The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-18
THE CAMPAIGN
1 Good speech by Hon. W. p. Tur-
ner. Of >tatesytii. NJ The Opera House
Last >fsht-He Made n Fine Impress
sion and Net With an Enrhu~fasaic
H o~.nr

Reception
The Hon. W ID. Turner. OF States
vile. arrived here yesterday and spoke
on the issues OF the campaign last
night before a crowded house al the
opera house. The parquet was crowd
ed and the dress circle was filed with
enthusiastic democrats. There were
also some ladies in the audience.
The urterrifed Fifth warders again
turned in full force. headed by the
Wilmington Brass band. They came
up town in a great procession with
| torches ablaze and music in the air.
and feeling good in their bones. The
Fifth Ward democrats are certytnly
the stuff" and they set a fine example
by their enthusiasm
After the audience had assembled
in the opera house there was music
by the band, after which Frank Nc
Neill. Esq, in a few ringing remarks.
that were heartily cheered. introduced
| Mr.. Turner.
Mr.. Turner was received with a
storm of applause and spoke for an
| hour and a half in the cause of white
government. He said he had been
most cordially received in Wilmington
and he heartily appreciated the warm
| greeting u people have given him.
He stated that he was not a candidate
for any Office but that at the instance
of the Hon. F. NJ. Simmons, chairman
of the State Democratic Executive
Committee, he had been sent as a mes
senger from the west to extend the
right hand of fellowship to the east in
the interest OF good government and
Anglo Saxon supremacy ~(applause.)
After speaking of the deplorable sit
uation in the state and the importance
of a change Mr.. Turner made a capital
and convincing comparison between
the records of the parties in North
Carolina. The republican party left
the state a debt of $40. 600. 900 up TO
1870 when the democrats got control
of the legislature. whereas when the
democrats went out of power. in 1894,
they left a debt of only S3,615. 120.
In 1870 twenty-seven counties were
hopelessly under negro rule and over
whelmed with debt and unable TO pay
their county script. In 1894 when
democratic rule ended the last one of
these counties had good government
and were solvent and able to pay all
their obligations dollar for dollar.
In 1870 the republicans had collected
! $3.50, $50 for school purposes, spent on
1y $685. presumably for schools and
~squandered the balance. Not one scholl
house was built and not one child vas
educated. Up to 1894, the democrats
collected and spent sS15, 900 for school
purposes, had established a good COM
mon school system and enlightened
thousands of the children of the state.
In 1870 under the republican party we
had a university with a paid faculty
and not one student. The doors had
been opened to whites and negroes
alike, with the result hat nc student
entered the university. Under demo-
cratic rule in 1894 the university had
a paid faculty and over 500 students.
In 1876 there was no provision for the
education of our women but in 1894
there was a State Normal school
with four hundred students and
there was established the college of
Agricultural and Mechanical arts
for whites. When in power the
democrats also provided common
SC1OOiS " lHC SoIolCu ldSC anu plo-
vided higher education in the college
of Agriculture and Mechanical arts for
the colored people. So much for edu-
cation.
In 1870 under the republicans we
had but one asylum for the %unfortu-
nate insane. During the democratic
administration, the asylum at Raleigh
was enlarged and improved, the asy-
1,,,. $780, l,:1& - o-%@n f~r r.hstn-
and one at Goldsboro for negroes.
As to the expense of running the
state the republicans in the two last
years of their power spent 1861 ,625.11
while the democrats in the two last
years of their power spent 81 1876, 62O.25,
a difference of 81, 452, 004. Under the
last year Of republican rule the legis-
lature cost 1912, 1913, while the last year
of democratic rule the cost was
$50. 1916, a difference of S146,917 for the
democrats.
Mr.. Turner then paid his respects
to fusion" rule. In 1894 the republi-
can-populist fusion party carried the
state, and in three years they collected
and dispersed 1858, 950.21. During the
. last three years of democratic rule, the
, expenditures were s3,573, 201. 90, a diff
, ference of 1886, 1926 in favor of dem
t ocratic rule.
Under fusion" the legislature In
1895 and '97 cost s143, 027.7 20, against
S128, 994.7S during the two years OF
democratic rule, a difference of $14,.
032.91 for democracy.
Mr.. Turner, after showing the finan'
cial records of the parties denounced
:. the fusion Of two parties with direct
: ly opposed principles as a movement
j to secure offices. He went on 10 show
that there was not enough Offices to e
i around but they had to create Offices;
among others 5000 justices of thu
peace were added to those already
> provided for. He also specified nu
3 merous high salaried Offices, anS
charged that courts were established
to make judgeships as rewards for of