The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-05-10
WHITE SUPREMACY CLUB
And Others Listen to Good Speaking
Tuesday Night.

CtuD met at the court house Tues
day night, at which time our distin-
guished townsman Capt. W. B. Shaw
had accepted an invitation to speak
on the proposed Constitutional amend
ment.
The Club was called to order bv
President Bridgers and some pre-
liminary business was transacted
before the speaking. On motion of Col
Perry Central Committee of three
was appointed whose duty it shall be
to appoint sub committees to look
after voters and circulate literature,
ETC., these sub committees to report
back to the central committee. The
president appointed as such Central
Committee Col. Perry, NJ. Dorsey and
Maj. Gary:
In response to calls Mr.. Dorsey
said he believed the amendment would
do more to stimulate education in
North Carolina and arouse the people
on this point than any measure that
had ever been devised. and for this
reason if no other he would favor it.
Prof. Alderman was called upon
and spoke enthusiastically for the
amendment. from an educational
standpoint. He too believed the
adoption of this measure would pro-
mote education in the State as moth
ing else has ever done and would
prove the greatest blessing to all the
people, rich and poor, white and black.
Mr.. w. X. Coley, of the Ecening
Herald, spoke briefly in response to
calls and declared himself heartily in
favor of the amendment, believing it
would do much for the cause of edu-
cation.
Mr.. K. S McCoin was next called
for and responded with good spirit
his remarks being full of timely hui
NOR. He began by saying he had
just passed through one election the
result of which he could not rejoice
over very much, but no one would
rejoice more heartily than himself
over the result of the State election
in August. He was in thorough ac-
cord with the principles and objects
of the amendment and would do all
he could to help swell the great
majority by which it will surely be
adopted.
Capt. Shaw was then presented to
the audience. His reception was
warm and generous the mention of
his name being the signal for an out
burst Of applause. For the space of
a little more than an hour Capt. Shaw
addressed himself to calm and care
full consideration OF the subject under
discussion--the Constitutional amend
ment. He spoke first OF the right of
voting, declaring that it is not the in
alienable but the acquired right of
man. The negro question as told in
history was considered in detail
their rule and condition in Hayti,
Jamaica, Australia, Africa, the United
States. The infamy and outrage of
the nineteenth century, the recon-
struction period and the result of it,
how the 18th, 14th and 18th amend
ments to the Constitution of the
United STATED were adopted, received
the speakers attention next. Then
on down to more recent times, the
situation was graphically portrayed.
Capt. Shaw discussed the legality
the Constitutionality- the amend
ment and effectually answered every
objection that has been raised against
it by some of it's ablest and most
virulent opponents. His speech from
beginning to end was logical and
clear cut, his argument powerful and
convincing. Many who heard him
pronounced it the best speech on the
subject they have yet heard. 1t was
punctuated throughout by liberal and
hearty applause. An attempt to give
synopsis would but mar its beauty
and symmetry as whole. Suffice it
to say Capt. Shaw presented the mat
ter most admirably and very forcibly
and added fresh laurels to his we'll
earned reputation as one of the ablest
campaign speakers we have.
The occasion was graced by the
presence of a number of ladies who
apparently enjoyed the speeches
although not as demonstrated in their
manifestations of pleasure and APP
prevail as the men.
At the conclusion of Capt. Shaw's
speech Mr.. A. c.. Zollicoffer was call
ed upon. He had come to hear Capt.
Shaw, he said, and had no idea of
making a speech himself, but he had
pleasure in saying where he stood on
this question and why. Apt and able
speaker as he is at all times and under
all circumstances Mr.. Zollicoffer's
speech was gem of it's kind. Brief
though it was he spoke directly and
to the point and crowded as much
sound sense and as many telling
points into as few words as it was
possible to have done. MIR. Zolicof-
fer said he was for the amendment
because he believed it was right: be-
cause he believed in the greatest
good for the greatest number; because
he believed intelligence should rule.
He was for it because it would blot
out stigma which rested upon
our State. 1t had been, proclaimed
in Boston by Senator Pritchard,
in the United States Senate by Mr..
Butler, and from that stand by
Mr.. Simmons that North Carolina
stands lowest in the scale of iiliteracy,
and whether this is true or not he
wanted to see the old State lifted
upon plane of intellectual and mate
rial development that will forever
silence this kind of talk. Mr.. Zolli-
Golfer agreed that the educational
clause of the amendment was the best
feature of the whole thing. 1t would
do more to stimulate education in the
State than anything else. In conclu-
sion he declared the amendment
would be carried even if not another
word is said in it's favor between now
and the August election.
Mr.. Zollicoffer spoke with great
earnestness and power. He felt what
he said and his words burned and
glowed with warmth and enthusiasm.
He was loudly applauded and the
audience would gladly have heard him
longer.
After the speaking President Bird
gers distributed several hundred