The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-07-26
Mr.. Simmons TO
THE PRESIDENT.
Chairman F. N. Simmons Has Sent
THE FOLLOWING LETTER TO
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY,
Democratic Headquarters
State Executive Committee,


State Executive Committee,
Raleigh N. c., July Is, 1900
Honorable William Mckinley, the
President, Executive Mansion, Wash
ington City, D. c.:
Slr-The people Of this State viii
hold general State election on the
second day Of August of this year, fol
the purpose OF e!ectlng county and State
officers and TO take the sense OF the
people upon proposition to amend
the constitution of the State, No Fed
eral officer will be elected or voted fol
at this election and before the nation
al election in November, under the
State election law, the registration
books will be open for five days to
give every elector not already register
"a an opportunity to have his name
placed on the registration books.
In the consideration and determin-
alton of these purely local questions, !
respectfully submit that our people
are entitled to exemption from med
dlesome Interference on the part ol
Federal office holders, whether acting
officially, under color of their Office, OF
individually, By using the opportuni-
ties given them to unduly influence
those with whom they are iyested in a
manner intended and calculated to
over awe and lntimidate the electors
OF the State in the exercise Of theirfree
will at the ballot box, Or the election
officers OF the State in the discharge OF
their official duties.
Both as citizen of this State and
as the chosen representative of polit-
cal party numbering l78,OOO voters,
| feel warranted by the conditions now
existing In the State in making the
charge that your appolntees located
in this State are now daily, and since
the inception OF the political campaign
now in progress, have been faerantly
and openly, without the slightest at
tempt at disguise or concealment,
using their official positions, the in
dividual Influence which they give, the
opportunities which they afford and
the power with which they invest
them, not only to control the conven-
tions and The voters Ct the political
party to which they belong, but to
unduly influence voters OF the oppos-
itlon party, to ccerce and intimidate
the individual citizen in the exercise ct
his political rights, and to browbeat
and intinldate the election officers
OF the State in the discf arge of their
duties, To the great scandal of your ad-
ministration and in defiance of the
letter as we'll as the spirit and princi-
ples OF The constitution and the socalled
civil service laws of Congress,
70 the maintenance OF
which your administration is
nledged in the most solemn manner.
In making these charges but give
expression to the righteous. protest OF
The people OF this State against this
open infraction of the highest political
rights guaranteed to them by the COM
pact between them and the Federal
government, namely. the right OF sell
government, unhampered By Federal
interference.
So far has this thing OF interference
by Federal office holders gone In this
State this year that if we were not en-
gagged In the discussion and attempted
settlement OF question which v'ia'l..
affects our civilization, the paramount
issue in thie State to-day would be
whether we are to have government by
the people or by the Federal office
holders.
l beg most respectfully to give you
brief outline and summary of some
of the facts upon which base these
charges and statements:
The Republican campaign in North
Carolina opened with the meeting IN
this city on the 18th day of May, 1900
OF the Republican State convention.
This convention was largely conven-
ton OF Federal office-holders. 1t was
composed of two hundred and forty
delegates. A leading Republican OF
this city openly stated few DAYS sub
sequent to its adjournment that more
than half of these delegates held Fed
eral offices aud that they completely
dominated its deliberations. A Leading
newspaper of this city published dur
Ing the session Of this convention the
names OF nearly one hundred OF these
delegates, giving the Federal offices
held by each. send you herewith the
names of some of those who were either
delegates or present. participating and
directing its deliberations. Among
them are numerous postmasters, deputy
marshals, store-keepers, gaugers collect
ors and customs deputies, census en-
umerators, departmental officials, the
two collectors OF internal revenue for
the eastern and western districts, the
district attorneys for these two districts,
etc.
This convention appointed delegates
to the National Republican convention
at Philadelphia. l have not list OF
these delegates, but the delegation was
composed largely of those holding the
chief Federal positions in the State,
among them Collectors of Internal
Revenue Ducan and Harkins and Post
master Bailey OF this city.
The chairman of the State Executive
committee of the Republican party
is the Hon. A. E. Holton, United
States district attorney for the Western
district of this State, and on this COM
mittee are many OF the leading Federal
Office holders of the State.
It is notorious in this State that Fed
eral office-holders not only controlled
the State convention OF the Republican
party this year, but that they have
2ISSHS CURE FOR r.