The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-07-10
Special to Charlotte Observer.

Special to Charlotte Observer.
Washington, July 2nd.-Chairman
Simmons, of the Democratic State
Committee, gives ont the following
statement:
''For some time past prominent
North Carolina Republicans in Wash
ington have been intimating that
their party would control the next
North Carolina Legislature and that
Senator Pritchard would be returned
to the Senate. Democrats have been
unable to understand the grounds of
this hope in the face of the fact that
that party lost the State in the
August election in 1900 by about CO.,
OJO ma ajority, and since that time has
lost, by the educational provision Of
the amendment, between 10000 and
81, 900 of its former voters.
the persistency with which this
claim was made aroused in my mind
suspicion that it was based upon
some secret scheme and led me to an
investigation with the view Of ascer-
tanning what it all meant. As a re-
suit of this investigation ! have dis
covered shrewdly devised and we'll
developed conspiracy.
The scheme, briefly stated, is to
stir up and promote dissensions and
independentism and, by raising the
cry that the amendment has elimi-
mated the negro and freed the white
man, to bring about during the early
stages of the campaign hopeless
| division among Democrats, and then
on the eve of the election have
| the Federal Court set aside the
amendment. In this enterprise and
in organizing the opposition forces,
| the conSpiratOrs are to have unlimited
money furnished them by the National
Republican Executive Committee
upon the promise Of two, if not three.
Republican Congressman from the
State and the retention Of the present
Republican Senator.
sIn order to divide the Democrats,
every local dissatisfaction, every local
quarrel, every fancied complaint and
grievance against the party and State
administration, every dlsappolnt
ment growing out of the nomination
or defeat Of candidates, is to be as
siduouslv nursed and famed. The
Democratic party is to be charged
with hostility ID certain interests anC
with nominating men to office known
to be prejudiced against these inter
ests, and conservative voters are tC
) be appealed to to resent these ALLEGED
, | thn3r VOt pS
against these Objectionable candi
dates. 1t is expected that the oppo
sition to Judge Clark's nomination
will start the bolt, and that, on &C
count of the unusual number OF Demo
cratic candidates this year, defeate'
candidates will be found all over tn
: State who will be ready to haZar
their chances by allowing the use c
: their name.
ION these lines our adversarle
propose to open and for time cor
| duet their campaign. When the line
i of battle have been drawn and tlgh
ened, when passion has been stlrre
= to white heat by the friction of cor
flict. when allignments have bee
made, and when it is believed this
, the boilers have gone so far that pa
sion and pride will nor permit the
to return to their old associations, q
the dav of election draws near
: hand the courts will be asked to q
II clare the amendment unconstltutlol
al and void Every detail 10 this er
Is has been carefully arranged and tt
5. cOnsDiratOrs are confident there w
:. be nc hitch or failure or delay
carrying out the programme at al
point. Between the 1st and 10Th
october white man, who has bet
7 refused registration because he II
l., failed to pay his poll tax, will app
= to a Republican Federal judge, w
=. has already been selected, for ma
. damus to compel the registrar to a
nit him to registration. This Jud
a will hold that it is within the authc
q ity of the State to make the payne
q of poll tax condition precedent
= the right to vote, but he will a
s. hold that the grandfather clause
q unconstitutional; and, AS the amer
81 ment provides that the whole sh
s. fall or stand together, every part
E the amendment Is anecteu Dy tnto
y trinity. The attack will be ma
z upon the poll tax instead of the &c
n cational clause, to avoid gong II
81 court with negro as complai
81 ant.
& BY reason of the shortness OF
8 time, it will be impossible to get
s case heard on appeal before the el
8 ton. and, as the Judgment Will
& effective until overruled on app'
s it is the expectation of the consp'
y tors that the election will be h
q under the law as thus declared.
q registrars refuse to recognize ana
81 upon the decision, mandamuses
q be issued by the thousands, to be
q lowed, if necessary to carry out
81 conspiracy. by Federal Court be
e warrants.
! The negro, who is always read
d obey the orders OF his party lead
81 :. 20 no tept uuiet but secretly