The semi-weekly messenger., 1902-09-30
POLITICAL DISAGREEMENT
CLASH BETWEEN PRITCHARD AND
CRAIG LAST NIGHT
The Opera House Was Packed With
People 10 Hear Them Discuss the
Issues of the Campaign Both
Speakers Made Able speeche. md
Were Literally AppIauded-Ovatfo
for Mr.. Craig.

- c..
shall. y. c., the republican United
States senator from North Carolina,
and the Hon. Locke Craig, of AsheviIIe,
one OF the democratic aspirants for the
senate, locked horns last night in a
political debate at the Academy OF
Music. The house was crowded and
there must have been six hundred peo-
pie present, including a few ladies' 4
sprinkling of colored men occupied the
gallery. About the time for the peo-
pie TO gather TO hear the speeches, a
heavy rain fell and doubtless if that
had not occurred the opera house
would not have held the people. There
was a fine audience of Wilmington's
representative men, and the audience
enjoyed the spicy debate between the
two politicians.
George l.. Peschau, Esq. chairman
of the county democratic executive
committee presided, and when he
arose at $50 p. m. the house broke out
into applause. Chairman Peschau an
nounced that the purpose of the meet
ing was to hear the political issues of
the day discussed by the Hon. Locke
Craig, of Asheville. one of North Caro-
lina's ablest democrats, and Senator
Pritchard, who is the ablest republi-
can in the state. He then stated that
Mr.. Craig would speak an hour ana
fifteen minutes, Senator Pritchard
would be allowed an hour and twenty
minutes to reply and Mr.. Craig fifteen
minutes for rejoinder.
Chairman Peschau then announced
that j O. Carr ESQ would iptrn6mca
Mr.. Craig as the first speaker of the
evening. The crowd was enthusiastic
and gave Mr.. Carr hearty applause as
he stepped forward. He said the au
dience was gathered together to hear
a discussion of politics between two
of the most eminent and able politi-
ciaans Of the state. He remarked that
some time ago Senator Pritchard had
challenged Mr.. Craig to a joint discus
sion of political issues, and as Mr..
Craig was not the kind to run away
he had accepted the challenge thrown
down at his feet. He stated that ne
congratulated Senator Pritchard for
his courage for it took a courageous
man to challenge Locke Craig. Gap
plause.) He then paid quite a eulogy
to Mr.. Craig, who he said, was born in
Bertie county and was a graduate of
the State University. He said when
he would state that for twenty years
Mr.. Craig had taken a prominent part
at the bar and in politics in North
Carolina, the audience would hardly
believe it, as he had the appearance of
a boy. 1t would, however, be a privi
lege to hear this able son of North
Carolina expound democratic doctrine,
a man who had canvaSSed all over the
state when North Carolina needed his
services, and who had come into the
east to fight for the rescue of demo-
,Io In6 cfo he GCf
to tell the people about the east. Cap
plause.) After speaking further Of
Mr. Craig, he introduced that gentle
man TO the audience.
Mr.. Craig's Speech.
Mr.. Craig came forward and was
greeted with a storm of applause and
yells. He said it was a great privilege
to address an audience of the metro
politan city of North Carolina and to
speak to the women and men Of the
Cape Fear. (Applause.) He remarked
that there were three notable periods
of revolution in history in Wilmington
-one in 1776, one in 1861, and one in
1898. (Applause.) This discussion he
said, was not of his seeking. Senator
Pritchard had challenged him to dis
cuss the issues and had done him the
honor to give as his reason that he
was a typical representative of the
democratic party. (Applause.) He said
if he had run away from Senator
Pritchard he would have felt that he
had been recreant to his duty to the
demrocatic party (Applause.)
Mr.. Craig went on to say that the
November election was important for
several reasons One that it is the first
| election of the new century, another
was the momentous issues to be set
tied at the polls and another was that
| it will be the first election under the
| suffrage amendment to our conStltu-
| ton. He said he would take for mis- text
| the saying of one of North Carolina
| greatest statesman, Equal rights to all
| and special privileges to none,' which
| the immortal Vance (applause) declared
were the fundamental principles OF the
| democracy, while the principles OF the
rleublican party on the one hand were
| the opposite. The one was the doctrine
| of government propOunded by JenerSon
| and the other represented the ideas OF
government as eXpounded by Hamil-
! ton.
| Mr.. Craig said the democratic party
! had always been opposed to the prin-
| ciples of the republican party and un-
| der the leadership of Bryan 6,OOO,OoC
| showed that they could not be bought
| and intimidated. (ApplauseD He SAID
| many democrats, and they We're gooc
| ones, did not believe the Is to l theory
| WOULD remedy tNiiS oIAu
1896 and 1900 the party went down &c
| defeat. He declared, however, that al
| factions were together now and would
! win the victory in 1902 and 1904. Cap
/ plause)
Mr. Craig said the democratic partI
! believed that to benefit the people was
! t benefit the masses, while the r.
publicans went on the principle that -
benefit the privileged classes and they
would benefit the masses. The demo-
! cratic party teaches justice to all man
kind, to corporations and individuals
/ and believes that the constitution
| ought to follow the flag. { Applause.
He then attacked the republican party
| as the friend of the trusts and i'm
perialism as represented in its colonia
policy. 1t stands by the trusts aga!ns
| the people. and he called upon Senator
| Pritchard to declare whether or not h'
| was against the trusts. He said Sena
| tor Pritchard claims that the repub-
lican party is the party Of the trusts
but they subscribed money TO the re
| publican's corruption fund, and III
| asked whoever heard of a trust evel
| standing by the democratic party? Id
| said out of $50 trusts in the United