The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-03
THE CANDIDATES
At W|L-MINGTO
New Hanover's People Alive
to the Issue.
GREAT DEMONSTRATION
Streets Ablaze With Torches and Alive
With Marchars.
.AYCOCK REFUTEs PRiTCHARD'S CLAIM
Pritchard Had Sought to Prove the Amendment
Unconstitutional. Aycock Reiterate His
Pledge. Mr.. Lacy Makes Short
But Brilliant Speech.
But Brilliant Speech.
Especial to News and observer)


Especial to News and Observer.)
Wilmington, N. c., May 2.-This has
been a red letter day for New Hanover
Democracy, as well as for all this section
of Eastern Carolina. And it was espe-
cially appropriate and fitting that it
should have been so, for it was here that
the fight for white supremacy reached its
most substantial form and it was in this
city, before negro ridden and in the
hands of incompetent Republican spoils-
men, that Anglo-S Saxon citizenship eX-
hibited itself in a form and manner which
in one day delivered the city and county
government from the hands OF corrupt
officials into the guardianship of d party,
the principles of which are The only safe
guard to the rights and privileges of we'll
meaning citizens of all classes. The tight
before was fer temporary supremacy, but
in the fate of the Constitutional Amend
ment at the POLLS in August, the people
here today seemed to realize ,he perma
nency of the glorious object for winch
they contended November one gear ago.
1t was a grand demonstration and one
section may well feel proud.
Hon. Charles b. Aycock, proclaimed by
many a banner and float today as Our
next Governor" arrived with the other
State candidates on The q O'Clock !. c.
l.. train this morning from Gollsb 'ro.
Their approach was heralded by a salute
from one of the big Howitzer guns OF the
Wilmington Division Naval Reserves and
a reception committee consisting CT
Chairman E. F. Johnson. IF the County
Executive committee, Messrs. d. Nc
Eachern G. II. Smith, w. 4. Wright. J.
G. Stevenson Marcus w. JacObi, j. A.
Taylor w. f. Springer, Brooke C. Empie,
G. J. Boney, j. w. Jackson and H. L. Vol
lers were in waiting at the station TO
receive them. They are being entertained
during their stay here at The Orton and
this afternoon the party was driven ever
the city in carriages. Later they were
royalty entertained aboard the handsome
passenger steamer Wilmington for a jri3
along the Cape Fear.
To night came the most elaborate DEM
onstration in the grand horseback and
torch light procession marshalled into
line by Captain w. p. Oldham and Mir.
George Harriss. Music was furnished by
the Second Regiment and Fifth Ward
bands and the parade was along the Ll;n-
cipal streets of the city, ending az the
place of speaking. Incoming trains today
brought many visitors from neighboring
counties and these joined heartily in the
demonstrations.
THE CANDIDATES SPEECHES.
The speaking took place in the opera
house after the the torch-light procession,
AoI
overfowing with representative people cf
all classes and conditions.
Many ladies graced the occasion With
their presence.
Mr. Aycock spoke last He was intro
duced by Marsden Bellamy, Esq, and was
greeted with prolonged applause. When
able to proceed he referred to the sturdy
citizenship of the lower Cape Fear and
the achievement of the people here in
the past The conditions in Wilmington
prior to the great victory of 1898, were
recounted in eloquent language and the
substantial manifestation OF the determ-
nation Of the white people to rule was
commended. He said that the Popuist
party was to the front with a proposition
to eliminate the negro in the matter of
office holding, but that it is the determ-
nation of the white people of the State
to silence this vote entirely.
The Constitutional Amendment was dis
cussed at length. He said that the Dem
ocratic party had never entertained
proposition to disfranchse single white
voter for of the white people alone is
composed the party. He paid a beautiful
tribute to the Confederate soldier who
could not read and write and declared
that not one of these, or of their de-
scendants would be disfranchised The
amendment permitted every white man
to vote and it disfranchised only $4,000
negroes Mr.. Aycock humorously re-
marked.
Senator Prtchard' S utterances along the
line of the constitutionality of the amend
ment were thoroughly and successfully
controverted. The franchise issue would
be an incentive to education, he said,
and there was no reason why a single
white manu- should oppose it, He had
only hatred and contempt for men who
seek to place an impediment in the way
of education by opposing the amendment.
He said that if elected to the office CT
Governor the four years of his term
would be devoted to creating an interest
in education and diffusing knowledge in
every section of the State.
He saw in the adoption of the amend
nent an era of prosperity for North Car
clina and an age of craftsmanship He
called upon Democrats everywhere