The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-07
OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN.

When the Democratic Executive
Committee met in this city on the
18th of last December, much Roadway
had been made by our enemies in
their despicable attempts to deceive
the people, and the political situa-
ton was altogether unsatisfactory.
After full discussion of the condi
tons as they then existed, the com
mittee decided that it was the part
of prudence to open the campaign
at once, and the chairman of the
committee was directed to take steps
to that end. On the 1st day of jan
uary headquarters were opened, and
from that time until the election the
chairman of the Committee gave his
entire time to the campaign. Jan
uary and February were devoted to
ascertaining the exact situation, get
ting together the names of those who
had become disaffected, and in send
ing out carefully prepared literature.
The balance of the time between then
and the meeting of the State con
vention was devoted to getting the
county and township organizations in
good working condition, and in organ
izing for the campaign of education,
which it was seen was necessary to
save the amendment and to carry the
State. During this time arrange
ments were made by which about six
ty-five weekly newspapers published
each week from five to six columns
of campaign matter prepared at head
quarters, while many thousand news
papers and documents were sent out
directly to- the voters in the rural
districts. As a result of these efforts
10 |, ro1 h.,
party organization was in fairly good
working condition when the State
convention met in this city in April,
and it was then apparent to those
acquainted with the situation that
with proper management and thor
ough work and organization, the fight
might be won, although at that time
the situation did not justify too great
confidence.
The State convention was perhaps
not only the largest. but the most en-
thusiastic body that ever assembled
in the State for a similar purpose,
and, as was natural, there followed
from it feeling of over-confidence
on the part of the Democrats, not JUS
titled by the situation. As a result,
nearly three weeks after the adjourn
ment of the convention but little head
way was made in the campaign, and
the tide began to set alarminglv
against us. To counteract this and
to arouse our friends to a full sense of
the danger which threatened us. and
the Importance of renewed effort,
twenty-five thousand personal letters,
setting forth the real conditions and
warning the people against the dan
gers of over-confidence, were sent out
all over the State. Some Of these let
tiers, as was intended, fell into the
hands of orr enemies. AS was natu-
raj. they misunderstood the object of
the letter, and used it so as to help
accomplish its purpose. BY the 10th
of June our friends had made up their
minds that the fight could only be
won by thorough, energetic, system
attic and weIl-directed work, and they
settled themselves down to the task
before them with an admirable deter
mination to win. AS the result of
this systematic work, for the first
time in the history of the State, when
the registration was closed, the com
mittee was put in the possession of
a full poll of the vote, which, by a
process of calculation, showed that
we had won the State by an over
whelming majority. The knowledge
of this fact was the basis of the alb
solute confidence which prevailed dur