The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-02
THE CANVASS CLOSES
Eloquent Addresses at Nash
Square Last Night.
Messrs. Lacy, Argo, Ryan and Douglas Speak
at St. Matthews to Enthusiastic
Crowds.


dates closed their canvass by speak
ing in Nash Square last night.
= Fully $500 people greeted the speak
ers. They were earnest-faced and So
ber and all intent upon getting more
light upon the question which is of
such vital Importance, and which is
today to meet its final adjudication.
A large number of ladies were there
and seemed deeply interested. This
campaign concerns them more than
any that has been waged since 1876.
1t was an amendment symposium.
Neither of the speakers requested q
vote for himself and referred only to
their candidacy in a very Indirect
way. The question that was discussed
was the amendment. Their aim was
to make it's provisions so plain that
no one need be in doubt as to- what
it means and what it's effect will be.
Mr.. r. n. Simms, candidate for
the House, was the first speaker.
This is Mr.. Simms first experience in
politics, but he bears himself like an
old campaigner. Mr.. Simms said that
by dire experience the people of North
Carolina had discovered that they
must do something that would elimi-
nate the negro from politics, and at
the. same time leave the white man.
He said the amendment was the medi-
cine needed, and showed by applying
its operation to every conceivable
class of white men that no native
born white man whose ancestor could
vote in 1867, would be DISTINGUISHED.
At times he assembled into bursts
of real elOuuence.
Mr. Eugene Beddingfeld was the
second speaker. He argued that the
right to vote is a weapon for otfense
and defense. A man who uses such a
weapon, ignorant of its nature, will
iniure himself and others. He refuted
the silly argument that the twelve
year-old boys would not have an OPP
portunity of learning how to read
and write before 1908. His speech was
clear and forcible throughout, and his
very earnestness made friends for tho
amendment.
Mr.. Needham Broughton closed the
speaking. When he arose to speak the
night had far advanced but he held
the attention of the crowd through
out his entire speech. He dealt main
w with local matters, and reminded
Lee, who couldn't give bond for q
bale of hay, was Sheriff of Wake
county. and when Pap Boots was Chief
of Police Eveidently people were
present to whom his words brought
up vivid recollections. When he said
that Senator Butler would never
again be Senator from North Carolina,
the applause was deafening.
All three of the speakers acquitted
themselves handsomely. Wake coun-
ty will have in the next Legislature
n delegation the equal Of any in the
State.
SPEAKING AT ST. MATTHEW'S.
Tt was feast of good things that
the good people Of St. Matthews town
ship spread before their invited
friends at Wilder's Grove yesterday.
1t was a most happy and successful
winding up of splendid county cam
paign.
The local committee, the Messrs.
Dunn. Bartholomew. Hinton, Hay
wood and others left nothing un-
finished to make the meeting a great
success.
A round thousand people there and
they all Toasted, their bodies and
minds were both abundantly provided
for; there was plenty and to spare
of the most delicious barbecue and
other tempting viands, and the
speeches were superb.
The first speaker was Mr.. w. {.
Douglass, who made, as he always
makes, clear, convincing argument
that found safe Judgment in the minds
of his many hearers.
ID ID 1,O
speaker The people We're anxious
to see and hear Ben Lacy, their popu-
lar candidate for State Treasurer,
that they cheered him as he arose
to speak, and they applauded his
strong and forceable arguments in
| favor of white rule in North Caro-
| lima.
After his speech hundreds of them
went up to shake his hands and to
pledge their support.
After Mr.. Lacy's speech dinner was
| served. When dinner was over Col.
| Thos. NJ. Argo was introduced TO the
reassembled crowd by Mr.. T.. G. Dunn.
Col. Argo spoke not from the stand
point of a partizan but the stand
point of a patriot, no. MS an office
holder or office-seeker, but MS loyal
deeply interested citizen. lie spoke
plainly, bluntIy, for,ibly, rs he al
ways speaks. He discussed the
| amednment in all it's phases and left
the opposition not single INCH OF de-
| cent ground to stand upon.
The concluding speech was made
by Mr.. S. G. Ryan, who is not given
to political experimenting, and is
heard in campaigns only when in his
opinion vital questions are at issue.
He made a strong speech yesterday.
The meeting was a great success,
and it was said after the speaking
was over that nearly every white man
in the township was ready to line up
for the amendment and the white
mans ticket.