Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-05
SUMMONS TO PRITCHARD.
The Democratic Chairman Pushes
His Opponent to the Wall.

RALEIGH, n. c., November 4.-(Spe-
clal.) To-day Democ attic State Chairman
Simmons wrote the following open letter
to Senator Pfitchard: II have been
shown an open letter from you, address
ed to me, dated November I'd, purportins
to answer an open letter written by me
to you october 25th, propounding questions
as to the extent of negro rule and-hegro
otfice-seeking and holding i'm North Caro-
lima | asked you in my Ser to answer,
admitting or denying thirty-four ques-
tions which / pTopounded. In your reply
you make no attempt whatever TO an
swer a solitary one of these questions,
either separately or collectively, thereby
practically admitting the truth OF every
one of the assertions contained in these
questions.
"You refuse to answer specifically or
directly any of my questions with reier-
ence to negro domination and ofiice-hOld-
ing in Eastern North Carolina, because
you could not answer them truthfully
without conyicting your party of the
crime Of negroizing the East Sending me
a list of the campaign falsehoods which
make up the sO-called "Populist Hand
Book of Facts" and asking me "do you
by mendacious local politicians. is not
an answer TO the pertinent questions TO
which YOU were asked to reply. and no
one knows this better than yourself. You
cannot dodge the issue in this way and
your attempt TO dodge will everywhere
be taken as a plea of ''nolO contendere.
You ought TO know. and you do know
if you have read the newspapers, that
every one OF these statements that Dem
ocrats have elevated negroes 10 Office
over white men, which you copy In your
letter. has been investigated and shown
to he false by the affidavits OF the best
men in North Carolina. in many instances
by the testimony of honest Populists and
white Republicans So complete and con
vincing has been the testimony "a this
effect that fusion orators have been
forced to abandon the stale calumnies
which you seek TO resurrect by your
questions.
'TO one and all of your questions that
seek 10 show that the Democratic party
is a negro party. the sufficient answer is
that If il is the negro party, why is II
that every one of the ll5,000 negro voters
i'm the state cast their ballots against the
Democratic party? Why do you tell the
negroes that il is both their interest and
their duty to vote the Republican ticket?
Why is IL that negro leaders threaten 10
lynch any negro who dares to vote the
Democratic ticket? And why is it that
negro women pass resolutions of ostra-
cism against negroes who vote the Demo
crat ticket?
while this is a sufficient and complete
answer to your inquiries, l Will be glad
and willing to answer seriatim. over my
own signature. any questions that may
be propounded by you, on the very day
that YOU answer the questions la my let
ter OF october 25th. / fully appreciate the
awkward dilemma you are placed in by
nv questions. ! fOresaw, and you no
doubt saw, If you answered yes to
them. 1t would be a confession OF the
Democratic bill Of indictment against you
and your party; If you answered them
mo" that al least 10000 veters living in
the section of the State where these facts
OF negroization have tfanspired before
their very eyes. would know your state
ment 10 be untrue and II you did not
answer at all. II would be as bad rs an
omen confession. Confronted by this di-
lemma. you seek 10 elude the Issue by
ignoring my questions altogether, and
ask me others. Now you have my an
swer to your questions. LET the people
CONCLUDED ON THIRD PACED