The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-19
THE DEMOLITION
OF DUKE RICHMOND
His Ridiculous Contest from
the Ninth.
Mr.. CRAWFORD'S BRIEF
DOES NOT LEAVE PEARSON A
LEG TO STAND ON.
PEARSON'S ABUSE OF HIS OWN PEOPLE
Calls the South the Diseased Member Of the
Body Polite and is Numerically Scored
for It by the Contestee. A
Warm Document.
Warm Document.

The. brief of Hon. w. r. Crawford
contestee. in the contest with Hon
Richmond Pearson from the Ninth Con
gressional District, has just been issued
by the printer.
1t is not merely an answer to the
charges of Mr. Pearson, but it carries
the war into the enemy's country and,
showing that the real grounds for con-
test were on the other side, makes the
contestant almost equally contemplate
and ridiculous--that instead of proof of
irregularities contestant has displayed
only peurile spite and impotent vexa-
ton.
The brief abounds in vigorous use of
the English language and an open call
ing of a spade a spade. 1t is rich in
political history, as it has been made
in the Ninth Congressional District, and
the answers to every charge of the con-
testant are irrefutable.
Nor is it lacking in humor. The
showing in reply to the charge of Mr..
Pearson that Democrats had bribed
voters, that Mr.. Pearson's supporters
had marshaled over 200 so-called
workers" in line and paid them off at
81 per head as workmen receive their
wages on Saturday night ought to reach
the sense of humor of even partisan
Congressional committee.
PIE A HOODOO.
In his introduction contestee cites the
following significant facts:
1T is a historical fact that no mem
Der of Congress who has distributed
Federal patronage in this district has
survived the administration. One after
another has gone down in defeat. john
ston was elected in 1884 as a Democrat
and was reelected in 1886, the Republi-
cans being divided, and supporting two
candidates; but in 1888 he was defeated
by Ewart, Republican, who in turn was
defeated in 1890 by contestee. Demo-
crat In 1892 contestee was reelected,
and was defeated by the contestant in
1894, and contestant was reelected in
1896 as a Republican, and in 1898 met
the fate of his predecessor, and so his
tale is but the rehearsal of the past.
(See Congressional Diredtor1es.) The
patronage. instead of being an element
of strength, has proved to be a source
of weakness to every man who has had
the responsibility of dividing it among
his friends.
$50 generally is this known and adj
mitted that contestant himself, speaking
through his counsel on page $50, asks
this question embodying a statement of
fact:
Isn't it true that every Republican
from this district, Democrat and Repub-
lican, who has attempted to distribute
Federal patronage, has encountered OPP
position by reason thereof, and has met
with defeat?
1.-THE committee will observe that the
district polls large vote, and that the
margin of the successful candidate has
always been small, ranging from 2OO
to 1900.
"Contestant studiously avoids in his
brief any attempt to explain the bitter
and relentless opposition to him inside
of the Republican opposition
which his nomination did not reconcile,
as shown by the testimony of leading
and influential Republicans. Instead of