The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-16


which has swelled its ranks Inf also IN
the large number of incompetent white
office seekers, whose sole and only cant |
tai has been the manipulation of this
negro vote. If there are those in our
State who feel it their duty to leave our
party because we have made negro rule |
hereafter impossible; if there are those
VINO feel that our party must now re-
celVe punishment Tor what has been done. |
they VIII hnd one hundred and eighty
nVe thousand white men who utterly re-
fuse to apologize, and they will also find
that whenever place is made vacant in
our ranks by the departure of one of
their number for the Republican camp, |
two of his white brethren stand ready
to take his place.
Occasionally we are told that elimina-
tion of the negro vote by the Democratic
party has enabled some of our fellow
citizens to think-what a compliment to
our party. 1t enables men to think; it is
the dispenser of intellectual freedom.
This is largely a Republican suggestion,
for it Is usually coupled with an invita-
ton to enlist in the ranks of that party.
VIII any Democrat listen to this Siren
voice? If there be such a Democrat let
us tenderly, softly remind him that he
of all men ought not to leave the party
which has made it possible for him to
freely think; that it has never prevented
him from thinking in the past and if he
will remain with us. it will enable him
to have purer, sweeter, higher, better,
less remorseful thoughts than he will
ever have standing in the ranks of it's
enemy.
Ours has always been a party of intel
lcctual freedom There are no slaves in
our ranks. We acknowledge no dictator.
The humblest Democrat, working out
lifes destiny without complaint in his
little home is the peer of the greatest
in our mighty army. Thank God that
such a party still lives to act as the just
administrator of all tho poorest as well
as the richest of the humblest as we'll
as the highest.
Our adversarics arc now making the
plaintive plea that negro rule shall
never be made the issue in our State
again. In the name Of every white man
and woman and child in North Carolina,
l say God grant that negro rule may
never be the issue again. Who raised
this issue in 1898 and 1900? Who made
the Constitutional Amendment neces-
sary? Who is it who has always raised
this issue? Who elevated thousand ne
groes TO office in the State? What
party made it dangerous for the white
women of the east to move about I'M
attended in the day time? Who was re-
sponsible for the Wilmington tragedy?
Not Democrats. No, thank God, not
Democrats The Republican party is re-
sponsible for all these things. The white
leaders Of the east, the men who have
traffcked in the negro votes most of all
are responsible for all these things.
Who struggled almost to the death to
continue the miserable and pitiable state
of affairs which existed from 1894 to
1898? Who was it that constantly
breathed threats of defiance against us
if we undertook to pass the amendment?
Republicans, Fusionists, the authors of
our States greatest humiliation. No
wonder that cringing with shame they
are now begging that the issue shall
never again BIZ raised.
Let these men understand that the life
or eternal death of this issue rests with
them. They will either accept or attack
the amendment
For one, l trust the question is forever
settled. No man dcplores strife and bit
terness more than I do. I am willing, l
am anxious to be permitted in this cam
paign to discuss only the great economic
issues which divide the two parties. l
want to see every county in the State
move forward to the highest develop
ment. Let us encourage the building of
railways factories and the incoming of
capital. Let us improve our schools and
mn, ioI,y
the rules of economy and the ability of
our people to pay taxes. First of all
we will be North Carolnians. That is
what my party has taught me in the
past 1t is what it teaches me today.
There has never been a minute in my
life when l have not been proud to adj
nit that 1 belonged to the Democratic
party.
Gentlemen, this is not the occasion for
an elaborate discussion of the issues. l
trust, however you will permit me to
say that my short service in the House
of Representatives has only strengthened
the conviction heretofore entertained
that the position of our party with re-
spect to the issues soon to be submitted
to the American people is morally right.
Day after day we have seen the Re-
DuDllCdHS Ill COuSI6SS line up Ill luG III
terest of trusts and monopolies, while
Democrats lined up in the interest of the
people who are forced to pay tribute to
them. We have heard Republicans ridi-
Guile the Constitution, defend murder and
torture, and we have seen them pass
bills providing for the expenditure of
more than a billion dollars of the peo-
pies money What this amount would
have been but for Democratic warnings
and Democratic protests is beyond COM
putation.
But our adversaries seek to divert the
public mind from a contemplation of this
carnival extravaganza. They remind the
laboring man that wages are high, but,
if this were true, the labOring man gets
but little comfort from the information
when he goes to the store to purchase
necessaries of life for his family and
finds that a dollar Will buy less of such
necessaries than at any time since 1896.
Likewise they remind the farmer that
his products are bringing high prices,
but the farmer gets but little comfort
from this information when he is COM
PEELED to reflect that the high prices !
which he receives are coupled with ca