The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-08-09
{ From Our Regular Correspondent
RALEIGH. y. C.. August &, 1900


Well Russell has 'dsbanded the troops
and so We may consider the election to
be over. The put-up job OF keeping the
Raleigh military company under arms
and confined to their armOry for two
days before the election, on the day Of
election and the day after, was the great
est outrage OF this peaceful election. 1t
was done, OF course. to influence public
sentiment i'll the North, and especially at
Washington, but will probably fail of its
purpose although Butler has sent out
circulars to mis- late lieutenants advising
the taking of affidavits to bolster up a
possible contest by Butler and Pritchard
in the United States Senate when Buffers
Democratic successor appears to be
sworn in
IT WAS A GREAT VICTORY.
The latest advices at the time these
lines are written confirm the earlier claim
of a majority exceeding so, 900 to 80 900,
the latter for Aycock and the Democratic
State ticket and the former for the amend
ment.
The Legislature, Chairman Simmons
states, will be four-fifths and more in the
House, and from three-fourths to four
tifths in the Senate, though the Republi-
cans elected more Senators than at first
anticipated. AS to the pOpulists, they
made a mighty poor showing, only two
or three in each branch OF the Legislature,
and Butler is completely annihilated
TO WHOM CREDIT Is MOST DUE.
And now let us consider for a moment
the leading causes and the personnel OF
workers who chiefly contributed to
achieve this great victory.
To begin with nearly every good party
man in every voting precinct OF every
share OF the credit and praise; for the
sionary work and succeeded in convert
ing many who had not been effectively
| reached by our newspapers and public
speakers.
The county and township chairmen
likewise labOred most industriOusly, and
without this close local and personal
work no such majority would have been
rolled up.
But there We're two distinctive weapons
which led the good work, elements OF in
fluence which accomplished more than
any other. | allude to the magnificent
accomplishments of our great State
chairman, Mr.. Simmons, and the ''cOun-
try press the weekly and weekly
newspapers of the State.
To great extent these two master
workmen" labOred together Chairman
Simmons and his assistants (and among
the latter he was given the assistance OF
several capable newspaper correspond
ents OF Raleigh) furnishing much of the
literature and the publishers OF the weekly
papers distributing it through their
columns, largely in excess of their ordinary
circulation.
There is no way in which the thinking
cOuntlyman can be reached so effectively
as through his family paper published
at his own home, whose editor he knows
personally and generally trusts.
Three months before the election the
success OF the amendment and the State
ticket was doubtful, to say the least.
The campaign of educa ton conceived
and executed i'll SO masterful a manner
by Chairman Simmons, through the
ers, proved the savior of the party in this
struggle. With a less competent and
courageous and active chairman, a half
hearted support OF the press, and less
Jealous and determined campaigners, the
result would have been different, unques-
tionably.
This view is endorsed by some of the
leading men Of the party with whom l
have discussed the subject within the last
few days
Stump Ashby and Harry Tracy, i'm
ported from the Lone Star State to
preach fusion and Organism at the
same time in North Carolina, Were here
Saturday looking for all the world like
1,n st~%0 s.
Steer" after the Congressional FOUNDERS
had got through with them in Washing
ton-which, by the way, was not entirely
unlike the treatment these fellows re-
ceived at Louisburg, Lumberton Concord
to secure a ticket home, and in the mean-
time wandered around the streets in the
most aimless and Respondent manner
But let them pass They really did the
white mans cause more good than
harm
Buffers idea Of getting up contests by
a number of fusion candidates for the
Legislature will prove to be farce, even
fusiOnists here admit. His defeat is too
overwhelming.
One OF the most notable and satisfac-
tory features of this election was the
commendable conduct of the negroes as
whole. They not only behaved them
selves. but appeared to take special care
Especially here in Ralegh) not to make
themselves Objectionable in any way to
the DemOcrats-a fact which the vic
toriOus white people should not fail to re-
member.
And do not believe that their pacific
and peaceful conduct was prompted
wholly by fear. but that they were
actuated largely through their belief of
the statements made by our newspapers
and leading campaigners. that the white
people OF North Carolina-and by that
expression | do not mean the Buffers and
Holtons and Adamses. but the Democrats
and the governing class OF whites, the
best people in other words-are not the
enemies of the black people, per Sc. and
mean them no harm. especially from an
industrial standpoint. That the triumph
OF Democracy and the adoption of the
amendment would really act beneficially
for the Industrious and we'll behaved class
OF negroes and that the best white peO-
pie would not see them prosecuted.
NOW LET'S BE JUST TO THEM.
In this connection it will not be amiss
TO quote this extract from the speech OF
acceptance OF Governor-elect Aycock i'm
mediately after his nomination in the
State conventions:
II we fail to administer equal and
exact Justice to the negro whom we
deprive OF suffrage we shall in the fulness
OF time lose power ourselves for we must
know that the God, who is love, trusts
no people with authority for the purpose
OF enabling them to do injustice to the
weak We are intrusted with
power not for our good alone, but for the
good OF the negro as Well
Now, while we insist and see to it that
the negro keeps his place let US also
see to it that his industrial welfare and
general condition is not rendered the less
tolerable and prosperous and contented
by unjust persecution on the part OF any
one or any party.