The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-02
PREACHERS FAVOR
WHITE RULE
A PREDICTION THAT THE I,ECIS-
LATURE WILL BE DEMO
CRATIC.
WHERE THE RED SHIRT ORIGINATED
a Forecast for the Complexion Of the Tar Hee
Congressional Delegation. A Grave
View Of The Wilmington
Situation.
ashington Post.)

washington Post.)
Hamlet, \. c., Oct. 31.-This is the
rcdshirt section of the State. The red
SHIRT is the danger signal for the negro.
1t first made its appearance in South
carolina when the white people of that
State rose, against negro rule. and the
success attending its use, especially when
IT was worn by man who carried Il
winchester rifle, was so great that the
North Carolinians along the border here
nave adopted it as their red badge. 1t
Hills the negroes souls with fear.
A story is told here to-day of d party
OF white men wearing red shirts. who
INST Sunday entered negro church
They said not Il word as they took their
seats, but presently the preacher closed
his discourse, and then the entire con.
gregatlon dispersed in great haste
through windows and doors. The red
shirt, however, does not always figure
SO peacefully. In this town last Satur-
Gay night, i'll one of the stores. a negro
cursed the red shirts. A white man
standing by shot the negro dead. send
ing bullet through his forehead. The
man will, it is said, be eventually
that he will be convicted
Tomorrow at Laurinburg. near this
place. the red shirts are to gather at a
great meeting, the chairman of the
state committee, +. NJ. Simmons, being
among those who are announced TO
speak. This is Republican county.
but it will not be Republican after next
tuesday. On this point there is not a
dissenting voice. Here, as at Whining
ton, and, in fact in all the counties in
the eastern part of the State. the ne
groes will not be allowed to vote, or if
they appear at the polls they will do so
at their own peril. All the white peo-
pie, even men who have hitherto assoc
ciated with the Republican party, are
now associated with the anti-negro move
ment. An association. known as the
White Government Union, has been or
ganized in this county, and its red and
white buttons are universally worn.
PREACHERS HOSTILE TO
BLACKS.
Even the preachers. who rarely have
anything to do with political campaigns
in the South, are active in their hostii-
ty to the further domination of the
! write this dispatch the original of
letter written by Rev. J. d. Hufham. a
leading Baptist clergyman of Raleigh.
to friend. Il fully appreciate" he
says, 1.-THE gravity of the crisis which is
upon us. The issue rises immeasurably
above all consideration of ordinary par
tisanship. Our civilization itself is in
peril. My heart is with those who hold
ny,I ,f,;,, hot e., ~ L II
races, white men and white men alone
must rule in North Carolina
When it is remembered that this is
the deliberate utterance not of Il Demo
cratic politician, but of a minister Of the
gospel, who is supposed to preach love
and charity to all men, some idea can
be gained of the deep feeling which is
stirring the State from the mountains
to the sea. The result of this revolution
against the negro will of course, be a
sweeping Democratic victory in the
State. The effect of this victory will
not be seen so much in the Congression-
al districts as in the election of a Demo
cratic Legislature.
LEGISLATURE WILL BE DEMO
CRATIC.
The Congressional canvass is going al
most by default. In at least two dis
tricts the Democrats have not nominated
a candidate, and out of all the districts
in the State not more than two will be
gained by the Democratic party. The
Legislature, however, will be over
whelmingly Democratic and when it is
stated that the Republicans and Popu-
lists had two-thirds majority i'm the
/ faf h. f,,n q IL,
approaching change can be appreciated.
NO one asserts for moment that the
Democrats will achieve this victory
through a majority of the voters in every
section. They will be materially aided.
of course, by the return Of the Populists
and of the old-time Wing Republicans.
In Edgecombe county, for instance,
which has always been Republican by
1900 there are now. j am reliably in
formed only five white men aligned
with that party.
Where this combination Of all white
men will not effect its purpose, however,
other methods will be resOrted to, and
the result will be that the counties now
most strongly negre in their population
will be the very ones to send Demo
cratic members to the Legislature.
When that Legislature meets steps will
be taken to nullify the negro vote by
some plan, probably the Mississippi
method, but that, as Kipling says. is
another story. Before that time comes
the red~hirt and the Winchester rifle
will prove effective Their persuasive
force has already been felt in this coun-
ty, where nearly one hundred negroes
have just had their names stricken from
the registration list.
STRAINED SITUATION IN WILL
MINGTON.
The situation in Wilmington tonight
has not improved. During the forenoon
the business men selected George Round