The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-07-19
(From Our Regular Correspondents

RALEIGH, n C., July II. 1900.
At one OF the Raleigh hotels yesterday
l fell into an interesting conversation
with a well posted and exceedingly in
telligent drummer (as most of his tribe
are) from South Carolina. He had Just
read one of the ep.-Pop fusion campaign
circulars that Abe Middleton and Holton
issue periodically from the Greensboro
headquarters of the enemy-and which,
by the way, are now coming thick and
fast, the State being flooded with anti
amendment 'literature,' most of it con-
sisting OF the most barefaced and living
assertions.
Il see said he. that these fellows
assert that some white men have been
disfranchised in South Carolina by the
law which has largely eliminated the ne
gro vote; indeed, if circular | saw to-
day is to be believed and credited, a large
proportion of white men Cpoor white
men, as they term them,) cannot vote
now in my State, and they point to the
light vote pOlled occasionally as proof
positive of the assertion
at is a rank lie' added the drummer,
feelingly. There is not a white man in
South Carolina. not a convicted criminal,
that cannot vote, be he ever so poor or
ignorant. And what is more, they do all
vOte-at the primaries, especially, where
all our candidates are northumberland a
poor or ignorant white man never had as
much voice in the selection of the can
dldates OF the Democratic party as he has
had since the negro was eliminated and
primaries held for the selection of our
candidates.
THE FLIGHT VOTE EXPLAINED.
1t happens in some campaigns that
thousands OF white vOters-Of all classes
and conditions in life, rich and poor, the
ignorant and unettered, as well as the
intelligent and educated-do not go to
the pools and vote on the legal election
day.
But this is from choice and not from
necessity, and is easily explained
AS | have said, our candidates are
selected and nominated at the primaries
(Which all white men attend; we have no
Populists and but a few hundred white
Republicans in the State), and as the ne
gro has been pretty well eliminated from
politics and can no longer kill the votes
OF white men at the polls, the latter rest
satisfied, after making their nominations
are certain to be elected, do not to a
more or less extent, take the trouble to
go to tie polls on the legal election day
and so the vote polled, and published to
the. world in allthe returns and tabulated
statements OF the almanacs and news
papers, appears to be and is really a light
one.
But if the votes polled at the primaries
(our real election day. We're used in
making up the figures, instead of those
polled at the legal election, the returns
would be very different and Il good deal
larger.
THAT is the whole thing in a nutshell
Every man has a voice in the selection of
the Democratic candidates, and the bal
lot OF the poor and unlettered white man
counts for as much as that of the bank
president and the wisest man in the
State. All are content, and you never
hear any OF this rot anent poor white
men being disfranchised in South Caro-
lima at home.
1T will be the same way here in your
State after the adoption of the amend
ment to your Constitution for see your
State convention declared for the primary
plan (already partially in use in North
Carolina) and provided for the enactment
OF laws legalizing the same after this
year.
Your enemies must be in dire straits
to attempt topalm off such transparent
lie on the white people of North Carolina
misled by it.