The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-14
WHOLLY UNRELIABLE

WHOLLY UNRELIABLE
Some days ago a Republican who lives
West of Asheyille was in Raleigh and he
carried joy into the ranks Of the Fusion
lists by declaring that the majority against
the amendment in Buncombe alone would
exceed 1000 and would probably go to
LOO. He represented the whole West
as in like manner opposed to the amend
ment and said that the Democrats might
as well get ready for another 1894
Waterloo" 1t has also been published
all over the country that i'll Buncombe
the Democrats go out in great numbers to
hear anti-amendmcnt orators speak but
the amendment. These stories. repeated
with the usual eXaggerationS, have been
widely disseminated, and have alarmed
some Democrats who have heard them.
The truth is that a few Democrats i'll
BuncOmbe have doubts about the
amendment. but they are few in number
and their Doubts are based upon n miss
understanding. When they understand it
fully, they will vote for it as solidly as
the Republicans will vote against it.
The following private letter, not writ
ten for publication, tells Of an amendment
meeting in strong anti-amendment
stronghold and shows something of the
sentiment in a township where the Repub
leans claimed that the amendment had
no friends:
I'VE had successful time at the meet
ing at Ivy on the first of January. The
thermometer was about zero and Il biz
zard splitting snow frCm the North pole.
A Republican who had control Of the
church where speakings have been from
time immemOrial would not allow us to
use that house. He had nailed it up, talk
ing away the stove pipes and ''Gorated'
ii throughout the county that if any
speaking was held ON Big Ivy on that day
JANUARY 1sD it would have to be out
of doors. OF course that was impossible.
Heretofore when speakings have been
appointed at this place the weather has
been warm and Il house not absolutely
necessary.
large crowd had assembled at the church
and were standing in the coll-300 voters.
1t was ascertained that the Democrats
could get house three-quarters of Il mile
up the creek so the crowd to Il man fol-
lowed the speakers up there.
Justice spoke for an hour and twenty
minutes and Craig for two hours. The
people listened in the spirit of men who
wanted to hear something on their side
of the questions and as if they were en-
Enthusiastically satisfied with what they
did hear. If the weather had been good
the whole country would have been there.
Considering the weather and the circCm-
stances, the meeting was wonderful sue
cess.
This section (Big IVY was said to be
more strongly opposed to the amendment
than any section in this whole country
In fact leading Republican, had SAID
that the sentiment was so strong that
NO speech for the amendment would be
allowed there. Knowing that this was
Republican, stronghold and more likely TO
be against the amendment than any other
section the Democrats appointed TINS
speaking Justice made strong speech
Craig put this question: Let
every man in this audience
who had father or grand
father who could vote in 1867 or prior
thereto raise his right hand" Everybody.
Republicans and Democrats. raised their
hands Then Mr. Craig told them that
no man in that audience could be disfran-
chised unless he denied his lineage-his
race-his father and grandfather and
sware that he was 'nigger' or the
swore that he was niger of the son
or grandson of a niger This was
received with great enthusiasm
If meeting of that character could
he held in the terribly cold weather OF
the first of January it is safe to say
that with good weather the ''unterritied'
would have assembled there in great num-
bors.