The news & observer., 1897-11-21
A QUESTION AND AN ANSWER.

RAJ.
"The Raleigh Mews aad Observer, in
recent editorial says in reference to
the redemption of the State from the
hands of those who are now so vliely
misgoverning it:
''The Democratic party is the only
agent that can effect that reforma-
ton. 1t seeks as recruits from all
sources all men who want white SUI
premacy in the State and the enact
ment Of laws favorable TO white met
al in the Federal government.
"Now we would like to ask Editor
Daniels just one question:: Does he
want those who cannot altogether agree
with the Chicago platform to join in
the effort to give this State decent
government, or would he rather see them
among those who would further rivet
the shackles of shame and disgrace upon
her? North Carolina has many good
citizens who, while not willing to sub
scribe to all the articles of the Chicago
platform, are just as good Democrats as
the editor of the News and Observer.
Why then should he assume the right to
tell these citizens that their aid is not
sought by the Democratic party? This
is a question a great many of our people
would like Mr.. Daniels to answer. This
is time for those who love their
country stand together. This is time
for conciliation, not denunciation.'
We are rather surprised that so careful
a reader of this paper as the editor of
the Argonaut should ask this question.
Long ago we stated it to be our convic-
tion that in the approaching campaign
the Democratic party ought to appeal to,
men of all parties and all faiths to help
rescue the State from the hands Of the
corrupt, incompetent and two-faced gang
now in charge of affairs. THERE'S no man
in the State who believes in decent gov
ernment who can afford to vote against
the only party from whom there is hope
of Improvement. There are white Re
pubrcans in the State-not many we
fear-who will next year stand with
their Anglo-Saxon brethren as the only
hope of putting an end to the present
disgraceful administration of affairs.
There are very many Populists who will
do likewise. Most of the gold Democrats
will also come back and take their places
beside their former co-laborers to re-
store the good government we enjoyed
from 1876 to 1894. Some of all these
classes will come regularly into the
party ranks, there to live and die sub
hitting differences to 'the arbitramentI
of the National convention" We hope
that every white man in the State who
is impelled more by desire to preserved
the civilization of his race than by greed,
office-loving or prejudice will decide to
unite themselves to the Democratic party
for all time. That is our desire above
all earthly desires. We fear, however,
that some white Republicans, some
Populists and some gold Democrats will
come to the help of the regular Demo-
cracy next year to enlist only for a !
year in order to get clean government,
reserving the right in 1900 to return to
the parties with which they affiliated in
1896. We would welcome their assist
ance and feel thankful to them for such
display of their desire for honest govern
ment. t
We would not say to any of them,
much less to those VINO were formerly
Democrats all the way through: "We
will not accept your assistance unless you
will accept the creed of the party in
every particular" On the contrary we
would say to them: Come and help us
rid the State of a gang that disgraces
it; that brings odium alike upon honest
men of all parties; that threatens Anglo
Saxon civilization; that ultimately means
partial confscation of property by means
of high taxes levied for extravaganza
and corruption; and that has brought
about reign of terror in the erstwhiIe
peaceful Commonwealth, so menacing
that the women in the country live in
dread. If you want to believe
in the gold standard, the protective tariff,
the sub-treasury or any other thing that
we Democrats regard as ruinous doc
trines, it is still your duty to throw
your influence to the only party that
can bring order out of choas, decency
out of shame, quiet out of turmoil, safety
out of danger"
That is the kind of invitation we would
have the Democratic party extend, and
we would welcome assistance from all
quarters, and when men of differing
views rendered help in redeeming the
State, We would not deny them credit for
all they had done.
In the late elections of Virginia and
Kentucky the Democratic party extend
ed an invitation of the same character to
which we refer, and the good people OF
both States responded to the invitation