The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-29


Amendment-Mr. Craig's Powerful
Argument-Stirring Music by Sec
ond Regiment Band.
In spite Of the heavy rains which
prevailed yesterday afternoon and
evening a large crowd of the unterri-
fed democracy of Wilmington and
New Hanover county gathered at the
opera house last night to hea Hon.
Locke Craig, of Asheville. discuss the
constitutional amendment and it can
safely be said that never Were men, or
ladies either for that matter for there
were a number OF the fair sex in the
audience, more highly repaid for brav-
ing the storm than were they, for this
able young orator from the west spoke
with a force and ferver which has not
been eQualed hereabouts, save posi-
bly, by the Fearless Aycock at the great
ratification meeting in this city a few
weeks ago.
1t was about S:45 o'clock last night
when the distinguished visitor and a
party of prominent citizens of the city
came upon the platform and were
greeted with a perfect storm of ap-
plause. Mr.. Craig was escorted by
LAA AAoAA A-
ocratic executive committee. George
Rountree, Esq, and Mr.. NJ. S. Willard
members of the general assembly.
Chairman Johnson announced the fol-
lowing vice presidents for the evening
and invited them to seats on the stage:
VIM. Gilchrist, H. c. Mcqueen, r.
r. Glove, Sol Bear. w. w. King, j.
J.. Fowler, F. E. Hashagen. l.. w.
McLaurin, d. F. Barnes. p. f. Duffy,
S. H. Fishblate. T. CT. Landen, Benz.
Bell. Hugh MacRae, C. c. Parker,
Joh H. Berry, N. B. Rankin, j. O..
Powers. F. A. Montgomery, C. w.
Yates. w. w. Yopp, James Sprunt, S.
F. Post. J. D. McClammy, VIM. l..
Smith. A. B. Shedding. B. H. j.
Ahrens, r. C. Merritt, ]. B. ELLIS,
George c. Jackson, DuBrutz Guitar,
j. w. Atkinson, Walker Taylor.
INTRODUCED BY MIR. ROUNTREE.
The speaker of the evening was in
reduced by George Rountree, Esq
who in making the Introduction not
only paid a high tribute to the ability
of Mr.. Craig but also took occasion
to make some very timely remarks as
to h Importance and status Of the
pending campaign. He declared the
present crisis the most frought with
good or evil to the commonwealth of
North Carolina. since the shock of
arms in 1916.
h campaign, Mr.. Rountree declar-
ed to be a constitutional crown for the
campaign so splendidly begun in 1898
and he did not think it immodest to
say that the initial steps in the great
struggle were due to the conduct of
the people of New anove county.
He urged the people to enter Upon the
work now TO be lone with the same
spirit that they did in 1898. He refer
red to the many able soldiers who
have enlisted in the great fight for
white supremacy and introduced Mr..
Craig as one of the ableSS young men
who have come out of the west" since
the days of the immortal Vance.
HON. LOCKE CRAIG'S SPEECH.
When Mr.. Craig advanced to the
foot lights he was greeted with a per-
modest way hanked Mr.. Rountree
for the very high compliment-declar-
ing that he could not help liking fiat
terry even though he knew it was fiat
terry. He said that it was evident that
he erver and enthusiasm of the dem
ocrats OF New Hanover was that
strong that no weather could dampen
or storm, no matter how severe abate
1t. He said that the political storm of
1898 was not local for the reason that
the causes which led to the conditions
were not local. The people of the
west, felt the evils of the conditions
but not so much as the white men of
the east. The uprising was not on
lined to any one section; but to the
people of the city of Wilmington was
due, he said, a great portionsof the i'm
petuS which was given the 1898 cam
paign. For when the people of the west
saw what utter ruin had been wrought
m Wilmington by republican-negro
rule, how that their government had
| gone tn niQnaC ond tho naor1o 80 49,
place which had given to the state her
republican governor and was ruled by
laws made by republicans, had risen in
their might and thrown off the yoke it
nerved the people of the west for the
fight n mode them the more deter
mined to stamp out republican negro
rule forever.
Mr.. Craig said it was fitting that
when the legislature of 1899 came to
frame a constitutional amendment
which should rid the state of negro
domination a man from New Hanover
(Mr. George Rountree) should be the
one whose ability and philosophic
learning should, more than that of any
other, contribute to and direct its con-
ception and creation. Mr.. Craig re-
viewed in a general and very forcible
manner the baneful effects Of republi-
can rule when the democrats We're
overthrow by the aid of the populist
vote and how many of the better ele-
ment of the populists who went from
democratic ranks, after four years
saw the error of their way and come
back to their first love. He said the
democrats welcomed them most heart
lily and the doors were still open for
all.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT.
Referring to the constitutional
amendment the speaker declared at
Its restrictions of the suffrage would
make the unwritten law conform
to the written law and that moral
law Of right and justic which is
written on the heart of every good
man in North Carolina and make
n constitutional enactments of the
state conform to the convictions craven
upon the bosoms of all true men. That
Is that h white people of North Caro-
lima should make and administer the
laws or the commonwealth.
The movement for this change, he
SAID, came not from any political party
but from the people at large who real