose and say: That they heard Hon. R. A Daughtoaa, one cf the Democratic speakers who was speaker in the senate of 1893 and 1895, make a speech at Harrellsrville. in Hertford County, on or about October 1898, in which Mr. Daughton dewoune ed the cbsrge mado upon, the Demo oratie narty by Populists and Republi cans, that 'they would paas a fran-chise itw cr a disfnaic'hising scheme. He, Dausrhtcn, fwriher.d'eclaTed and airs'-i every voter in the audience, hotD vr-A bl-'ck. that rne L'ttm. ' ON TO PRETORIA. That is the Objective Point of Robert's Move. TBE BOERS WILL MOVE BACKWARD. Hie Head of the Army Now 21 Mile North of Blocmfontein Why fleth tien Was Recalled. CONCESSIONAL. London, By Cable. TSre head of the army of Lord Roberts is mw about 21 miles north of Bloemjfoateln. It oc cupies a cluster of hills won from tho Boers aflter a stiff fight, in which the British lost seven officers fend 100 men. Tbe Boers haI (been using .these kopjes have been beating up the country ad- aoent to Bloemfontein. for supplies. driving off cat-tie and forcing tnon-Tesi-stent Free Spates into Their rank3 again. Tho enemy rauat have 'been in considerable foixre, as Lord Roberts sent 8,000 infantry and 3.000 cavalry against t'bem. Louxl Roberts' progress to Pretoria will prcba'bly consist cf a serifs of such for'ard movements, in wlhkh Boer positions will bo attacked by a portion of the army advancing rapidly with wheel trarusrwrt. the main army coming up as tbe railroad is re paired. Lord Roberts is stripping th forces in the minor ephero of opera tions of their wagons and transport animals in order to hasten the advance. This is understood U 'be the reason Why he recalled Lord Metihuen from Barklv Went to Kimborley. Iord Roberts had to have. Methuen'c Arans port. The reason why a hot chase was not made after Commandant Olivier is tbJa.t Ixn-d Roberts did not wish to wear out the cavalry transiiOTt. General French lost 3,000 horses in- the relief of Kimberley and tb pursuit of General Cronie. Lord Rol ts lost 3.00Q trens oort cattle at Waterval drift, and it Is estimated that he has lot?t 4.000 other animals since he forward movemen bsgan, on Ftbruary 15th. The rebellion throughout the JCortb western district of Cape Colony is al TYicrt suicnresised. The Goth will sail Saturday with 600 mm ifor St. Helon'a to guard Gemerai Cronje and 4,000 prisoners. A Uniform Bale. Savannah, Ga.. 6peclal. The Sa vannah cotton exchange is seading out a circular letter respecting cotton oal ing, giving a new rule v.-vta respect o bales which is to go into effect with the ibeginning of the next -cotton year. The circular says that on and after Septemiber 1, 1900, "all sales of cotton In Savannah in bales shall be based on packages of standard size (24x54 in ches) and when hales of other dimen sions are tendered for delivery, an allowance of 25 cents per bale shall be made to the buyer by the seller on such cotton."'' Ccpies of the aoove rule are being sent to the various ex changes of the United States, request ing their co-cperation, and to farmers, ginners, .merchants, nswspanrrs and others interested in the general adop tion of a uniform size cotton bale. The Galveston cotton exchange has practi cally adopted the rule. Another Fire. New York, Soecial. Tho steamship Old Dominion, formerly cf the Old Do minion Line, now the proterty of the Joy Steamsib.'p Company, plying be tween New York and Boston, was damaged by lire. She reached her pier Thursday night and about 3 o'clock in the morning fire was discovered in the cargo of general merchaitdise, near the engine room. The crew, which rushed to the pumps, wore driven away by the heat, but the fire department, which was then sumiaoned, confined the flames to the lorer deck. The total loss was 115,000. Telegraphic Briefs. The Postofflce Department, by in struction of President McKinley, has Issued an order directing that mail ad dressed "Governor of Kentucky" shall be delivered to Taylor. Gen. Piet J. Joubert, commander-in- chief of the Boer Army, died at Pre toria Tuesday from peritonitis. Congressman J. W. Bailey, at Cam eron. Texas, openea ;ni3 campitga iur the United States Senate in opposition to Hon. Horace Chilton. A large num ber of promlnen public men of Texas were oresent to hear him speak. Toe seriatorship will be decided in the pri maries for members of the Legislature. a direct vote 'being taken. All the Boers who were in the Orange river region of Cape Colony are said to have escaped northward. What Our Lawmaker tare Doiaf from Py to Dsy. SENATE. Eight y-f 0 Day. The Seaat hi igreed to tot oa the Porto Rico gov ernment and tariff bill next Tu6day afternoon at 4 o'clock. An Important utterance was made later In the day on the bill by Davis , cf Minnesota. He advocated free tred Ietween the United State and Porta Rkx and urged that tb Decewary mcney to be raised .by taxation be by an Internal revenue tax, levied upon rum and to bacco produced on the Island. Thi system. In his opinion. w-ui.l bolter suit the people of the United States snd those of Porto Rico, than the pro posed arlff, and would be just, equit able and constitutional. Eighty-third Day. A direct rote was taken by the Senate on the propo sition to strike from the Porto Rico measure the provision levying fifteen per cent, of the Dlngley law duties a pou Porto Rico products. The propo sition was defeated by a vote of 16 to S3. While the vote is regarded aa presag ing the passage of tha pending measure it is not regarded as indicating t ie final vote on the bill. The feature of the debate was the fcpeech of Mr. Beverldge, of Indiana While he advocated reciprocity be tween the United States and Porto Rico, he announced that If all efforts to secure free trade should fail he would support the pending bill. The bill wa3 under discussion throughout the session, several important amend ments being agreed to. The conference report on the Diplo matic and Consular Appropriation Bill was agreed to by the Senate soon after it convened. Highty-fourth Day. Merriment swept the traditional dignity of the Senai. S'Jaid sticklers for senat'jorial decorum literally held their skks and fc"houted with laughter, while the crowded gal leries Jo'aed in tbe laughing tumult. which not rffca faintost effort was made j to restrain. Senator Pettus. of Ala bama, the oldec-'t member of the body his age being only a few montths short of fcatr score years delivered the fura!e:it speech heard within the Sen ate chamber in mauy years. It sparkl ed wi tfa wit and bubbled over with humor. Its sarcasm was keen, but not bitter; and even those who were the vrotims of it could not but enjoy its perfect good humor atad its unal loyed fun. Throughout It all, Mr. Pet tus was as solemn as if he were de livering a funeral oration. Mr. Proc tor, Republican, of Veinn'Omt, delivered a forceful argument in fupport of tree trtade with the fcland of Porto Rico. Ccn!derable progre3 was made witfh the Porto R?can measure during the day, most of the committee amend ments and Eovepal offered by Senators being disposed of. Mr. Depew. of New York, and (Mr. Spocner, of Wisconsin, gave notice that they would tpeak on Monday on the Ptcto Rican Wi. Con sideration of tlba Porto Rlcan bill was then resumed and Mr. Proctor spoke. BRITISH ADVANCE; ()!jfl W BlB. Rill Probib!) be Rescmcd Nat Week. Early North The NcM Male Talr. exccutlw c.Ma!a'.tS? Cfrrtlra ArttcuJ ur-l Stl JOIBERVS SKILL PRAI5LD. Dne Hundred and ItiirtylUe MlI:S to be Covered by Lord Robert Be fore He Keches the Boer Position Hard Day for Bryan. Spokane, Special. Friday was a day of hard campaigning for Wm. J. Bryan He made six speeches in Whitman and Spokane counties and addressed 35,000 people. At Colfax he addressed an au dience of 7,000; at Graff eld 2,000. At Tekoa he. spoke for 30 minutes to 4,- 000; at Farmington 1,500 heard him for 10 minutes and at Spokane he address ed two audiences of lO.OQt each, speaking afternoon and evening in the big tent of the exposition. On a Trial Trip. Newport News, Va., Special. Th battleship Kearearge. left Old Point Friday morning at 9 o'clock and went to sea for a preliminary test of her superimposed turrets. Rear Admiral Sampson and some of the members of the trial hoard of inspection were on board. The tests of t&e Kearsarge's new 8tyl turrets will be watched with great Interest. It Is not known here when the Kearsarge will return. party had no such intention and did not want to take ?y p'.vdlege frcan an 'vofvtr. it mado no difforemico how hum ble or how literate; thai it the Demo-, ita mt ectrt'rol of North Carolina, they should have their political rtghtri and tbey would soon see that all such chargca wcos utterly false, ami that no (costistbp os pagi roca.) Small Damages. Pittsburg, Special. The jury it the case of Assistant istrlct Attorney Walter E. Billows, colored, against w. J. McCarthy, a prominent restaurant keeper, who refused to serve a meal to Billows and his companion, ongrecs msm Cftoree White, of North Carolina. also colored, returned a verdict in ia- vor of the plaintiff for 6 1-4 cent?. Bil lows asked for $3,000 damages. Business failures in Great Britain dar ing l8 were 8,600, against 8.895 in 1808. HOUSE. Eighty-third Day. After four daya of stormy debate the house passed the Army Appropriation Bill. As passed the bill is only slightly modified from the form in which it came from the committee. One of the last amend ments adopted opens the Soldiers Homes to the officers and men of the volunteer and regular armies incapa citated fry service during or since the Spanish War. The chief incident of the day was a defense of the War De partment by Mr. Parker (N. J.), against ttfce charge of reckless extravagance in the fitting up of the transport Sumner made by Mr. Driggs, of New York, yes terday. Mr. McRae (Dern., Ark.), movea to strike from the provision for the "manufacture or purchase" of small arm ammunition the words 'or pur chase." he declared that the govern ment bad ample facility or the manu facture of ammunition. Mr. Hull vig orously opposed the amendment. It might be necessary to purchase ammu nition and the hands of the govern ment should not be tied. He called at tention to our helpless condition for lack of ammunition at the opening of the Spanish War and said he favored the accumulation of munitions of war. Mr. Underwood (Ala.), lavored the amendment. He was opposed to plac ing discretionary twer to purchase in tho Tiands of the War Department. He was inclined to think it l&d to extra vagance and Jobbery, atd called the entron of the House to the facts elicited yesterday regarding the trans Tvirt iii,TTnr. This referenc to the Simmer aroused Mr. Parker, who de tailed the history of the vessel, which. h cntd. had been wildly distortea. He said the Sumner was an old eol- lipr rentted and produced itemized figures from the War Department to prove that there was no undue extra vagance. The alleged olid silver ser vice S8.000 was plated ware and cost al' rtM mt Sl .200. The amendment was lAKt The Tjrovision for firing morning and evening gun at State Soldiers and Sail- wc TTrrm A3 wpnt Otrt OU a TJOlUt Of order, made by Mr. McRae (Ark). This comnleted the bill and tbe com mittee then wentoack to several points Kmrnnrarilv oassed over ouring me rMjllne of the measure. An amendment was adopted chang -ha oits-ihnttT for admission to soldiers' homes so as to admit all vol ,iTitr arul reeular soldiers Incapaci tated since the outbreak cf the Spanish War. An amendment was adopted to irtve to orrrcers and men or tne vomn teer army who did not receiveextra iur when mustered out one month's pay If they served within the United sso-i and two months' pay if they served beyond the limits of the United 'CTMiittut further amendment the bill vis n9Sed. The resolotton unanimously reported from Committee on Election No. 2 In h? rrvTvrs;ted election case White v Bartinz from the Eleventh Ken tucky district, confirming Mr. Boreing tn Kis seat was- adopted without df e?!n. Both the contestant and the coctestee are Republicans. At 4:25 p. m. the House adjourned. Eiphty-fcurth Day. Tie House de voted tbe day to war cralnis. Tue oil to remunr-j6 tbe Brltlsa Cable Coaa- Dinv fcr expexoes incurred In repair leg the Manila cable, cut by Admin! Dewey, which W23 under ccctiideration wml weeka e'zo. we j conrlgrcd tfc oblivioa. as was lis bill to refer to tfae rvmrt cf Ciatms the claim of cltlzsni f certain border counties o! Pcrnsjl raix who ruffeTed rccsest divrtrs the various ln!curs:irs of rebel force. intt bat State during the civil wsr. Th! bill has been before Cccrem for over 15 rears and -involves ahont S2.",0.000 Ixndon. Cable Gcml Kren. h. who has arrived t islomf c.''.-.n fm.n Thaba'Niliu. jya iv-mmau.i:it OUrler has 6.'t n;n r..t is umta ; Ladybran-1. Imimnt qusnMiifm "f stort" have low l.wa a.-cumulatc 1 at Bloemfontfin. ar.J Lord Robert' la ta c try is teemlnjly alk;ui to trure. An impress !on, waK'j can jc tmc.vl t3 the War OffLrc, is abroad lhat th advn. will 4gin next Mondav. Poor u'jrr ration parties are bover'r.j i;"r Bloemfontein, but Ixnd Klxrtft has 135 miles to cuvtr tn-for rca. Mu the great polaltlon w.iich th IIkti arc prt paring a: Krocnst it. Movlrs tos miles a day is probaVy th? b.-;-: he cau do with field transports. 1 h-r-fore he can hardly f-rape the l'.vrs tn force for two wetks. Th? r.atru -tion cf the railway bfhiul him tiny even delay an invasion of tli Trans vaal until May. Meanwhile, all the Intnortaut towns in the Y-'ve Sta'.c. within Lonl Roberts' ro.;h. rc 5x -ins garrisoned. TrA'ja'Nau, Phillljvd'.s Faurei-mith. and Jagcrrante'.n are thus held. Sir Alfred Milsr in tour ing In the diiturbed newly au'.rd . territory. lnes.tig3t'.ns conditions and arranging the administration. H is understood to be getting material far a report to Mr. Chamberlain concf rning : a plan of civil government. All the Ixmdon nurnlng papers print singularly kind editorial eon- '. cerning General Joubert. They praise his military 6k!ll. uphold his chival- I rous conduct and regret that en strong ; and moderate a mind should be i'ant ; from tho final settlement of th dls- ' pute. ulthough Home of tlw younsT commanders thought the old RldiT ; wanting In dash and enterprise, his raid Into the country south of the ' Tugela Is considered the host piece of Boer leadership during the whole war. It is now known that ho crossed the Tugela with only 3.000 rlflemrn and six guns, but so oold and riplJ re his movements that the British com manders thought 1,0C0 Boers wire marching on Pietermaritzburg. For a few days, although in the presence of greatly superior forces, be itolau-.I General Hildyard's brigade at Estcourt and at the same time threatened Gen eral Barton's camp at Mocl riv-r. Then, as British re-enforcements were para- ed up Joubert r-cros?ed the 1 usela without losing a prisoner, a wagon ot a gun. General White's estimate -f him, pronounced on Tuesday tf fore h-5 died, as a gentleman and a Lr.ive anl honorable opponent, strikes the tone of all British comment. The Foreign Office, according to the Portugal for some thousands cf Brl tteh troops to be landed at lira and sent ty the Rhodesia railway from Massi-Kesse to Um tall. A permaseat errangement is understood to exist for tha use of this route to tran'er the Rhodesia police. The psil.iH'y of foreign protest Is fv.?.?eitl by the Daily Chronicle. Among th-? itrma ca bled from Pretoria is a statement that 1 prominent residents there ob'?rt t- 1 ! defense of Pretoria snd dc?in that , President Kruger fhould retire tr ; Lydr'berg. It is expected tho principal 4uildings at Johannesburg h l been undermined by order of Krujrer. tell a Itaprrtant ire .'.us Frllir f t'nuxa. Ttce pr-at rrr ti&s McNim. ptr.'t.Ur;: R. It. tUUle. A M. MiTaertcr. J. S. Wyune. C.c-g. Alien. V.'. E AV.r. IL U lUuey. C 1 Uarrt. V. A. Oil. W C. M-Mrk in. J. 11. lilil. Prink i?;rtAr;. U W Ajtr. I'crr.n Hv-. Ju;c ti Walfr ClarV. Jew. I Pt to, nrr'Uf, snd C. B. Lt c 1 a. a is J tact cretrr treiarr, ' TV. irtolJftt zr-x-S a :ti'M n! the urk rtwr la j rr?rr t tuA irp : t from tt nr'.jui commit; e rir te; 1 ' azJ ar:ei cp.ii. The retos.S'-RAt'.on to tnoe tt ei?t fmce fco as t prjrlie n.?T ta. rid cpa a n rrHk- y mat &!.;: i. Th Cozin't:e va Ha tcaf a t limlcarjr n-r-ort. and m! r d.-u!t.t th uz of l.'C'U a a;ij.rt;rU:4 fa. rrctniuras f-r tlat d put aifit at the rut li.r. M r?. J.b E .i'of j- and P. rria 1) j. 5ic were a ;pri i. : 1 a ommitte '.r rhri-r t dftt a. '. f the la lll FiT'.in.'.i in the fair ?ru C":a.niualat.jr. ,r retl lu rli fztf t j r un .:.: auJ a c depart n: wi rrcand. ai.J E. I. U K.uiCk Another Cot on Mill Columbia, S. C. Fpitial. AntheT cotton mill was Incorporated Tudiy, carrying tbe total cap'talizition for tbe year over $3,000,000. The la.t I a $100,000 mill at Melnona. S. C , near Augusta, Ga. Russia and Japan. A. A London, By Ca-M. A dijpatr-h to the Doily Mail frcm Kobe, ditcd March 2&th. says: "Renewed trouble between Russia and Japan in Ko ra '.a , ImmicenL The movements of the Ru- . sian fleet indicate the probability of : the selzuro of a Komn nirt. Tb: War Offico officials at Tckio ar hold- i tag conferences and there his been cons!derabl9 military and naval ac- : tivity in Japan this month. c: "... orti.xlt:ie en auio prtanlutn Ii:t for a?:l!i!lt-iral rrflii-L re;oite J t!irj..;li Mr. t!u-r' Alln. chilrmaa. in I t.Vir r irt ua adop:.l. anl an i'!i!ii";n was tir lr 1 ut tx pilntrd aa 1 di'trlbtUfd tJ 'jinrs in adranr id the rtcular li.'t be iaaurl in the fcurr.nier. .S-jnie aditlonil br-!aw wrre aipel i r. emmended by the committee, through iu .halrruin. Mr. R II. Bat- tl. I'rfptrattpnK fir a!litkjnal Improv. nitLts at the fuunJ ere r-fired i appropriate crmm't: to rtpcrt t ia adjourned mirMng. tlreit Interot ww fh n in th coat ing fair snd the cfllTr are In artlre correct on3"Ti'.e to mak It eclipse any thir s ever known in the Stv.e. The ro tiperatloa cf the wer: frj.n it flr.e fruit anl othrr lutfrts. will be mot gratifying. Ntct hi the ork bt-n s wtil advanrc-d ar this eirlr prlod ,f th yar. That part of the report of tbe Ccav ml'te on BulMlrg and Grounds r rommcndlr.s crlirKing the fro : as to acvornnjodatc a larrr rnldwiy. 1 was aflntd. The matter cf tbe rranl ! Ftacl was refrrrr d to exerts. It Is hardly piobiV thit it will be uiovei I to th weft side of tbe track. Tbo ' nur&tlon of enlarrlrg !h V'14lcsi wis ; referred to the Snr'tary to ar-rtaSa I the rott. Many attrartions for the next fair i were eorrldcr'i and will on be eoo-tra-tcd for. Nr c .litlons are pndis to eecure many new and novel attrae 1 ti.ns never iWcre een la a North Carollr.a fV.r. lartlculars will N id j r.onced later. I The ad-anred prfwium l!t far fl-l-I ' irjps will V printeJ and diwtrlbutM at j once. LlbTal premiums will be of- I Prei.nt McNimee and tb cit'iT : ofTSrers are vry rr.!bifh?:;e and en : ergttic. ard are drtrrm'.r.cl m8 th fair cf the rrraust ever bU. The croTnIt'ee apn-prntea ij.U'J" for triili of Tcfd. $V?0 mere than j heretofTTe. Interest la the Keeley Cure Revived. The recent dith of Dr. Leslie E. Ke!cy.wfco : . :av : el tbe Keeley Cur for drunk entiCfc and oervwt dleaa. has revived ir.f re t In tnat treitra-nt. "I never argy." n'.d Joh IKlllrg. "aeln eucctaa." In North Carolina the cures effcctel ot Grn!cro at the K.-ly Icstltu embrace wn of lnfla tnce and usefulcei la all calllnare. Tli"lr rtstoratlon to the concrol of th'r will power U recn la every towa and county la the State, and ttinds as proof that th Kfley Treatment d cure drunkenness. News and Obser ver. Feb. r7. rm. News Notes. A new postofflce has ben eaaliah M in Iavie ctunty. callfl Krfef, with J. I- Kurfei as pofctmaater. The Central botl at Abebor. lbs j,rcpcrty of Uclted Su:a Marrhal MilKkan. Las l-cn leaaM to A. 1 Iwi. formerly of Wbertf. A 12.000 addition and othr lmpremeaU will be added he bulld'.tg, ciking it a first clafs botc-1. The body of Gorge Smith (col ), who died laj week at Jefferaan C3ty, Mo., where be was teaching la th SUte normal school, waa yevterday brought here for b jrtal. He formerly rimitfc here. He was a araduate of Dartmouth college and a young negro j of promUe. Raleigh News and Ob 1 server. connection that he would give circo-i vm. rolwl fcr Konar thi tkMis that mall addressed to an official r.i Mrv Trov Klattz. daughter of by title only, as to "the Gcverncr" or j Conzreseman Klu.tz. who recently un- the Secretary of Sute." should be de- i derwect an operatic for appendicitis Cannot Interfere. Washington, D. C. Special. The President has informed Kentucky Re publicans that while he cannot Intere- fere In affairs to the extent of disarm- Ing the militia of either faction, be is ; willing, fo far aa he can legitimately Republicans do so. to recognize tbe officials of that State as the de facto officials. He told them in the eame livered to the Republicans holding j those offices. orats. and cot to the Demo- News Notes. The wrangle over the Philadelphia exposition building has ended by the Philadelphia Museum buying it. Pre parations to fit It for tbe Republica-i convention will begin Immediately. It is stated by the New Tork Worl I that Lawyer Dill will receive a fee o. a million dollars for affecting th? Carnegie-Frick settlement. Tbe State executive committee of thi Populist party of Texas has selected Waco, July 24th, as the time aad pUce ! for holding tbe State can v en Hon. A widow named Knorr, of Gleiwitz. Silesia, has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment at hard labor after hay ing been convicted of poisoning her daughter-in-law, with tart, in Wa.ch arsenic bad been placed. Tbe vaccine farm of D. D. Moss, lo cated east of Columbia, Ma., says the Herald, on the Ashland gravel road, is doing an unprecedented business. Thousands upon thousands of points are being shipped from Colombia every week to all parts of the United States. The scope of the business knows no bounds. But recently he shipped a consignment to Africa. .. ... . .n iaJi!more, 1 inoca wwie. r- improved to math n-reatly that aba was thought to Ve cut of career. & it is supposed that tie suffered a re lapse. Sutesvllle Landmark. Eugene Penny, the Wake cxwnty farmer who In iJecember left tit wlf and children and went on a jacnt with Miss Chain blee. a young lady of tbs neighborhood, but vho cam back nboat tare weks ago. bss gctse arf. !t liid thit fc'i family and tc;s, I bors gave him the marble heart anl tr's 1j the reiaoa fcr bis s-froa! d-- j parture. Six dlrcctcrs representing tha Penu sylvanrx and New York Central Rail roads were elected by Chesapeaie aad Ohio stockhoI'W? at a meetlsg la New Tork. The Dal'Jicrs llisafactcxfrt re cord rays: "The Paterfoa Textlls cca5ary has caxpktel the ulldlag fr- Its tilk maMUctwiDg plant, re pc.tfd last fill a to be establhe4 9 Riinoke Bipids. N. C. Tha stractara meitlo-ei is tiro ctorles hlii. 7x2CI feet. sa tbt equipment ct aiachlnary A beicg irutil'ea row. The raw mi tciil to be worked trp Into tairkstitls goods will "be tLIpped to the mill from China. Japan and other silk-producing countries. The csmpaay expects to coaaaocfiee cperctions within thirty days; its cardtillzatioa Is H00.OOX Sam pattertoa if presldect. I. i ? 1 J