The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-11
Kitchin For Congress in the Second
District.

To the Editor Halifax county
presents for nomination for Congress,
in the Second Congressional District,
Mr. Claude Kitchin, one of the most
gifted men she has ever produced.
Halifax feels that by reason of her
long record of faithfulness, her al
most superhuman efforts in support
of the party in every crisis, partic-
ularlv her wonderful achievements i'll
the last and most desperate struggle,
she can lay better claim to this
nomination than any other county in
the District.
Years ago, she was cut off with the
BLACK District" and abandoned as
being in too helpless a condition to
help. But nothing can discourage the
Democrats of Halifax. To them, there
are no impossibilities. With their
indomitable pluck. they fought their
own way out of that condition, and
although hampered by the largest ne
gro vote of any county in the State,
(about two to one), for the last fiji
teen years. she has so regularly plac
ed herself in the Democratic column.
that she has become one of the surest
bulwarks of Democratic strength. In
State turns to her with full assur-
ance that she will prove pillar of
strength. and she has never failed in
any emergency. From the banner
county of the Republicans, she has
fought her way, through difficulties
and over obstacles that would have
appalled, any other people, to very
near the banner county of Democracy,
which goal she will reach in one more
fight.
= But~it was in the desperate strug-
gle of 1898 that she sigralized her
self: not alone by her achievement,
but by the resolute and uncomproms
ing way in which she stood firmly by
the principles of the party, under the
most appalling cloud that overhung
any county in the State. She was
one of the first counties in the State
to hold her convention. and although
menaced by a Republican majority OF
$500 passed resolutions unequivocal-
ly opposing compromise with any 9th
er party. and instructing her dele
gates to the State convention to vote
against fusion.
Fighting the battle on this line, in
spite of the fact that the enemy was
entrenched behind its own partisan
election machinery with innumerable
offices to dispense, and had Steptoe
bench warrants on demand, she elect
ed the Democratic county ticket, with
out a single compromise, from Con-
stable up, by majority of 1900, and
gave the State ticket over 1000 ma
jority. gain of $500 votes, which
was not e0laled by any other county.
The majority given by Halifax for
the State ticket, exceeded that of ev-
cry other county in the District com
bined, exclusive of Wayne. The COM
bined majority of every other county
in the District, including Wayne, eX-
ceeded that of Halifax by only about
800.
Having for number of years been
the banner county of the District,
and destined soon to hold the banner
of the State; having led the District
in the desperate fight of 1898, and not
having been represented on the State
or National ticket in twenty years,
we feel that we can justly claim this
nomination.
The man we present. deserves the
nomination upon his own merits.
Ever since his arrival at manhood.
he has been one of the most enthusi-
astic and effective party workers
have ever known. AS a leader. he is
courageous, tactful and discreet, new
err, under any circumstances, coun-
tenancing the compromise of princi-
pie: believing is better to go down
with the right, than to fOrsake it, and
succeed 1t was mainly due to his
leadership. and to the courage and
pride with which his eloouence in
spired our people, that Halifax coun-
ty took such an uncomprOmising and
bold stand in 1898. And | have no
doubt that the publication throughout
the State, of our strong resolution,
coming from the largest negro county
in the State, together with a very
able letter of Mr.. Kitchin's on the
subject of fusion, had great deal to