The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-03

was the Democratic nominee, but he never
advocated CIR opposed the Goebel election
law. That was a matter of purely State
interest which the Democrats could re-
tain or amend as seemed best to them,
but the success of the Democratic party
in that pivotal State was of vast impor-
lance to the national Democracy and
therefore he canvassed Kentucky, but
even then he discussed national ques-
tons exclusively.
The only outside testimony presented
by the Democrats in the campaign for the
amendment was as to its operations in
Louisiana And that was introduced be-
cause the opponents of the amendment
had asserted that under the operation
of the law in Louisiana. illiterate white
men had been denied the right of suf-
frage. In order to disprove that charge
a mass of testimony was presented to
show that the charge was not true. That
was necessary because the grandfather
clause in the North Carolina amendment
was taken from the Louisiana Constitu
tion.
81 do not know the name of the anony
nous correspondent OF the Charlotte OBJ
server who makes the charge against Mr..
Bryan, but the article bears the ear
marks of one who supported Mckinley in
1885, ard will either vote for him again
this year or give him his moral support
by antagonizing Bryan. The Mckinley
ties have sought in every way to create
diversion IN the Democratic ranks. and
this canard was reserved in the hope that
it would succeed where others failed. As
it has no foundation whatever to rest
upon, it shows to what lengths the McKin-
leyites will go to iniure the Democratic
party. Even with a solid negro vote of
more than an hundred thousand and a
horde of red-legged grasshoppers actively
at work, and with the circulation of such
attacks, Mr. Bryan continues to grow in
popular favor. The people know that he
is honest and big, that he has the cour-
age Of his convictions, and that he is I'M
der the influence or control of no man
or set of men The attempt to represent
a man of Mr.. Bryan's lofty integrity and
character as in any way subject to the
influence OF little trickster like Butler
will not succeed even with Bryan's strong
est opponents. They know that he totes
his own skillet does his own thinking
and IS sun crowned
The article was shown to Chairman Sim
mons. He said its publication was mis-
take and an effort to prejudice the minds
of Democrats against Mr.. Bryan; that the
statements made in it are without
foundation and do Mr.. Bryan an injustice.
Mr. Simmons added, emphatically:
81 know Mr. BRIAN failure to discuss
the amendment. or any other question,
had no earthly reference to Butler or Pop
ulisn:.
at was the result of a general policy
pursued by him everywhere. not to take
any part in local politics. This was what
Mr. Bryan said when he was asked wheth-
er he would refer in his speeches in North
Carolina to local matters"
Mr.. Simmons further said, in discussing
the matter. that he had the most conclu-
sive reasons for believing that Mr.. Bryan
did not then nor now have any entanging
alliances with Butler.
at would doubtless have helped us" he
went on to say. ito have had Mr.. Bryan
refer to the Amendment, and many other
local ratters. but it IS mot the custom
of Presidential candidates to discuss To-
cal questions, and in emitting to do this
Mr.. Bryan was simply following a well
known custom.
"He did. however. in course of his
speech at the Academy OF Music, in an in
cidental way, make an assault upon GER
tain schemes of reconstruction that were
| then being pressed before the United
States Senate and aimed at North Caro-
lima and other Southern States; and ii
will be remembered by those who heard
F, this speech that it. created a scene of wild
| est applause and enthusiasm. Everybody
! understood the allusion and many of those
present rose to their feet cheering. The
| demonstration lasted for at least a minute,
| and interrupted the speech.
"The reconstruction schemes referred
| to by Mr.. Bryan were then being pressed
! by Pr:tchard and Butler in the Senate.
thus raising the question of the amend
ment in a national way. Mr.. Bryan could
/ therefore, allude to them in course OF his
remarks without violating the rule above
/ referred TO-
CAPT. ASHES STATEMENT.
Captain S. A. Ashe said:
"Ia regard to the statement reprinted
| in The Morning Post from the Charlotte
Observer over the signature of X-'Sim-
/
| of offending Marion Butler, MIR. Bryan
| deliberately turned his back upon the
Democrats of North Carolina in theh
struggle over the adoption of the Consti
tutional Amendment believe it to be
| entirely the product of vivid magma
| ton inflamcd by a desire to throw pin
| darts at Mr.. Bryan and without any
| basis of fact to sustain it.
81 passed the day with Mr.. Bryan on
| his trip from Richmond to Raleigh, and
| certainly on that occasion there was
nothing said or done by him that sus
| tains the above statement.
cit could not reasonably have been ex
| pected that Mr.. Bryan while making q
| campaign on national issues before the
entire country would have discussed our
| proposed Constitutional Amendment. II
| it was ever proposed to him by any one,
| he showed his good sense in declining
81 have always believed that North
| Carolinians could manage their local af-
! fairs without the aid Of outsiders: and ]
! have never seen any good result from
! having outsiders to discuss our local is
! sues.
1T would have been blunder had Mr.
! Rryan undertaken to discuss this par