The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-07-31

tration as Compared With Fusion
Rule in North CaroIina-Attitude of
the Party With Regard to the Fran
chise Question and Public Education
Following is the address Of Hon
+. NJ. summons, chairman of the State
Democratic Executive Committee, at
the convention in Greens boro:
When the Democratic State Con-
vention met in 1898 The people were
confronted by two records, one the
record Of the Democratic party dur
ing its twenty-three years of ascen-
dency prior to 1894, and the other the
record Of the Fusionists during the
four succeeding years. In that cam
paigu we had only to point to those
two records as al object lesson and
invite the people to compare and
consi,ier them. The confidence which
We had from the beginning of the
campaign in the result of the elec-
ton OF that year was predicateh
upon the conviction that the people
OF North Carolina possessed sufficient
intelligence TO distinguish between
good government and bad govern
ment, and sufficient virtue to prefer
good government to bad government.
II hen the Democratic State Con-
eentiJn met in 1909 the dark cloud
which for four years had hovered
over the State had passed away.
White supremacy had been Temporal
rily at least restored and negro Office
holding had been temporarily at least
abolished. But the situation had
evolved another duty. paramount
and overshadowins duty, the duty to
| State, society and civilization, to
permanently provide against the pos
sible recurrence of the awful and al
most enguling conditions which had
| followed the elevation of an inferior
race to power in the State. Before
this question every other question
sunk into littleness. Periodically
we addressed ourselves to the duty
OF The hour. We appealed to the
people to ratify the action Of the
Leg stature in placing suffrage upon
the broad basis Of intelligent under
standing of the ballot and the duties
OF citizenship. Their response was
emphatic. By majority of fifty
thousand they said, what all history
and experience proves, that the white
man, whether lettered or unlettered,
was inherently qualified for self gov
eminent and that the black man was
inherently disqualified for self-gov-
ernment and could only become qualf-
fled, if at all, by education and tain
ing.
The Justice and wisdom of the
Amendment is no longer question
for debate. That has been settled, as
| said before, by a ma jority Of fifty
thousand, and white supremacy has
been written in the organic law of
the State. The question which now
confronts us is shall this decree OF
the white peopls remain written in
the Constitution or shall it be ex-
plunged from the Constitution, and il
expunged, by whom and how? We
don't want another so-called negro
campaign in North Carolina. If our
adversaries will accept the Amend
ment in good faith we will not have
another. | hope this convention will
invite and challenge our political op-
ponents to declare, officially and une-
quivocally, in their platform when
they meet in this city next month,
whether they accept the Amendment
as a final settlement Of the veXed and
dangerous question OF negro suffrage.
We are told that the negro is out o1
politics. We are told that the Demo
Gratis have promised freedom OF
thought and action. If the negro is
out of politics he is out through the
Amendment Whatever we have
promised as to independence was
predicated upon the assumption o.
the permanency of that measure, and
we cannot and we will not permit the
Republican party to appeal to and use
the Amendment to divide the white
people so long as that party refuses tt
{ give the people positive an'
Straightforward assurance of its bona
lide acceptance of that measure, TO
the refusal by them under the cir
cumstances to give such assurance
discloses sinister purpose with rel
ereuce to that measure which, for sc
cret reasons, they are unwilling t
admit.
We have the right, and it is ou
duty, in my judgment, in these CIR
cumstances, to say to the kepuoii
can party, you are demanding
change of policies and political con
ditions in North Carolina on accoun
of the Amendment. We demand tha
YOU define your attitude toward
that measure. If you accept it, sa
so. If YOU propose to attack its va
} liditv. now, or hereafter, say so, an
saw so in terms that mean yes or nc
An answer which means either yer o
no. orneithsr, as future eNpedlenc
NAV suggest, will not be accepted
j, Until this answer is Forthcoming
until the Amendment is accepte
as Il finality by all parties, or unit
it is iudicially established, if 1t is t
be attacked. it will be the duty OF tn
white people to continue to stan
together for it's protection and the'
protection.
I In 1898 we regained control of tn
legislative department OF the govern
ment. In 1900 we regained contrt
Of tho executive department of tn
government. And while the work c
d redemption r will not be comple'
" until the nominees of this conventlo
II have been elected and the prestige
d the judiciary, lost under fusion r
II eime. restored, for all practical pu
poses, with slight exception, tt
democratic party for the three yea'
= last passed has been in control OF tn
,: affairs of the State and responsib
t, for their administration. The Dem'
cratic party and the State are to /
congratulated upon the materi
progress which we have made durlr Il,