The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-05-22
Miscellaneous.
THE REPUBLICAN, STATE PLATFoRN

ted Correspondence Until Now.
We re-affirm our allegiance to the
principles of the Republican party
as set forth in the National platform
of 1896.
We endorse without condition and
with enthusiasm the administration
of President Mckinley, and we in
strUct our delegates to vote for his
denomination. "..
Every sound that greets the ear
and every sight that meets the. eye
is an argument in favor of the con
Jtinuance of Republican policies now
in successful operation throughout
this broad land. AS if by magic, de
spair has given place to joy, dis
tress has been converted into pros
perity, and no section has been more
signally benefited than the South,
and no part of the South more bene-
flied than North Carolina.
The Democrats in our own State
are left absolutely without cause of
complaint against the National ad-
ministratiOn, and have been com
PEELED to r~esUrrect the ghost of ne
gro domination in order to distract
public attention and if possible pre-
vent people from endorsing at
the polls the splendid achievements
of William Mckinley in the execu-
ton of Republican policies at home
and abroad. -...
In spite of the official records
which show that there has been no
negro domination and no possibility
of negro domination in the State or
in any Of it's counties during the past
quarter of a century, the Democratic
leaders have determined to wage the
coming campaign upon the race issue
alone, and they go before the people
with a scheme of disfranchisememt
which is the most impudent assault
upon the Constitution of the United
States and the most shocking act Of
party perfdy ever attempted by
men who recognize the obligation of
an oath or the sanctity of a public
pledge.
In the last campaign these Demo
cratic leaders published in their
handbook, which was distributed by
thousands throughout the State, the
following explicit declaration and
promise, to-wit:
"The Constitution gives the right
of suffrage to all male persons over
81 years of age not disqualified by
crime, and the legislature cannot add
or take away a letter from that.
That a be done only by the people,
and the Democrats will never sub
nit any proposition to the people to
take from a man his right to vote"
They do not deny making this
promise they do not deny breaking
it, and while it was fresh on their
lips, without explanation, without
apology, without remOrse, without
even the excuse the excuse of neces-
sity, they proceed to sacrifice the
victims whom that promise had de
luded and they a 7 appeal to men
of honor, even to the ministers of the
God of Truth, to aid them in violat-
ing the truth and to become parties
to this monumental act of perfidy.
These Democratic leaders are kind
enough to inform US that the legisla-
ture cannot "add to or take away a
letter from the qualifications of the
voter, and yet they proceed to pass
an election law which by the double
process of adding and taking
away" imposes an educational quail
fcation which will disfranchise as
many voters as the amendment it
self.
Thus they put into operation the
very provision on which they invite
the people to pass Judgment; they
exclude the victims intended for sacri-
fee, and leave the election solely to
those who are fortunate. enough to
be able to read the labels on the bal
lot-box. They first condemn. the
ilIiterates of both races, and. try
them afterwards. =. ..u.. :.,
The highest court in our. State has
decided that provisions IDENTICAL in
purpose and effect with certain parts
of this election law are unconstitu-
tional, and that all proceedings had
under such laws are null and void.
We therefore warn the authors of
this infamous, perfdioUs1and invalid
statute that they need not hope to
enter the National Senate or House