The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-29
Mr.. SIMMONS TEARS AWAY FALSE COLORS
Its Pretense of Being Democratic Paper Is Part of
Wretched Scheme to Deceive the People.
1t Will Not Work in North Caro-
lima, Where People De-
mand Frankness.
(Snlihfield HeralId.l

(Smihheld Herald)
The Herald gives to the public the fol
lowing self-eNplanatory correspondence
which undeniably marks The Asheville
Gazette as bribed spy.
Smithfield n. c., Oct. 8, 1899.
Hon. +. NJ. Simmons, Chairman Demo
cratic Executive Committee, Newbern
n. c.:
My Dear Sir: tile Republican politi
clans and Internal Revenue office hold
ers in this county have been distributing
copies of the Ashevlle Gazette. claiming
that it DIS a Democratic paper, aIld at the
same time containing articles advocating
the defeat of the proposed Constitutional
Amendment.
| write TO you as chairman of the State
Democratic Executive Committee to as
certain if this is true.
Whether the Gazette is n Democratic
paper or not the people are entitled to
know, and | want You to ascertain the
facts and advise me accordingly.
Our people favor the amendment and
il this PAPER is flying under false eolors
we want it exposed.
Very truly yours,
ALLEN X. SMITH,
Ch'm'm DEM Elk. Conn Johnston Go.
THE REPLY OF MIR. SIMMONS.
Raleigh, n. c., Oct. "a, 1899.
A. *. Smith, Esq. chairman Democratic
Executive Committee, &c, Smithfield
n. c.:
MY Dear Sir: | beg to acknowledge
receipt OF your recent letter, Informing
me that certain Republican politicians
and office holders are handing out III
your county large number of copies of
the Asheville Gazette, containing ar
ticles against the Constitutional Amend
meDt.
You say the Gazette is ostensibly a
Democratic paper. and that these
office holders. when showing it or Civ
ing it out. represent to the people thai
it lis such. | am also in receipt of in
formation from other parts of the State
to the same effect.
/ have investigated, as ycu requested
should do, the claim Of the Gazette and
its distributors that it is a Democratic
paper, and herewith give ycu the facts
disclosed by this investigations On 14th
day of July, 1899, the Ashezille Citizen
Il stalwart Democratic paper, contained
the following editorial comments with
reference to the repltsd sale of the Ga
zette to the Republican managers in this
State: Jflstx
.'When the Citizen declared few
weeks ago that the Morning Gazette
had sold out to-the Republican, leaders
it was not announcing a prophecy, but
simrfy stating a fact. There was nC
changing of convictions. but sale ol
them. This is conclusively shown by
the fact that the Gazette made no anf
nouncement to the public before which
it had posed for years as a Democratic
paper that it had changed its political
views The sale it had concluded stip
ulated that duylicity was to follow apos-
tacy.
1T is not remarkable that such paper
should now he talking of political free
DOM" and declaring that i'm North Caro-
lima a nlan ''cannot utter his views on {
political issue if these views conflict witt
those of a class Cf citizens about HIM
ner cast his vote contrary to theirs, with
out suffering ostracisHm."
''It is net remarkable that paper
that has that high order Of intelligence
that leads it to sell itself for dol
lars should declare that the only hope
tor political tolerance III the community
am State in which it is published rs
in the increase of intelligence before
which this clasS prejudice must disap
pear.
1T is not strange that paper that has
bartered its manhood for money and solt
its principles for gold. should declare
that "the last political campaign in this
State reached the climax. we believe, II
the triumph of prejudice
1T is not strange that paper that
assisted in the election OF the majority
of the last legislature should, after be-
traying that majority for a considera-
tion declare that 1.-THE spirit of the
campaign ruled the legislature and il
is in the light of this legislature that
the impulse that controlled the campaign
stands revealed"
1T is not remarkable that glewspapet
that stood as the peculiar champion o
white supremacy a few months ag'
should now, after selling itself to be tn