The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-08-17
THERE ARE SURELY SOME GOOD pEo-
PIE, HONEST PEOPLE THERE.
LET THEN SPEAK, LET THEN ACT.
LET THEM ASSERT THEIR Man
HOOD.

All Honest reopIe---An Appeal that will
Yet he Heard.
Turing the last campaigna speak
er who was born and raised in Hall |
fax county, but who now lives in an
other part of the state, went to Hall
fax county and spoke to "a crowd of
about one hundred whites, mostly
Democrats, and fifty or seventy-fye
colored men. After explaining the
issues as he understood them, he
said:
But my friends why waste time
and words discussing these things:
These colored men will vote the Re
publican ticket, you white men will
vote as you have made up your minds
to do, and the tally sheet will be
made up as usual in this county.
Though | should speak with the
tongue of an angel | could not
change the result. Before me | see
friends who in the good old days
was my privilege and pleasure to
frOliC and hunt with. Then you
rode fine horses, or drove them to fine
buggieS you wore "good Clothes"
mostly tailor made; your fields
bIoomed and blossomed with grain
and cotton. The woods resounded
with the sound of the shot gun, the
yelp of the hound and the jolly
"hello" or laughter of huntsmen.
Just over there stood a grand old
family mansion, the home of your old
Senator, Il place noted for hospitality
and good cheer. In your village
there were prosperous merchants, five
or six stores here, now | see but one
open now. Many of you who walk
ed here to-day then rode into town
aud it was pleasure indeed to meet
you. You were prosperous, happy
and contented. 1t was then the
proud, grand old county of Halifax.
Yesterday as | rode through half of
the county | felt as though | were
riding throu gh an old family bury
ing ground. What is the matter
with your county? Your roads and
bridges are out of repair, your fences
are down, your houses without glasses
and paint, your fields that produced
such abundant crops, are grown up
in sassafras bushes, sage straw and
cuckle burs. Most of your best peo-
pie have left the county. Where are
the Virgins, the Clarks, the Pur-
nelIs, the Burtons, the Whitakers-
all gone. Many of you who former,
ly come on fine horses or rode il
buggies walked here to-day, and
some of you doubtless are now sitting
: on patches thrifty wife has put il
your pants. You have not a single
manufacturing institution in your
county now, and except one or two
saw mills struggling for existence
and still you have at least one of the
finest water powers in the South, idle
at your principle town. No capita
is coming or can be induced to come
to Halifax county for investment
Settlers do not stop here. TWENTY
| years ago your land was worth tiv'
, times what you could sell it for to
day. Your tax assessors recognize
this and have reduced the valuation
accordingly. What is the cause O
this change? These things fore
themselves on one who loves you
county for old associations and visit
. it after years of absence. We see tn
4 effect. What is the cause? 1t can
not be Republican taxation and eN
/ travagance so often drummed int
your ears for you have, and for you
r sake other counties have, the Demo
f cratic county government, and tn
Republicans have had no hand il
the State government since 1876
Your land is worth less and yoa
y condition worse than when they con
trolled both, and O. Ham & Go. d
s so often said by Democrats, hel
s high carnival in your county town
e Surely Democratic rule has not pre-
O duced this change in your condition
# Other counties in the State have til
, same laws you have, the same count
government, the same State and NJ
tional government, pay the sam
Il taxes, the same profits to commlsslo
IS merchants and interest to none
L lenders, and yet those other countle
is especially in the West are bnildin
sc manufactures, increasing In popt
/ lation and wealth. Yours is tt
d best and noblest county in the Stat
g known to men not only III but Oh
- of the State. Your lands are DIS nc
; as any in the State, and yet yc
=. manufacture nothing and the cens'
shows you have lost in the last te
ot wears more in wealth and Populate
1r than any county in the State. | a
is not talking to you as a politician b'
or as friend. You see the effect,
ne reasonable men look for the caus
l. apply the remedy. What is t.
nd cause?
nd Look right over there! Two da
2+- ago the chairman of the Democrat
IN Executive Committee was in 20
80 village and had built around tn
L house in which the poll will
"r opened close plank fence ten
twelve feet high. 1t is an innoce
'yS looking arrangement. Is it gaIlow
ap- DO you know what that mean
rry Two years ago the majority in tt
rry township was stolen. The MAORI
AVS OF the voters voted one way but
ow poll holders counted it the ott
Is way. That "bull pen" means 70
~. cross roads politicians intend to