The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-04
DEMOCRAT Oh REPUBLICAN,.
The Poet stOekard Urges the Election of Judge
Walter Clark.

To the Editor: You are to cast your
vote today, either for Democracy or for
Renublicanism; there is no half way
,rro,,nd in the matter. If you have been
. Democrat and vote the so-called indie
nendent ticket you are virtually voting
For Republicanism and all that the name
imnlies in North Carolina politics. There
are only two great parties in America:
we have need for two, but for only two,
and there is no chance for the success OF
third. The third party in this State,
made up as it is of former Democrats,
will serve to divide the white man s
nartv and strengthen the chances Of the
HACK mans. But this is so apparent
- tbouehtful men that it is a waste of
time to state it. The writer has another
end IN view.
You are asked by an aggregation Of
scheming politicians and corporations,
seconded by a few honest papers, to vote
for Hill instead of Clark for Chief JUS
flee of North Carolina; and while YOU
the custodians of your States best in
terests, will not for a moment entertain
such a thought, let US see what they are
asking of you. judge Clark is the regu-
=
nominated at the convention which met
for that purpose. This fact alone should
ne all sufficient for any Democrat. Any
other man that rises against him as q
candidate and any set of men who re-
feet upon him after this step of the
conVention-such are enemies of the
Democratic party. 1t is idle to gainsay
this If he was the wrong man for the
place he should have been defeated at
the convention. 1t was in order for a
Democrat to throw ali his influence
against him before that convention ard
in that body, but such action was estop-
ped by his nomination. Any other idea
is counter to the principles of the party
and at enmity with the very name.
You are asked to vote for Hill on the
grounds that Clark was a Fusionist. In
the first place, this allegation is not true:
Judge ClarR has always been a Demo-
crat and stated this explicitly when the
F'usionists endorsed him. But, granting
It isl true-see what the political trick
sters are asking you to do? T5he Flu
sionists, with whom Judge Clark is
alleged to have affiliated, had been
Democrats, and good ones nearly all of
them-honest but misguided white men.
But what kind of a Fusionists is Mr..
Hill? Wha are his supporters beyond
the few honest, misdirected Democrats
at his back? The trusts and the UNI
mashed father of trusts, the old Repub-
lican party, gray with guile and corpu-
lent with corruption.
There should be some way to silence
the traducers of good men. There is not
in all North Carolina a better, purer
man than Judge Clark; and yet he has
been persistently, mericilessly maligned.
IT has been a studied wicked onslaught,
but the white men today will refuge the
leaders in unmistakable language. II
Mr.. Clark has erred-and what man is
free from error?-he has erred in favor
of the people. The people are under the
heel of the monopOlies, and it would be
the basest ingratitude for them to smite
the hand extended to them an ingrati-
tude of which North Carolinians are in
capable. 1t takes a bold man to collar
the trusts and snatch them from the
necks of the people. Judge Clark will
dare to do it, and for that reason heaven
and earth are being moved to defeat him.
l,I.et them succeed and it would pc q
Fdark outlook indeed. But such a result
is impossible. The majestic people will
express their contempt for such methods
| today.
HENRY JEROME STOCKARD.
Raleigh, N c., Nov. 8, 1902