The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-26
tPoLITICs IN THE WEST.

than you can find in any other county
in the State, and more kinds of poll
/ tics. 1t is alose county politically. The
/ party division in the county is very
1 sharp and as Il rule Asheyille's vote
settles whether the Democrats or Repub-
| licans carry Buncombe. In 1894 and
| 1896 the Republicans, by importing me-
gro voters. carried Asheyille and sent
| Nirgilus Semper LylSk to the Legisla-
| ture. Virgilius, according to Pritchard,
/ is young enough to come to the Legs
| lature but too old to be Federal Judge.
! In 1898. he was elected to stay at home
and the Democrats redeemed the coun-
| ty. Up to a few weeks ago the Re
! pubicanS have been in the dumps
/ They saw the handwriting on the wall
and felt that their day of doom had
come. Recently-t0 be exact since the
| gathering of pap-suckers and revenue
| doodles at Statesville--a change has
come over the spirit of their dream, and
they are as active and aggressive to-
day as if the campaign was in progress.
At Statesville the barrel was opened
| at the spigot and the faithful ! We're
| told that it would later on be opened
at the bung in order to defeat the Con-
| stitutiona amendment. 1t was de-
cided to begin the fight right here in
Buncombe for three reasons. ]. Because
the Republicans have an organ here in
which they can "blow" their doings: .
BuAcombe is naturally a close county
and a change of few votes alters the
results; 3 There are "a few Democrats
here in the country who do not favor
the amendment. 1t was decided at
that Statewide meeting to organize an
ti-amendment clubs in Buncombe to be-
gin with and to elect a Democrat as
president and herald it far and wide as
indicating IA regular stampede by Demo
Gratis from their party because they
didn't like the amendment. Pursuant to
the cut and dried programme, twelve
Democrats have been found in one
township who do not favor the amend
ment Mr. ID. NJ Luther went out and
organized an anti-amendment club with
Democrat at the head. and the Re
publicans tell the people that most of the
country Democrats are in state of
revolt. That was the story / got from
negro-loving Republican who hopes TO
get Democrats to help keep 100000 ne
groes on the poll-books. / began an
pubicanS lave been very active circulat-
Ing literature and sending men claiming
TO be Democrats through the country to
misrepresent the intent of the amend
ment, and as result there are some
Democrats who are doubtful about the
amendment. They are not numerous
and when they come to see that while
the amendment DISTINGUISHES thousands
of incompetent negro voters, it does not
deprive a single white man of his vote,
those who are now inclined to oppose
the amendment will be among its
strongest champions. ! met one Dem
oc~at who was inclined to oppose the
amendment. If | knew" he said, that
it would rid us of 10000 negro voters,
would gladly support it." That man
is nigh the kingdom. As soon as he
hears the lies of the opponents Of the
amendments exposed, he will be can
yassing for the amendment
The purchase of The Gazette, hereto
fore a Democratic paper, by the Repub-
Leans was a shrewd movement. The
party that gets the people to read most
is the party that wall get their votes. The
tremendous circulation of the Caucasian
in 1894 was the greatest agency that
secured Fusion success. In 1893 it was
the wide circulation Of the North Caro-
linian and other Democratic papers that
did most to disgust the voters with the
fruits of fusion rule. The Republicans
are flooding the county with their new
organ. Hundreds Of copies were distrib-
uted at the Federal court here this
week 1t is ohock full Of fairy tales II
wish to be more than moderate in my
language) about the amendment that
cannot mislead any voter who knows
that its columns have been purchased
or who has carefully read the amend
nsent 1t is not sent to these. The ex-
pcsure of that subsidized sheet has de-
stroyed its influence with those who have
read the exposure. But it isn't easy TO
get that information into all hands and
DIT is because of this that the fairy tales
are spread broadcast.
In order to show the depths to which
the Republicans here descend in order
to deceive the people, / will relate tie
latest fGlsehood that has been given
currency in the county: A few days
ago a Republican was heard telling an
nneducated Democrat that the submits
sion of the amendment was an insult to
Vance's memory (Strange, isn't it. that
these red-legged grasshoppers seek TO
conjure in the name of the man they
always sought to defeatD Among other
things he said: .'As long as Vance lived
no amendment like this could be sub
mitted He would never have permitted
it. In fact once he had to read the
riot act to prevent it, 1t was in 1889,
think, that they We're about to pass the
Payne election law TO disfranchise the
niggers and poor white men. Vance
heard of it. left his seat in Washington,
went to Raleigh, and ordered the party
TO defeat the bill. Now that he is dead,
the Democrats think they can take the
ballot from the poor without hindrance.'
Now, the fellow who told that lie
might not have invented it, but the man
who did invent it ought to get a seat
in the car with Munchausen, and be
carried out with Ananias and Sapphira.
After hearing that story-(and it is be-
ing circulated largely where Vance's
name is reveredD, | met a gentleman
who was in the Legislature referred to.
He was AN intimate friend of Vance,
Western man of character and stand
L. Al = liz