Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-25
NORTH CAROLINA POLITICS.
4 yrlL REVIEW or TIE FIELD.
The Ola North state safe for c'eve's"' ana
Headrieks, General Aifred NJ scales aae
me Entire State TtrAef.


Yesterday With Senator Y. b. Vance, who
bss lust made q canvass Of the entire State,
and /, lust now putting on The nni'hiug
Touches. 10 the painter would say. He
smoke Yesterday 10 about 1000 people at
Iiuntscryille, this county, and be hs APP
nc jutments for nearly every dsy between
his and the election. lie began the canvass
shout tn o months ago, first making tour
thro,Igh the western part OF the Stats;
tben through the centre or middle portions,
ana then the eastern section. He arrived
here Yesterday morning, having spoken
tie day before ut White syiile, the county
sest Of Columbus county, which Is In the
extreme southern rortion OF The State. He
r,rorts fine state As absolutely safe for
Cis ycland and Hendricks and the whole
democratic State ticket, butts unwilling TO
Give any figures OF what the majority Is 10
be.
II Il rather hard for The people outside OF
The state 10 understand the exact status OF
nolitics In North Carolina. While there "a
little doubt that tue Senator's predictions
,re correct, there are some unknown guam
titles which src hard 10 estimate.
Firsf. there are the PIohibitionils. Pro-
b,bition was All issue here three years ago,
and n inset The calculations OF politicians
voiully. Tue question was submitted TO
he pcople by the Legislature, and, until
tbe matter was agitated and csnysssed be-
fore the people, 1t was thought to be popu.
lar until the day of election; but on that
dsy il was buried by 10000 majority, not
mich more than bali the voters going to
the polls. DR.. j. J. Mott, the ringlea1er OF
tue Republican party. and then ana now
1t no Rannhlipln EXpCIfi
Committee. ATTEMPTED to run the issue into
politics and make the Democrats respon-
sible for il before the people. but the Demo-
Gratis denied that IL was political. and in
many parts OF the State the issue wis
fought out by both Republicans and Dem >
Gratis on its merits. Politicians on boti
aides ranged themselves on either side, IS
best suited their notions or inclinlti0ns.
hut so strong was the feeling two years
$40 that an ayowed snti-ProhiDitionlst was
nominated for cOngressman-at.lsrge by the
Democratic paity-Judge Eisden L. Ben
nttt-largely because OF bis views on this
question. 1t is matter OF history
that he Was elected by the slender
majority OF less tnan five hundred In
q possible vote OF 2I5.OOO. He was
opposed at the time by the solid Republic
can vote Of the STATE, under the leadership
Of Colonel Olvin IL. Dockery. a skilled
politician, with such assistance rs the Lib
erals under the lead Of sore-hesded and dis
appointed Democrats, who attempted tn
kahoneize the State. They were very
nearly successful, and this leads me TO dis
cuss the
Second OF the unknown quantities. Two
years ago q number OF gentlemen who had
fh.,e all a. N
the party, and formed coalition with the
Republicans with the avowed purpose OF
defeating what they called the Bourbon
Democracy. AT their convention in Raleigh
they adopted a popular platform which
was shsrt, pithy, and to the point. 1t con-
sisted OF only four planks:
l.. The repeal OF the prohibition act.
9. Federal aid for public education.
3. Repeal Of the county government act.
4. Free ballot and fair count.
ANY voter who endorsed this platform
was invited into the liberal fold. The DEM
ocrats made no issue on the first. second,
and fourth planks, as the prohibition mea-
sure never a political issue-had been
LUrled under heavy majority; beth the
Democratic senators, Vance and Ransom,
voting fer the Blair bill when it was before
the United States Senate, and the fourth
plank being one OF the cardinal principles
OF the Democratic party in this stats. On
the third plank. however, the issue was
fairly Joined. which brings me TO the
Third OF the unknown quantities, which
is the question OF county government.
Under the old rfglme the magistrates or
justices OF the peace were appointed by
The Legislature. This was practically CIV
ing the member Of the Legislature from
given county the appointment, for TIE Lee
gislnture always appointed the MAGISTRATES
recommended by the members from the
several counties, as a sort OF courtesy. IL
the member was Whig the appoIntees
were Wings, and Uice Uerso.- The
magistrates exercised control over the
county finances, the judges OF the
Court OF Pleas and Quarter Sessions, or
county courts, being selected from their
number, levied all county taxes, provided
for the poor, looked after the public
schools, superintended the matter Of the
working OF the public roads, let out con-
tracts for the building Of bridges across
creek. and rivers, &C., &c. When the
Cauby Constitution Of 1868 was adopted
these officers were elected by the people.
In the western and central portions Of the
State the change made little or no differ
ence, hut in tuenty-seven counties in
Eastern North Carolina the negroes were
in the majority, and they ruled the affairs
in those counties with uubridlcd license,
levying taxes with an unstinted hand, and
spending The money among their fsvolites.
ssd in nearly every instance running the
counties in debt extravagantly. A cry for
needed reformation came up from the white
people OF Eastern North Carolina. which
could not 90 unheeded, aud the Lesisla-
lature submitted a constitutional amend
ment in 1916 to the people, which was
adopted, giving the Legislature power TO
make a change in the system il in their
judgment they thought 1t was necessary.
The Legislature which assembled on the
first Of January, 1877, did make change,
practically restoring the Old plan, taking
the election Of the magistrates. county COM
missiOners, and county road and school
superlntendeBts from the people. The
Liberals mounted this hobby, and went
cantering through the western and central
part OF the State, with the idea that with
the Republican votes they could sweep the
State. Nothing but the true loyalty OF the
Democrats saved the State and Judge Ben
nett's election. In The Democratic State
Convention which assembled in Raleigh on
the 18th OF last June the party was placed
fairly and squarely upon "the present or
some other system which would allow the
white people OF Eastern North Carolina to
retain possession OF their county govern
ments," and the issue was distinctly joined.
This will hurt the Democratic vote some
what, but it will be Offset by the
Fourth unknown quantity, which is
the nomination OF a mongrel.combinaiion
mugwump ticket, headed by DR.. York as
the candidate for Governor. He is neither
fish nor fowl, but is the nominee OF mass
meeting OF Liberals, and afterwards en-.
dorsed by the Republicans. The Liberal
party has virtually petered out, four fiiths,
II not more, Of is original members having
returned 10 their allegiance 10 the Demo.
cratic party. and the Republicans are sup
porting him with sort OF hall. hearted SIN
cerity. In this county (Mecslenburg) he
will run four hundred behind the Republic
can national ticket, and the same may be
said OF nearly every county in the State.
So ii may be said, as your correspondent
stated in the outset. Notwithstanding the
unknown quantities." the state is safe
for a good round majority for both the
Stale ant Ptional Democratic ticket.