The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-09-15

he period OF their Stru9SIeS ny liiI
comparatively short space OF eIght
years. the testimony of much older
and more experienced veterans shat
they have been running ever since the
war emphasizes the force Of my obser-
walton.
Thus it appears that the Third party
in the South is not without allies, ana
if it could rely on the united support
Of all the disaffected Democrats ana
the Republicans it would undoubtedly
give the organized Democrats CON
siderable trouble in several Southern
States. But there is the rub with 1t.
The very tendency Of the Republicans |
to unite with it is an important
obstacle in its way. The complexion
of the Republican party in the South
IS we'll known. There is an opaque
ness about it as dense as the jungles OF
unexplored Africa. Without the negro
the Republican party in the South IS
nothing. With the negro 1t IS the
most inveterate enemy Of the peace OF
the section. NOrtherners know moth
ing about it unless they have been
here, and those who are here are as
firm and determined in their convlc-
ton on this subject as are the people
Of the South.
The white people of the South will
never tolerate the elimination OF the
color line in the social relations of the
races. They will cheerfully bear their
burden OF taxation to educate the
negro, paying over 95 per cent. OF
the colorcd school fund in Georgia;
they will protect the negro In his
rights at the ballot and as citizen;
they will treat him kindly and merit
his confidence as his friend, but to
those who know nothing of the sltua-
ton in the South, it is useless to argue
that they will not submit to negro
domination as long as white unity
will prevent it, just as the people OF
the North would not do under similar
circumstances.
NEGRO DOMINATION.
A division of the white vote means
the balance OF power in the hands OF
the negro, and this means the devils
own time wherever it exists. A torcl-
bic illustration of the argument III
point is in the tenth Georgia district
to day, where Watson is appealing to
the negro to return him to the seat
in Congress given him two years ago
by the Democrats. Betraying the
trust placed in his hands by the con-
vention which nominated him, he
returns as the leader Of the new party
in Georgia and bids defiance. The
white and black vote of the district
being almost equal, the negro becomes
an important factor in the sesult. Wat
son stops at nothing short of absolute
inCendiarism to enlist him. Ever
since his return from Washington he
has been chasing the black vote all
over the district, sprinkling salt on its
tail whenever he gets within reach OF
| it, The negroes in some parts OF the
district are wild about him; they hail
him as a divinity; they touch the hem
of his garment and talk about it with
intoxicated delight; they arc suddenly
bold and defiant and point to him as
their Messiah who will wipe away the
color line. A few days ago he spoke
in Sparta to the negroes and INDUCED
in some of his most fanciful talk as to
what he proposed to do for them.
That night they assailed the house at
which he stopped and literally overran
it. The modest and refined matrOn, a
Southern woman, eXpostulated at the
intrusion, but was brushed from her
own door by burly negro, who ex-
claimed, 81 come to see my Jesus
Christ, and | will do it," Watson
afterward explained to her that his
remarks concerning political equality
had been misunderstood by his hearers,
and had been construed into an
endorsement of social equality beyond
his intention.
rec;te the above incident as one
Of many which disgust even the white
men of the Third party, and which
makes Republican utilization positi:e
drawback to it.
Happily there are hundreds OF
conservative negroes who have nc
sympathy with Watson and hi:
methods and Will not support him
Hundreds of whites who would have
! done so have left him since he took
the short cut of appeal to race pre-
judice and passion which leads dan
gerously near the freside of every mar
of peace in the district, white o.
black.
ABSURD CLAIMS.
Now something about the Thirc
party-its origin, its component parts
its claims and the probable outcome
In the first place it claims that o
the Southern States it will carry NORTH
Carolina and Alabama. 1t has beer
remarkably loud mouthed about Geor
gia until lately, but even its most en-
thuslaStic shouters have given up al
hope in this State except that of elect
ing Watson, ard their confidence il
this is lessenlng daily. 1t is doing
grea. things on paper throughout tht
South and is making the most exagge
ated claims of its progress from Viz
glnia to Texas. 1t is electing Cover
nors, Congressman and legislatures ga