The news & observer., 1901-01-15
HENRY |. COOK NAMES BRYAN.
He Declares Him to be the Most llustrious
Citizen of the Republic.

scendants have always proved worthy of
them and stood loyalty by them, and as a
people we have always assumed an atti-
tude of uncompromising hostility to any
encroachment by the Federal Government
upon the reserved rights of the States,
and insisted upon strict construction Of
the constitution, as one of the most es-
sential doctrines TO insure the perma-
nency of government founded upon the
will of the people.
Thus by right of inheritance we can
justly claim to have been the pioneers in
the establishment of this great Republic.
In the sometimes rapid evolution OF
political parties our people have naturally
attached themselves to that party most
pronounced in it's purpose to preserve that
equality before the law, which animated
our forefathers. They have quickly found
where they belonged and in the changes
and establishments which time has
wrought they still cling to the position OF
the fathers of the Republic upon those
vital principles.
With this history as a guide it is but
natural that in the late campaign North
Carolina stood loyalty by the party and
candidate most pronounced in their devo-
tlon to the ideal Republic of the fathers,
and the spirit of true Americanism.
In that campaign the Democratic party
stood for the Constitution and the flag
in all it's pristine purity-for equal OPP
speptunity for all and special privileges
to none.
1t was the champion of the great COM
mon people in it's contention for these
ancient and ever essential doctrines
Guided by the spirit which stirred the
emotions and. impelled to action the old
North Carolina patriots this country has
grown from a few struggling provinces
of less than three million people, pos
sessed of few worldly goods, to forty five
sovereign States whose territory stretches
from ocean to ocean. and more than
seventy-six million people whose aggre-
gate wealth. though unequally distributed
exceeds that of any nation on earth.
In material progress, accumulation OF
wealth. increase in population, advance
ment in the arts and sciences and every
thing which uplifts humanity and tends
to a higher civilization, our country has
outstripped the nations of earth, and is
without parallel in history.
The one overshadowing and animating
principle which has produced such great
people is their belief in and devotion
to the principles of individual liberty.
Favoritism and corruption have become
paramount under Republican rule and the
great majority of citizens have been de-
MED an equal opportunity to share in the
vast wealth of the richest and mightiest
nation of earth. The Republics of Rome
and Greece have passed away and be-
come but memory, but their history ad-
monishes us that a people who are not
eternally vigilant in the protection of and
ever jealous of their rights will lose them.
Let us hope that the American people
will profit by the experience of others.
Though defeated we do not despair, but
turn our faces to the rising sun OF new
century, and with the zeal born OF
conviction of right we will meet the is
sues Of the future as they arise with the
most perfect and compact organization in