Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1899-11-02
A TRAITOR

A TRAITOR EXPOSED.
A SO-Called Democratic Paper
Supporting Negro RUE
and Republicanism.
Smithfeld Herald, 9th.
The Herald gives to the public
the following self explanatory cor
respondence, which undenlably
marks the Asheville Gazette as a
bribed spy:
Smithfeld, N. c.. Oct. 9, '99.
Hon. F. M. Simmons, Chairman
Dem. Elk. Com, NeWbern, n. c.:
My Dear Sir:-The Republican
politicians and internal ven of
flee holders in this county have been
distributing copies of the Asheville
Gazette, claiming that it is a Demo
cratic paper, and at the same time,
containing articles advocating the
defeat of the proposed constitutional
amendment.
I write you as chairman of the
State Democratic executive commit
tee to ascertain if this is true.
Whether the Gazette is a Demo
cratic paper or not, the people are
entitled to know, and I want you to
ascertain the facts and advise me &C
cordingly.
Our people favor the amendment,
and if this paper is flying under
false colors we want it exposed.
Very truly yours,
ALLEN K. SMITH,
Chairman Dem. Elk. Com. of John
ston County.
THE REPLY OF MR.. SIMMONS.
Raleigh, N. c.. Oct. "a, '99.
A. K. Smith, Esq, Chairman Demo
cratic Committee, ETC., Smith
field, N. c.:
My Dear Sir: I beg to acknowl-
edge receipt of your recent letter, in
forming me that certain Republican
politicians and Office holders are
handing out in your county a large
number of copies of the Asheville
Gazette, containing articles against
the constitutional amendment.
You say the Gazette is ostensibly
a Democratic paper, and that these
ofice-holders, when showing it or
giving it out, represent to the peo-
pie that it is such. 1 am also in re-
ceipt of information from other parts
of the State to the same effect.
I have investigated, as you re-
quested I should do, the claim of the
Gazette and it's distributors that it
is a Democratic paper, and herewith
give you the facts disclosed by this
Investigation. On the 18th day of
July, 1899, the Asheville Citizen, a
stalwart Democratic paper, contained
the following editorial comments
with reference to the reputed sale of
the Gazette to the Republican man
ayers in this State:
When The Citizen declared a few
weeks ago that the Morning Gazette
Ind sold out to the Republican lead
ers it was not announcing q prophe-
cy, but simply stating q fact. There
was no changing of convictions, but
a sale of them. This is conclusively
shown by the fact that it had
changed It's political views. The sale
it had concluded stipulated that du-
plicity was to follow apostacy.
1T is not remarkable that such a
paper should now be talking of'polit-
zeal freedom and declaring that in
North Carolina a man cannot utter
his views on a political issue if these
views conflict with those of a class
of citizens about him, nor cast his
vote contrary to theirs, without suf-
fering ostracism.'
1T is not remarkable that a pa
per that has that high order of in
telligence that leads it to sell itself
for dollars should declare that the
only hope for political tolerance in
the community and State in which it
is published is in the increase of in
telligence before which this class
prejudice must disappear
1T is not strange that a paper that
has bartered it's manhood for money
and sold it's principles for gold,
should declare that the last political
campaign in this State reached the
climax, we believe, IN the triumph
of prejudice
SIT is not strange that a paper that
assisted in the election of the major
ity of the last Legislature should,
after betraying that majority for a
consideration, declare that the spirit
of the campaign ruled the Legisla
ture and it is in the light of this
Legislature that the impulse that
controlled the campaign stands re-
vealed.'
"It is not remarkable that a news
paper that stood as the peculiar
champion of white supremacy a few
months ago should now, after sell
ing itself to the champion of the ne
gro, assert that the issue of white
supremacy was a fraud. Tt was the
one above all others on which the
active prejudice in a portion of the
State at least could be arraigned,
with the power of well planned and
concerted action on the part of
adroit politicians and a servile
press
1T is not to be wondered at that
q ape whose opinions are for sale
as SO much merchandise should de
clare, after having received unusual
~courtesies from the members of a
body, the majority of which it aided
in eleeting, that "a more reckless
body of men never met to draw laws
of this State than the General As
sembly of 1899. It was partisan to
the core.
I'm fact, nothing that may be said
by the Morning Gazette in the way
of vilifcation and abuse of the Dem
ocratie party and the white people
of North Carolina can IN the least
surprise any one. That paper came
into being for purposes of deception
and fraud. Under the smile of the