The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-03-22
P0US CAMPAIGN AFFIDAVIT
ONE OF HIS METHODS OF
POOLING VOTERS IN THE
LAST CAMPAIGN.

LAST CAMPAlGN-
Hr MAKrs AFFIDAVIT THAT PROP
osrrroS TO DIsFRAscHIsE M
eRoEs AND rLLrTERATE WHITE
WOULD NOT RECEIVE A sING1I
DEMOCRATIC VOTER IN TIE LESIs-
LArURK AND DESoUSCEs THosr
WHO MAKE THE CHARGE A. sPEAK-
ING FALSELY AND TRYING To POOL
THE PEOPLE
From Caucasian Oct. 49,
The following affidavit made by
James IL. Pou, ex-Chairman OF the
State Democratic Executive Com
mittee, during the last campaign.
will be interesting reading. Oar
readers will remember that when
ever and wherever IL was charged
in the last campaign that II the
Democratic machine under Sim
mons got control OF the State, that
they would offer a scheme TO dis
franchise illitterate votes, that the
charge was Indignantly denied and
denounced by every Democratic
speaker as being UNANIMOUSLY false.
Even Mr.. Simmons, the Democrat
ic State Chairman, issued an ofilci-
al statement TO the voters OF the
State, branding every such charge
as false in toto; saying that that
campaign lie had been charged
against the Democratic party be-
fore, and that the charge was now
so old and so false that no one
would believe IL.
Mr.. James III. Pou, the ex-Chair-
man OF the State Democratic Com
mittee, in his speeches made the
same declaration. But IL seems
that in one OF his speeches in Moore
county, some members OF his audi
dience expressed doubt OF the truth
Of his indignant denial, and called
upon him while upon the stand TO
know IL he would make an afiida-
Wit to that effect. He publicly
agreed to do so, we are informed.
The result Is the affidavit below,
made at Raleigh, dated Oct. 18th.
1898. 1t will be noticed that Mr.
Pou, shrewd, slick and cunning ar
he is, attempted to word his afflda
Wit so as not to say explicitly what
he had said publicly on the stump,
and yet at the same time, TO say
enough to make il appear that his
affidavit had made good his cam
paign declaration, ano fool the vo-,
tiers into accepting his statement
and voting for the machine.
The following is a true copy OF
the affidavit:
STATE OF NoRTh CAROLINA,
County OF Wake.
James 81. Pou, being duly sworn
deposes and says:
al have never said that, III the
Democrats regained control of the
State, they intended to disfranchise
the negroes and illiterate white yo-
tiers L never have said anything
like this, and i know that such is
not the intention OF the Democrat
ic party. / have never heard a sin
gle Democrat give utterance to
such sentiment, and i do not be-
lieve, If such a proposition comes
| thc lIdI
it would receive a single Democrat
lc vote. / believe that a majority OF
the uneducated white voters OF
North Carolina are Democrats. The
Democratic party is appealing to
them for aid in preserving white
supremacy in the center west and
in restoring 1t in the Eastern part
Of this State. They are responding
to our appeal, and to repay them for
their aid with a disfranchisement
of their votes would be folly and
ingrattiude indeed. The man
who makes these charges know
they speak falsely, but their cam
paign this year is run upon the
idea that the people of North Car
olina would rather believe false
hood than the truth, and they
would rather hear libels upon the
honorad dead than 20 hear argu
ments based upon truth"
tSigneuI
JAMES III. PoU.
Sworn to and subscribed before
me this October LIST 1898.
[Signedl
GEO. w. THOMPSON,