The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-05-17

gala day Of the Democrats OF the
soun,y hes come and passed away.
From The display Of energy in send
Ing out notices far and vide. We
thought the crowd would be Immense,
and that largo numbers would 70.
spond to the magnetic influences OF
the head OF the Democratic ticket,
bat u did not turn ont TO be %. or |
come no 10 our expectations. There |
vas q a ,urish Of trumpets, and the
eloquent Aycock and the other can
didatss were met ut the depot by .
very few people outside OF the band
and military company. Whom We
looked Of the small number OF poo
pie which accompanied. the caudi-
dates 10 the hotel, we wondered IL II
could really be the TIN day OF May in
the year OF grace l90O-so much
talked about by our Democratic
friends, who led us to believe there
would be several thousand from this
and adjoining counties, and We must
confess that we were greatly sur
priced TO 6od the armory only half
full of people, including negroes and
men Of all shades Of political opin-
Ion.
Mp,filmer il . pleasant speaker.
.at We fear his dreams must be
greatly disturbed by the apprehen-
sion avoused by the distorted crea-
lions OF his fertile Imagination. One
would imagine from what he stated,
that pictures OF negro domination IN
the East we're 80 terrible, that with
comm consent, irrespective OF par
ty afilfation, the men OF the West
had arisen in their might and said
We will stand by the East, and rid
the State OF this terrible incubus--the
negro. IL may be 80, but We hardly
think 10 can be. for we believe the
people Of the West have some sense
left, and that they will hesitate a
long time before they will vote for
the Constitutional Amendment, and
run the risk OF DISTINGUISHING white
men, their neighbors and friends
Mr.. Turner loves to talk, and while
he was talking q Democrat, who sat
next to us, asked when We thought
LIE would stop speaking. We told
him Ne did not know, and he re-
piled with an oath, he wished he
would do II nov.
One Of Mr.. Turner'S notable state
nents while here, so We were inform
cd, Was, IF you send for q doctor
and he prescribes bad medicine, or q
pill You would take IL withou'
asking any questions, and the Con
stitutiopsl Amendment having been
prepared by the best legal minds IN
the State, II is your duty and the
duty Of the DSmocrstic party to take
n without asking apv questions. Mr.
fufper wants to be Lieutenant CIV.
sr~or yeYv much. but Ne doubt il he
will get the msssss Of the people "a
take the prescription proposed BY
his party After the windy speecb
Of brother Turner Mr.. Aycock was
introduced by W. M. Bond, E>q
Who stated in substance that Mr.. Az.
cock would be the next Governor, il
the white people voted together and
that no power beneath the throne Of
God and above earth could prevent
IL. Il 10 true that IL all the white
people vote solidly for Mr.. Aycoel
he would certainly be ell. cted, bu
Will they do thisf We think not, ant
II there il fair count that the con
trary will appear. And We thinl
that IL there 10 . fair couut even il
the white counties. that Mr. Aycocl
will have to give up the commend
able ambition that he has OF beius
Governor Of this grand old common
wealth Of Ours, no matter how mucl
Il may BE- traduced or belittled by de
signing demagogues. 1t is . notice
able fact that Mr.. Aycock ID not ont
Of beauty's pets, but he is q goo'
speaker and presents his side OF tb
question with ability and eloquence
and great adroitness and plansibili
ty, but with greater powers than b.
has, 10 10 simply impossible to chang
the legal status Of the constitutions
question presented to the people TO
settlement. It would be as easy don
as TO change the spots on the skin o
the leopard. The obi sct and purpos
Of the amendment is SO apparent
and its eject SO de fulte, that it seem
TO us no right thinking man ca
make any mistake as to its tru
meaning, or standing in court, whe
compared with the 14th and 15t
amendments TO the Constitution Q
the United States No one woul
hesitate to declare the propose
amendment unconstitutional, il i
apt words Is or SO, 900 negroes wer
directly disfranchised. Now, IL til
negro cannot be dlsfranchised by d
rect enactment, how can he be di'
franchised by indirect enactment
There are only two ways to accomE
hsh Acknowledgement, frst, by diret
snactmsnt; second, by indirect or
Actment, and of the latter class tn
constitutional amendment as Pre-
posed is an adroitly drawn example
Examine 1t carefully and you wi
hnd that il comes mp to the fu
measure, and is nothing more tina
an sIroitly drawn enactment to dii
franchise not only the negro, but tn
unsducated classes, which com
within its provisions.
Mr.. Aycock in his speech made q
admission which stands ont IN Dol
relief, when he declared that afte
the August election there would b
honest elections ia North Carolins
and that every white man could the
vote a. he pleased and have his vot
fairly counted. Ia it necessary I
make any comment on this STATE
ment, which 90 plainly and pointed
~ displays the unfsirus ss OF til
present election lawf Uodsr III
forms oflaw and in the name Of ju,
tice, many wrongs are committed
and in due seaaon We believe eve
Mr.. Ayc,ck viii understand in
practical vsy, his reference to tn
fruits OF IT justice perpstratsd upo
long suffering people, which he 8
81 quently portrayed in his speee
made In the Democratic State Coz
vsntiop. IL men will think >fc
themselves, and not allow their pre-
U6ieau IN aoutvnl than ua ara an