The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-08-29
ART FEALTY.

/ i am a democrat said David T.. Hill.
still there are a great many people who
charge him with being a traitor to his
party. Who are the men qualified 10
Judge OF other mems democracy
Where rests the power TO declare this
man or that man not a Democrat
What right has any one man TO say 10
another: You are not a democrat?"
Where are you going to draw the diviG-
ing line? What proportion of the men of
the democratic party of the state never
opposed a party nominee or scratched
a name from the democratic ticket?
1here are a few men in the state now
who, a few years ago were either prom
inent in opposition to the Democrat.
party or were on the fence waiting to
see whether it would pay them bette
to go with the populists, republicans or
democrats, are setting themselves up
as Judges of the democracy of their fell
low citizens-men, who a few years ago
caused democracy 10 meet defeat
through their lukewarmness, secret
treachery or open desertion, afte. ward
deserted their new allies and returned
to the democratic party when they saw
1t rising triumphant from its temporary
debasement which they had helped 70
bring about.
Many of these self appointed judges
of the democracy of their fellow citizens
can not show up records of party fealty
that will begin to compare with that of
the men whom they are trying to read
out of the ma rtv ~ noala crinu. - 49, |
Clique dictates under the party lash. |
Men who never scratched a ticket in
their lives are told that they are not
democrats by party organ editors ami
other so called democratic leaders (
whose political status a few years ago
was so doubtful that no one knew
where they stood, or were pronounced
populists or republicans-and in this
day and time when the rank and file
of the party are availing themselves of
the privilege pledged them by the
party leaders and it's and bearer
in the Last campaign, as an inducement
to vote for the constitutional amend
ment which would liberate them from
the bondage of the color line in poll
tics, to exercise their independence of
thought and action within party lines.
Let's look back a few years and see
how independentism has been treated
in the democratic ranks. 1t was well
known at the time that the nomination
for governor was rendered a certain
man in this state to prevent his going
over to the republican party and carry
ing a large family influence with him.
OF two of the most prominent demo-
cratic judges on the supreme court
bench since reconstruction days one
was given that position shortly after he
had run as an independent candidate
against a democratic nominee for
judge of the superior court, and the
other was his law partner who had
taken active part in the campaign
against the democratic nominee. One
of the chief justices of the supreme
court, raised to that position as a DEM
ocrat. had been previously elected 20
the United States senate over the
democratic caucus nominee by an alli-
ance of republican and boiling demo-
legislators. There is upon the
superior court bench now a judge, the
appointee of our democratic governor,
who only a few years ago was a rabbi
In another district there is
solicitor, appointed by the present
governor, who has not been long out
Of the ranks of the republican party. .
There is at the ead of one of the de-
partments of the state a man whom
Aycock, when he became governor
und holding the office under com
from Governor Russell, recon-
and still retains in office.
Why, then, this hue and cry against
democrats who claim and exer-
the right Ito speak out in meeting"
md TO protest against such actions
within the party of which they 10 not
approve. Because a man does not agree
n all things with the party leaders
ioes not prevent his being as good a