The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-20
VAST CROWDS HEAR THEM
At Night the Attendance of Ladies
Was Immense.
SPEECHES BY GRIMES, GlLMER AND LACY
Aycock's Brilliant Concluding Speech. In an
Interview He Declares the Campaign Has
Shown That the Amendment is
Stronger Than the Ticket.
Special to News and Observe


Especial to News and Observer
Asheville, N. c., April 19.-The Demo-
Asheville, and on both occasions they ad-
dressed large and representative au4
dences. The first speaking was at noon
in the Court House square, near the
Vance monument. The second speaking
was tonight in the Opera House.
Both meetings were a complete success;
the weather conditions were perfect for
an open-air meeting and a crowd of nearly
three thousand filled the Court House
square anxious to hear Mr.. Aycock and
his colleagues on the ticket. They We're
representative people, too, the crowd be-
ing composed of leading citizens from
every portion of the county. good omen
was also the large number of ladies pres
ent.
Previous to the speaking at noon very
pretty and impressive spectacle took
place. 1t was the raising ola White Su
premacy flag by twelve young ladies and
six little girls. The flag was raised on
a 30foot flag pole on top of the Legal
building, on southeast court square The
young ladies who took part in the flag
raising were: Miss Daisy Sawyer, Miss
jamie Cartmell, Miss Virginia Balance,
Miss Genie Smith, Miss Bessie Reeves,
Miss Bonnie Reeves Miss Blanche Ran
dolph, Miss Maud Waddell, Miss Carrie
Reynolds, Miss Grace Venable, Miss Lii
liam Reynolds, Miss Daisy Mcdowell, Miss
Helen Redwood, Miss Todd. The little
girls were: jamie Jones, Elizabeth Will
hanson, Frances Carter, Lizzie Murphy,
Emily Campbell, Sarah Edwards Mcleod.
The young ladies' were chaperoned by Mrs.
Thomas A. Jones and Mrs. Arthur E.
Rankin.
Asheville people had never heard Mr..
Aycock, but his powers as a eampaigner
had been recounted here Though our
expectations were the very highest" said
Hon. Locke Craig tonight, 'Mr. Aycock
and his colleagues has more than salts
fled the desire of the most enthusiastic
Democrats. He made speech this morn
ing that cannot be eXcelled. The vast
audience listened to him thoughtfully
earnestly, and now and then in the
course of his argument were swept along
by his resistless enthusiasm. The speech
did great good confirming those who were
already convinced and satisfying those
who doubted.
These meetings have made us votes
Put Buncombe down for majority Of
one thousand for the ticket and for the
amendment. Don't forget it, we will give
one thousand majority.
Dr. Dixon made a short but most happy
speech, and when he closed the crowd
were most anxious that he speak longer,
although they had been standing for II
long time.
The meeting in the Opera House tonight
was equally successful Every seat was
filled and the standing room was crowd
ed. There was nearly as many ladies
as gentlemen. Merchants, DOCTORS law
yers, business men of all lines and work.
ing men of all trades composed the au-
dience, which must have numbered some
800 Mr. Grimes, Mr.. Lacy and Mr.. Gill
mer made the principal speeches. The
meeting closed with short but Won
derfully brilliant speech by Mr.. Aycock,
creating the greatest enthusiasm.
Mr.. Grimes made an appeal in behalf
of the East, while Mr.. Lacys remarks
were addressed especially to laboring
men, 1.-The last war" he said, "was not
between the North and the South, as
commonly supposed; it was between white
labor and black labor. and the contest
was settled as it must always be set
tied against the weaker race. The labor
ing man is the person most affected by
the negro
The candidates tonight were introduced
by Mr.. J. d. Murphey, county chairman.
At the noon meeting General Theo. f..
Davidson introduced Mr.. Aycock in q
speech that received tremendous ap-
lause. Said he, when / look over this
vast crowd of white men and white wo-
men. / am more and more convinced that
the decree has gone forth and that you
and your people will control the affairs
Of this State. (Great applause). The
white people of North Carolina are no
longer going to allow the destinies of
this State to be harrassed by this great
black crowd. l have never had the
slightest doubt of the constitutionality of
every syllable of the amendment"
Tonight at Battery Park after the
speaking Mr.. Aycock gave me his first in
terview in regard to his impressions of
the campaign and the prospects of the
Democratic ticket as shown by the can
vass thus far. He said 'The campaign
so far has progressed most satisfactorily.
The interest shown by the people is in
tense and absorbing they listen with
much earnestness and stay to the end OF
each meeting. The Democrats are all
active and determined
I'VE found much interest and great en-