The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-22
HOW ]. WILEY SHOOK cONTROvERTS.

| erent statesman, but now the meek and
massive revenue doodle of Pigeon river,
has been down east to expose the base
| Democratic les that have been cir
| culated concerning that happy and well
| governed section. The fruits of his Ia
bors and fancy are issued as a supple
| ment to the Asheville Register, of say
DRY name.
There was a time when j. Wiley
counted that day lost whose low de-
scending sun did not see from his pen
| one or more wide "open letters de-
nouncing Republican rule and Richmond
| Pearson in particular. The open letter
habit still clings to him, but a place i'll
the revenue department has changed all
the current of his being and cast roseate
glamour over things that once alright
ed his vision and broke up the fountains
of his spleen. Now the Pigeon River
statesman sticks the revenue stamp Of
his approval to Republican rule, negro
and ALL
A few samples of the Shaky method
of controverting must suffice Writing
from Wilmington Shook says: ''The
Democrats say there are 40 negro mag
istrates here. True or not as this may
be, etc. J. Wiley had gone to investi-
gate and disprove, but what was the
use? Even if there are 40 negro mag
istrates does that matter? Having con-
ceded that there are 40 j. Wiley launch
es into an eulogy of them and ends by
giving the amount of deposits in the
banks.
Writing from Newbern Shook admins
ters this shake to Mr.. Kerr of the Ashe-
vile Citizen: Kerr said there is ne
gro register of deeds here. This is true"
As to the other negro officers in Craven
Shook utters not word of affirmation
or denial Not one single fact alleged
by the Democrats has J. Wiley succeed
ed i'm disproving. He says that his po-
litical friends characterized his jaunt as
a ''fool's errand' before he started and
judged by its fruits neither friends nor
enemies viii be likely to dispute the fit
ness of the estimate, now that it is over.
Shook found that Wilmington had
never been so prosperous and well gov
erned as under the negro. Will a dis
corning public accept the version Of j.
Wiley Shook, who saw Wilmington
through the office windows Of Collector
Dancy, and then Went home to sign his
name to what Somebody else wrote or
the evidence OF Mr. Chadbourn, the Re
publican postmaster, who has lived in
Wilmington for years and who volunta
riIy publishes to the world the true state
of affairs as he sees it? 1t was to Mr..
Chadbourn's political interest to remain
silent; it jumped with Mr.. Shocks
political interest and personal habits to
talk.
1t will require somewhat more than
this little joke of J. Wiley Shook to
stay the tide of popular Indignation
sweeping to its flood. The only thing
that the white men of this State wan.
to know is whether the things charged as
to negro rule are true. Every man who
has investigated say they are, except
}. Wiley Shook. That he does not deny
them is the strongest possible confrma-
ton.
Shook went as an envoy Of extraordi-
1...A
flute what Arendell, Bryant and Kerr
had written of conditions in the East,
and what white men living there say,
and instead of refuting he is silent as TO
every material fact.
Instead Of writing OF Wilmington and
Newbern, some more faciIe wielder of
the pen than even the ready writer of
Enclosed epistles has cooked up ancient
and fishy campaign stories about Grover
Cleveland and other defunct personages,
stories that have been exploded years
before J. Wiley knew the taste of reve-
nue. pap, and J. Wiley has adorned the
bottom with his famous signature.
IL Woulu nave Deen DetIer TOT tHe
Register to have followed the Progressive
Farmer and Caucasian in inventing new
lies rather than in rehashing the old.
And it would have been better for both
to have submitted to the inevitable, and
saved ink and any small shreds Of repu-
tation that may remain to them.
--------------
Negro rule is merely the browning in
fanny, not the sole disgrace of the Fa-
sion regime. II there were not a single
negro in office in the State there would