The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-08
NEGRO POW-WOW LAST NIGHT.
The Color Line Drawn-Ready to SwaI-
low Even Ham Jones.

yesterday ut noon Flckey wagon,
drawn by a scarce-crow horse, began
parading the streets and kept it up all
the afternoon. In this wagon Were
seated a black driver. a negro ringing a
bell, another pounding a drum, and a
third holding up banner on which was
painted: Grand Republican, opulist
Rally at the court house tonight at
Is o'clock"
This five hours of ringing and drum
ming brought out last night about three
hundred negroes and some twenty-five
whites.
1t was a negro meeting out and out
and was for the purpose of thoroughly
the negro vote. The speakers
were all negroes and they plead with
their brethren to vote as one man the
fusion ticket. They drew the line ostra-
cising any negro who dared to vote the
Democratic ticket
Joe Braan's father was the first to
open up. He told tale OF woe that
would happen to the negro if he did not
keep the Democrats from getting into
power again. He worked the disfran-
chisement scare-crow for all it was
worth. He said if the Republicans car
no more talk of red shirts and Winches-
ter rifles. He admitted he was not a
mixing man, and while he had no
love for the Populist, under the circum-
stances the negroes ought to vote the
entire ticket He admitted further that
they were swallowing a pill when they
voted for the Populists, but he advised
them to gulp down the pill.
Joe Braan followed. Although usually
garrulous, he could last night only STAN
mer out a few disconnected utterances.
He said he was not speaking last night;
that he was watching the Democrats.
He was not for affiliating with Demo
Gratis in any capacity.
Dave Lane, who repudiated the fusion
nominees in the early stage of the game
because negro was not put on the
ticket, but who Topped over little later,
was called for. He acknowledged his
error and told how hard he was working
for the fusion ticket. He related how
earnestly be had prayed FOR Republi-
can governor, and how his prayers had
been answered. 1t was true that he had
not favored Russell, but said the Judge
had made better governor than he eS~
pected.
The disfranchisement of the negroes
by the Democrats if they got into power
was also the burden of Dawes song He
said he was willing to GO TO THE
POLLS WITH A SHOTGUN IF
to protect the ballot-box,
even though he was carried away feet
foremost
Dave said he did not like Mr.. Ham
Jones, but then he intended to swal-
low him.
Willis Graves was the orator of the
evening Even Col. Jeemes Young who
followed was not in it with Graves. Col.
Jeemes had reserved his say to the last,
expecting to carry off the ''honor" but
he was cleverly distanced and the wind
completely taken out of his sails.
Graves spoke of the necessity of the
negroes standing shoulder to shoulder
and voting the fusion ticket. 1t is the
crisis in the affairs of the negro in this
State. he declared, and he had no con-
fidence in negro that voted the Demo
cratic ticket. No such negro, he thought,
was entitled to the respect of his race.
From Willis standpoint all sources OF
benefit accruing to the State We're due
to negroes who under Democratic rule
were hewers of wood and drawers of
water, that the whites might revel in
luxury He thought it was time for the
negro to do some of the reveling. He
said the whites talk about the negro S
place. "Where is that placer he
asked. 1t is anywhere that any other
person can fill, either body, mind or
soul" was his answer.
The disfranchisement of the negro by
the Democrats was the warp and wool
of his tale, also.
Col. Jeemes Young wound up the
pow-wow. He had brought his load of
pyrotechnics along, but those who had
passed before had already got them off
so that it somewhat took his wind out of
the negro colonel's sails. Graves espe-
cially had used about all the stock Jim
had on hand, so his talk was simply a
lot of rehash. He did not fail to get on
his usual egotistic bluff, however, stating
that when he arrived here, he found the
fusion camp fires smoulderng, and how
since his arrival the fires had been re-
kinded and were now burning with
great brilliancy.
All the speakers drew the color line
closely, making to-day's contest strictly
a fight Of the negroes against the