The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-04-05

hating at the polls the parity organlZa-
ion chat forced upon them such an
)dious machine system.
In the campaign of 1894 the revolt
in the Democratic party against this
county governing system and
against the open and nctor'o"s "'"".'o''
methods was so large that in spite of
an election law under which at least |
900 votes were stolen, suppressed, |
Or falsely counted, a majority OF 10000 |
was piled up against the Democratic |
party as a reputation OF the machine |
county government system and the |
fraudulent election methods. The is |
sues In that campaign were honest
elections and local selfgoyernment.
The majority of the legislature elect
ed was composed CT Republicans and
populists. who were elected on their
pledge that they would establish a
system OF county local self-govern-
ment. 1t was we'll known to the peo-
pie when they voted that as long as
that strange and anomalous deeision
OF the court to which | have referrei
should stand that under local self-gCy-
ernmenit there would necessarily be
more or less negroes elected to minor
pGSFlOnS III SUuIe VI tItC l"Si'C SI0|
/, arn counties; but there was at the same
! imu strong hope that the Supreme
Court would reverse that troublesome
and, might say what seemed to be an
unnecessary and an unc3lled-for de-
| cision.
| 1t was net, however, until 1897 thar
! the supreme court reversed the coun-
| ty government decision ard held that
| Il was constitutional for the leSisla-
| ture to provide one system Of county
| government for one county and another
| system for another county. This de-
! cision was SO just and so in accord
ance with the constitution that no law
yer OF any party in the State has ever
criticised the cOult for rendering 1t or
even questioned that it was according
to the constitution. Now, this decis-
ion having been rendered, the way WIS
perfectly clear for the S5 counties to
have their local self-government and
for the legislature to provide a differ
enc system for the II black counties
by which no negro would ever be put
in a position of power or authority over
white people.
Now, 1t is true that until this de-
cision some negroes were elected r
minor positions in these eastern coun
ties, as everybody knew there wouit
be until the decision CT the court coult
, be reversed, but not in a single one o
, these counties were the negroes in con
troll; IN not a single one We're they il
any position OF power to dominate o
dictate. Indeed, the legislature tina
, adopted this local self-governmen
scheme, while unable to prevent tn
election of any colorei man to an.
, place, yet did devise a scheme whicl
was constitutional that made it i'm
: possfble for the county legislativ
I board, known as county commissioners
= in any County to ever be controlled b
! colored men; and the fact is that n
+ county or town or township has eve
: had or could have majority OF LIE
Q groes on any controlling board or com
r miutee Now, that is the negro dom
= nation that tain politicians hav
n attempted to advertise to the worl
o under false and lurid coloring.
c But even that imperfeotion in tn
9 new system of local self-governmer
? has been removed, and who remove
y it? An undemOcratic decision by
It Democratic court made II necessary.
e will not question the motives Of tt
court in rendering the decision and
/, refusing ITO reverse it, but / will So
h that it was not necessary under II
e constitution TO render such decisio
J. and that it resulted in building I'D
~ State political machine to contr
1t county affairs that was so undem
cf cratic AMID odiolis that the people elects
in legislature pledged to repeal 1t al
xt at the same time defeat the Dem
IN cratic supreme court for reelection al
at elected q nOnpartisan supreme coul
w This new supreme court at the first o
Se portunity reversed the old cOun
Sc government decision, and in doing
it has had the approval OF the peop
of the State and has not been cri-
p cised by single lawyer, as far as
of know; nor has anyone ever suggest
an that the decision was not in accor
n. ance with the constitution.
tie What has been the result? The pc
q pie got the system of local self-gover
s ment that they wanted, and the su
an preme court, by it's decision, has
e. moved the only defect to the Systt
lie by reversing a former decision of I
lat sane court. The only trouble tiht
is has ever been under the system "
tic shat between the time when the leg
lie lature adopted it and thu time wh
a the decision of tine court referred
was rendered. During this short per-
til there were necessarily some negrt
OF elected to some minor places in a f
le- OF the negro counties, as everybC
he knew there would be. But that con
of tion is now and forever removed
n the decision of the court
12 Mr.. President, when the last ca
in paign was on, did ow Demoora
of friends denounce this new county G
cir ernment system that gave to the p
lad pie the control of their local affai
1ty No. Did they denounce the pres
ct court for the decision that removed
ire. only defect in the system, or rat
un- make it possible for the Legislature
do 1T? No. Why? Because the pee
itic indorsed both and would never sub
Jest to going back to the old system.
en- Then what did They do? Why, t
ing Joined the Peoples Party and ev
lect other political party in pledging tn,
and selves to .t1e people that they VIC
- keep that system Of county COVE
trail ment which We had established; a
the IN addition, they pledged themselve
the enact legislation in accordance v
up the recent decision OF the supr,
the court to remove the only defect in ,
lers system (under which some negroes
ma been elected to office) by establish
,een a different system of county gov
tate ment in the twelve negro counties
mo- ferred to. This lis exactly what
sys- fusion legislature promised the pc
un- they would do as soon as the c,
be- would reverse that county governn
vide decision, and this was the only rem
ing, offered by the Democratic party
ling what they called negro dom nation
Keep repeat, every political party in