The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-23
THE OPENING GUN
Cy Thompson's BoIder Dash
in Sampson.
HE EULOGIZED HIMSELF
AND ABUSED THE LIVING AND
THE DEAD.
TRIED TO WHlTEWASH RUSSELL
And Denied that Jim Young had Anything TO
Do with The White Deaf, Dumb and Blind
Institution An Adroit but Futile
Piece OF Demagoguery.

The big gun of the Populist party in
North Carolina, DR.. Cyrus Thompson,
opened fire on the Democratic ship here
today and kept up the bombardment for
two hours and half. but the old ship
came out of the engagement without the
loss of n man and without being even
dinted 10y a single shell that was aimed
at it by the fiery assistant commander
of the fusion fleet. If we may Judge
from the results of the engagement the
fusion squadron needs gunnerS that can
hit the mark as bad as Cervera did nj
Santiago or Montojo did at Manila Ihe
fine old armored ship of democracy lay
quietly and complacently i'll the harbor
OF the white man and the white metal
not even caring to fire back nj the fuSSy
fuSng but harmless big gun of the fusion
fleet. Every shell fired during the bonn
bardment went humming through laZy
fog of PopuliSt and negro fusion ana
fell wide of the mark into Surglng
sea of Populist discomfort.
Not single shell from the battery of
Thompson was aimed ut the Republl-
can fleet during the entire engagement
There was on the part of some OF the
crew on the Thompson fleet manifest
displeasure. Some of them desired that
at least few guns he fired Mt the
MORO castle of the gold bug Republican
Notifications. especially after it became
manifest that no harm could be done to
the Democratic ship. There were some
poisoned balls too that were hurled from
the guns of Thompson in the shape Of
personal illusions that displeaSed a num-
Der of his own men who declared after
wards that they did not believe in that
kind of warfare.
The speaker was at II O'Clock intro
duced to about $50 men, half dozen
ladies and perhaps two dozen boys. This
is n perfectly fair estimate of the crowd.
if not an overestimate. 1t was said by
several Clinton Democrats that every
thing possible had been done by the
Populist leaders to get together even
this small crowd for, | am told that for
big Pop rally in Sampson county the
crowd today was very small. 1t was
said that half of those who were present
had been led to believe that there was
going to be speeches by Butler Th0mp- |
son and by the nominees for Congress. |
Thomas and Fowler. The Popuists, |
however, explained the smallness of the
pulling time and the folks were too busy
TO come.
Dr. Thompson is strong, stump
speaker and he abuses the Democrats
a bout as vigorously and perhaps as adroit-
ly as any man in the State. He comes
too about as near building feasible de-
fenses around Rep.-Pop fusion as any
speaker the unholy combine can claim.
If he was called upon to defend the
principles of the party to which he claims
allegiance he could perhaps do so to the
great edification of the followers of those
principles. but in his labored effort to
defend Russellism and Pritchardism in
North Carolina the principles of his par
ty are entirely ignored. Not one syllable
of argument did he utter today in favor
of silver not the slightest reference to
government control of railroads, not a
single sentence against government by
injunction. Indeed not n quotation from
or reference to the National Peoples
party platform. He descanted at great
length upon the rejection of the Populist
fusion proposition by the Democratic
convention. but neglected to state that
the proposition had as a chief provision
that Thompson. Aver. ct al, were to be
kept in office perpetualy in return. He
tried TO raise enthusiasm by repeating
the old time worn tale about gold bugs
dominating the Democratic party" but
signally failed.
In burst of prophecy'he declared that
the autonomy of the Populist party must
be preserved because in 1900 it would
nominate Bryan for President and all the
free silver Democrats would then desert
to the POpuists. He did not apprisc
his hearers of the indisputable fact that
the Populist leaders have already bar
gained the party away to the Republi
cans for all time.
He launched himself upon Il long TRADE
Of abuse of every prominent Democrat
in the State, declared the party insincere
because it would not support Populist
Congressman. &c, &c.
When his hearers began to yawn at
this topic he took up his own record as
Secretary of State and for an hour told
his listeners how it was that he was
the greatest Secretary Of State on re
cord. Since the dead may be slandered
with inpunity. he singled ont former
Secretary Of State Coke as his main
target and endeavored to blacken and
malign his memory. lie worked off II
fairy story about finding letters, in
=
had never been opened.
He praised Russell with fervency
only second to that which characterized
his praise of himself.
As to the management of the white
Deaf. Dumb and Blind Institution he de
clared that Jim Young was not even
Il member Of the board of directors but
did not tell his audience that popular
Indignation at Young's appointment and
the refusal of parents to send their
children to the institution while Young
remained on the board had led to his re-
signati0n.
He scaled the walls Of the penitcntiary
aud did not touch brick-made no men
llon Of it from start to finish.
He never struck in hundred miles of
the management Of the A. and \. G.
j. X. From his speech Won would never
have known that the State had the two
last sessions Of the Legislature
His whole speech except that part
referrig to his management Of the See