The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-09-30
AN OVATION FOR CRAIG
The Negroes Appear in Greater Force
and Noise.
AND RAIDS FURNISH A MOUNTED ESC0RI
But as Craig and Prtchard Hurry From the
Court House to Catch the Train Cheers
For Craig Ring All Alsng
the Way.

Especial to the News and Observer)
Pittsboro, n. c., Sept. 29.-It was with
cheers for Craig and counter cheers for
Pritchard that the meeting here today
went on. 1t was a more evenly divided
gathering as to politics than at any of
the previous joint debates, though still
the Democrats were in the majority.
Pritchard drove across the country
from Burlington and reached here Just
after midday. He was met by a mount
ed escort of thirty, led by a revenue
doodler. The court house was jammed
to the doors with about nine hundred
people. Many ladies were present
PittsborO furnishing the next largest
crowd to Raleigh. Besides the mossy
backs, revenue doodlers and Populists,
there were over a hundred negroes
whose voices, hands and feet swelled
the applause for the Republican boss.
Pritchard led off in his usual speech,
Craig made reply and then came
Pritchard's rejoinder Each deducted
five minutes of his time in order to
catch an outgoing train.
In Pritchard's opening speech the ap-
plause did not come often, and was
only strong in three instances. 1t swelled
to gigantic proportions when Craig
spoke and with lung poer Pritchard's
brigade made up the difference in num-
ber during his rejoinder. Senator
Pritchard was introduced by Republi-
can County Chairman Giles and dupli-
Gated his speech reported so often last
week. 1t was. Republican prosperity
before the Cleveland administration and
then terrible state of affairs, money
scarce, everybody frightened, gold re-
serve going down, bonds being issued
and all kinds of trouble with Cleve-
land and the Wilson German bill. Fol-
lowing this came his exploitation of the
Dngley bill, which be described as
panacea for all the rs of the country,
and to this he ascribed the prosperity of
the country with incidentally vast
show of indignation that any one should
say that the Republicans had anything
to do with trusts or that the Dingley
bill fostered these cancers, as he had
named them.
Then he swept on with a defense of
the Republican Philippine programme,
his record as TO Confederate pensions
and the Descrters' bill.
CIeverly he lodged an avowal of his
DOSlIiOu Oh IHe dlleHuulSuC anu boihSo
Democratic extravaganza, ending with
demagogical appeal to the poor man
that the Democrats had made the pay
ment of the poll tax by May necessary
so as to deprive them of their vote.
Mr. Craig was greeted by burst of
applause as he was introduced by Demo-
cratic County Chairman r. II. Hayes.
He contrasted Democracy and Republi-
in chr fret for all
the people an dthen took up the Ding
ley bill, telling of how monster trusts
were protected by it and how the
American people were robbed by their
exactions He showed that protection
was not what the people needed, but
it was what the trusts demanded and
received from the Republicans. He de-
nounced the Republicans for not pass
ing the Richardson resolutions to con-
troll the trusts, showed how Democracy
had to borrow money because Republi-
cans put the country in debt.
He read an extract from the present
Progressive Farmer, showing that Editor
Poe, chatham county man, said the
tariff fostered the trusts and robbed
the people. He presented ably the
Democratic rule in the State, contrasting
it with Fusionism and amidst applause
declared that negro domination had been
driven from place by Democracy He
demanded that Pritchard answer the
question as to whether or not he would
stand by the amendment, but Pritchard
would not answer. In exposing Pritch-
ards Confederate Pension and Deserters'
bill record he read the vote of condem-
nation made at the Greensboro Confed-
crate reunion.
In his reioinder Senator Pritchard re-
capituIated some of the points in his
main speech. but when he asked Craig
questions would not let him answer
Flowers came to both at the close of
the debate. As the hack went swiftly
to the depot 20 catch the train. with
both Pritchard and Craig in it there was
perfect ovation to Craig along the
line, people shouting his name Pritch-
ard came into Pittsboro with an ESCORT
Craig left Pittsboro with the plaudits
of the people cheering him as Dcmoc-
racys able champion.
EDWARD L. BRITTON.