The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-14
The Effect of the Joint Dis
cussion.
THE ARROWS OF AYC0CK
THAT STUNNED AND pIERCHD
THE LION OF FUSION.
AYCocK WAS THE EASY VICTOR
And for The First Time Or. Thompson Willis
and is Routed..A Powerful Rrralgn' i.
mont nf Ensinn fnr Snnils.
ment Of Fusion for Spells.

Concord. n. c., September 13.-tStah
Correspondence.)-- Under the leadership
Of Morrison Caldwell who three months
ago was SO awfully afraid of negro rule
in North Carolina, but who to-day is
training with them. cajoling with them,
and seeking their votes to elect him to
Congress, the PopulistS of Caharrus
county are trying to gather together
enough of the debris left by Chas. Az
cock TO enable them to float once more
the fusion ship in Cabarrus, The air
of Concord and Cabarrus has been quiv-
ering with the echos of Aycock's terrific
onslaught ever since he closed his
speech.
The effect has been good for the cause
of good government and white supreme
cv. The people of all parties are talking
about the speeches. especially of the
great speech of Mr.. Aycock and his able
defense of Democrats and those men
whose character has been assailed. The
puhlished reply from Captain Cooke to
Or. Thompson's charges has been circu-
lated all over the county, and has had
n good effect.
The fight in Cabarrus has not ended
with the joint debate. Aycock won his
contest: the Democrats of Cabarrus are
going to win in November.
Concord has not in recent years been
SO stirred as it was yesterday in the
debate between Aycock and Thompson.
The friends of both men knew that it
was to be fight to the finish.
They knew that it was to be a battle
between giants. they knew that Chas.
b. Aycock stands without a peer as de-
fender of the great cause of Anglo-Saxon
supremacy. they knew that he was elo-
quent. logical. truthful, chaste, refined,
dignifed. courteous, pathetic, powerful,
they knew that he was courageous. he
roic. fearless. and that in the contest he
would ask for no quarter and give none.
They knew. too. that DIR. Thompson was
the strongest shrewdest, smartest, quick
est. wittiest. most alert and most adroit
defender of negro Republican, Populist
fusion in North Carolina. They knew
too that he was a courageous, reckless,
dangerous antagonist on the stump.
The six hundred people, nearly two
thirds of them Democrats, had assembled
to see and hear the contest. Each mans
crowd stood ready to take up his utter
ances and watt them upon stormy
wings of applause.
Aycock had come for a great purpose.
he had come to "speak for a
cause as sacred as the cause OF
liberty, the cause of humanity" He had
come to bid the Democrats be of good
cheer. for the cloud of fusion rule is
passing away. He had come to offer the
olive branch to those returning wander
ers and bid them welcome back into the
fold. He had come, as he said, without
malice or hatred toward any man" but
with the kindest feelings for all.
DIR. Thompson had come for great
purpose. He had come to attempt to
check the tide that is flowing toward the
shores of Democracy, he had come TO
erect. if possible, some buiwark that
would break the force of this tide and
drive it back into the black sea of fusion.
He had come with the courage to stand
in the midst of the torrent, and even
with the recklessness, to thrust into the
current the Wondering remains of dead
heroes with whom he himself has so often
stood and fought. He had come too to,
if need be, throw character however
high, however unstained, however sa-
cred into that same current, if thereby
he could check its onward flow.
Aycock had come to discuss issues.
Thompson TO dodge them, Aycock had
come to appeal to reason; Thompson to
appease it; Aycock had come to rekindle
patriotism; Thompson to rekindle preju-
dice; Aycock had come to unveil the
goddess of North Carolina Democracy
the womanhood of the State; Thompson
had come to fold back the veil and tc
declare that Democracy had no goddess
1t was a stormy battle, a fierce con
test, a great conflict, but it is ovel
now with Aycock the conqueror
Thompson the conquered; Aycock thu
victor; Thompson the victim, Aycock tn
crowned prince of debate; Thompson
the defeated but defiant pretender.
And this is the very truth: have
heard Dr. Cy. Thompson frequently
since 1892: ! have heard him in lengthy
speeches; | have heard him in vigorou:
joint debate; / have never seen him rat
tied before. / have never seen hin
cowed before. I have never seen hin
stung so deep before that he was visibll
panied.
| have seen and heard Aycock often
] have never seen him when he was
more himself; / have never heard hin
when he was more powerful, more scath
ing. more invincible, more irresistible
more eloquent and more convincing
THE SPEECHES.
Mr.. Aycock in his first speech took DR.
Thompson away from his published
Clinton speech and lost him.
AYCOCK'S ARROWS.
SIN 1892 your party leaders led 400
men out of the Democratic party int
the Populist party on the cry Of hare
times, high taxes, high salaries, and tn
gold standard, and / have always bee
in sympathy with the rank and file 4
these people, and have believed them {
be honest"
I'm 1894 you led these people into FIJI
sion with the Republican party by how
ing 5-cent cotton and forty-cent wheat
Are you saying anything about five-cen
cotton now? When these people lef
with you and went into the middle-of-tht