The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-16

we lOulId luc SIN 1 SIctCH u 11OII-
Theodore F. Kluttz' speech in the
house of representatives delivered on
the LIST instant, and read it admiringly
and gladly. 1t is II genUlemanly. dig
nified, effective reply to II. political
,blatherskite and jayhawker, and did
for Linney what Linney essayed to do
for the white people of North Caro-
At the lint from him and left
him naked, exposed, an object of con-
tempt. Why so good a looking man
as Linney ppears in his newspaper
picture should lend himself to such
dirty and infamous work of defamation
is what We do not understand. He was
a democrat and deserted. He now
keeps close company with Jeter Pritch-
ard and Marion. Butler and niger
George White, the bumptious SANDER
q of the white folks, and that is
enough to explain Linney's mental gy-
rations, peculiar crotchets, i~nexplica-
bic Obligations and political cayote-
barks.
Mr.. Kluttz is a refined, kindly gentle
man. and when he exposed the false
and futile harangue of Linney, he did
1t in a quiet, sober, forbearing way,
; quite effective. The reply is well
worth reading. Linney endeavors to-
niSparage North Carolina, which he sol
completely misrepresents as a member
of the house., and his railing accusa-
tions are indefensibIe and absurd. HeI
richly deserved to be handled with theI
cauSticity of Senator Tillman, or the
overwhelming ridicule of Champ
Clark, the genius of the house. Mr..
Kuutz said among many other interest,"
ing and pointed things:
Il ask my colleagues or this floor
from other sections of the country to-
believe that the people of North Car
DINA. as shown by her history in the
past. are as honest as patriotic, as
GOd-fearing, as law abiding as the peo-l
pie of any other section of this great
country. whatever her ungrateful sons
NAV say of her on this floor. applause
on he democratic side.)
The gentleman has devoted his at
tention to the election law of North
Carolina With a republican supreme
court in his own state, / challenge him,
if he believes this law ITO be ~unconSti-l
t%utiOnal. if he desires to put it to the
test, to bring lit, not into this jurisdic-I
SionleSS forum, for political purpOSeS,I
but to take it before his own republican
supreme court in his own state and let
that court say whether or not it is
constitutional"
Replying to the fellow of forgetful
memory he makes this complete and
telling reply. and shows how much
better the election law is now under
the democrats han it was but a little
while ago under his black and tan
gang. He said. and we call especial
attention to it:
THE gentleman complains that all
the registrars will be democrats. True,
there will be but one registrar for
each precinct, and where capable dem
ocrats can be found he will doubtless.
in most cases be of that faith; but
how is this worse than the election
law of the gentleman'S own party,
that of 1895, which he so eXtravagantly
1audS. as we'll as that of 1897. under
Which there were three registrars, one
OF whom was required ito be a demo-
craft, one a populist, and one a repup-
fican, giving to the corrupt and I'M
natural fusion between the republicans
two registrars at every precinct to one
democrat, thus putting the election
machinery absolutely under the con-
troll of the f~usionists as efectually as
If the democrat had had no represen-
tation at all. That was all right in the
eyes of my distinguished friend, but it
makes a wonderful difference with him
whose OK is gored-
but. further, not only I'D this ex-
tend to the registrars, but the three
Judges of election for each precinct
were similarly appointed, so that the
democratic party was absolutely pow
erless throughout every stage of the
registration and election.
"How is it now?
'sUnder this reviled and much de-
nounced democratic election law there
are two judges for each precinct, who
must be of different political parties
and vet the gentleman yearns fer the
good old times of two against one"
1t is said that old man Linney is not
so vicious always as his TRADE against
the white men of his state indicates
He has really some sense and some