The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-07
BIC RADICAL ROW
IN FIRST DISTRICT
Meekins SWearS He'll Not
Come Down.
RING" SAYS HE MUST
a Convention Called to Meet in Eden.
ton on Tuesday.
"RlNG" SAYS HE MUST
OPENING OF TIE CAMPAIGN THIS WEEK
Much Literature Sent 0at From Democratic
Headquarters and Appointments Made
For Distinguished Stump
SPEAKERS,
p,akers.

] IL is now just month till the ma
tlonaI election, and within the next
two weeks the apathy which has so far
characterized the campaign in this
| State will be thawed out.
The Oratorical stage of the contest
has been reached and from now on the
| spell-binder will be abroad in the land
and campaign literature will find it's
way to every doubtful voter. Already
there has been distinguished from Dem
ocratic headquarters something like
one hundred thousand documents. Or
ganization of BTyan-Stevenson clubs is
now going on all over the State The
White Supremacy clubs are being con-
verified into Bryan and Stevenson clubs,
and the State will soon be we'll organ
lied.
The Republicans so far have done
little in the way of organization, for
the reason that they don't have to or
ganize-the party being composed of
Federal office-holders, revenue dood-
lers and negroes. These can be organ
lied in a night. So far Republican
managers have confined their political
activity to the Eighth and Ninth dis
tricts, where there has been much
speaking and expenditure of Doodle.
The Democratic campaign starts in
earnest this week, as will be seen from
a long list of appointments for dis
tinguished speakers printed in another
column of this paper.
The Republicans of the First dis
trict are in a great muddle.
Several months ago a convention,
70 Ion. IL sf1.if.
Republican convention. met at Eden
ton and nominated Isaac NJ. Meekins,
of Elizabeth City, for Congress.
This nomination didn't suit the reve-
nue. ring and now it has called new
convention to meet Tuesday at Eden
ton.
ut will nominate a candidate for
Congress and a Presidential electOr,"
said Dir. ID. II. Abbott, the chairman
OF the committee, last night. Whether
Meekins will be the Congressional
nominee or not l can't say, for | don't
know"
1t is understood, however, that DR.. Alb
bott and Duncan and all the doodlers
in the district are against Meelins and
will. if they can, have another nomina-
ton made in order ''to kill him Off"
Meellins knows this, as is shown by
an address that he has sent out to
the Republicans Of the district. In
this appeal Meekins says he has al
ready canvassed seven counties in the
district, and my view of the situa-
ton is that | shall be elected as mat
tiers now stand.' Then he adds the
following, declaring his purpose to
continue the canvass:
Il am the first to make a Republi-
can canvass of the district for these
past ten years now, and ! find that the
party is over-anXious for one more
complete canvass of the district as in
the good old times. This | am endeav-
oring to do, and shall continue to car
ry on the wholesome work unless prov
identally hindered."
Mr.. Meekins then takes up the OBJ
jections urged by the revenuers to his
regularly nominated; (2) That his
candidacy is in the interest of the
Democratic candidate.
Answering the first objection, he
says: Il was nominated by delegates
who were regularly appointed and le-
gally convened for that purpose. There
were ten of the sixteen counties in the
district actually represented by active,
living delegates"
Referring to the action CT the State
committee in declaring his nomination
void, Meekins declares that the COM
mittee took snap Judgment on him,
condemned him without giving him a
hearing and on false charges.
The second charge-that he is run
ming to help the Observation-Disclosures
denies emphatically, and asks:
''How helping the Democrats?
Helping the Democrats, and for what
end? | do not suppose Mr.. Small cares
whom the Republicans run for Con-
gress. He can have no preference per-
sonally, / am sure Most any man can
poll the party vote; Mr.. Small knows
this and is not very much interested
as to how the man spell his name.
But one thing above all Mr.. Small does
want, and that is that two Republicans
run. He wants this and he wants it
with a vengeance. Who will be so
gratifying Mr.. Small? Not /. 1t that
9th of October meeting does anything
but endorse me they will have the
honor of doing just what the Demo
Gratis expect and want.
"The Democratic cry is, come over
and help us-gives us two candidates.
It now remains for that meeting to
comply with the wish of the Dem
ocrats and put up a Republican Cos
ling, with Democratic pin feathers, for
Congress-" 80
Further Meekins makes it still plain
er that he is not of the come-doWn
stripe. and that if Tuesdays conven-
tion names another candidate he'll de-
cline to get out of the way, and says
he can thus reply to any criticism of
him for so doing:
Il was running first; | consider my
nomination accurate and right;
made a complete canvass at my own
expense, and am responsible to no
body except the people,
The address, which is quite
lengthy one. concludes with this inter