The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-16
DANGEROUS ADV|CE|
Gastonla 18th of July Speech
Different From Published
The True Spirit and Purpose indicated by the
Review in the News and
Observer.

ODSeTVers
To the Editor: It has been ten days
since the great Fourth of July celebra-
ton and its attendant exercises, in the
city of Gastonia, and looking back to
that memorable occasion, at this dis
| lance, the matter which seems to dwell
most on my mind is, the political
trend of one of the speeches delivered
on that great day The writer listened
attentively and patiently, for the speech
was interesting. 1t was evidently pre-
pared for the occasion and published
as prepared but must have been poorly
memorized, as the speech delivered was
rather different from the speech pub
llshed in that there was some filling in
of differences and conclusions which
did not notice in the reading of the
speech few days afterwards in the
Charlotte observer. l think independent
ism IN politics was more vigorously en-
lhasized in the speech delivered than ap-
peared in the published address. Indeed
the political trend was so apparent that
the writer found himself wondering the
while: What is the speaker up to-?
Why should he give expression to such
ideas at this time? What is he doing
this for? l soon caught on" as the
saying is, and understood the object and
purpose of the whole outlay of so-called
patriotism. The News and Observer has
told the people of North Carolina sew
eral times what it was for and what it
meant; and l am glad to see that the
people seem to understand it all. When
saw in your editorial how we'll you had
understood the spirit and purpose of
that published address, / wondered again.
How could the editor of that paper
gather the true spirit and purpose of
that speech so we'll from what was pub
lished of it? AS / heard the speech, the
main thought in the mind of the speaker
was to encourage independence in poll
tics and bring about a breach in the
Democratic party.
The historical features of the speech
were for the most part well received,
but the differences and conclusions drawn
by the speaker from the narrative were
fart fetched, violent and destructive.
Fallacies more numerous rarely ever oc-
cur in any speech of the same length,
and they were so APPARENT that they were
w
gent nearer as fast as they were uttered.
| was glad to see how beautifully and
| successfully your editorial answered the
reference to Washington, Jefferson and
Jackson According to the speech de-
l1vered, the American people were abso-
lutely safe so soon as they gained their
independence; that there was no neces-
sity for warships, gunboats, batteries,
forts and munitions of war after the war
was over; that independence being gain
ed, there was no occasion for fighting
without or fears within. There were
many of us who could not see it that
way. The idea was: That when the
civil War was ended, there remained
nothing for the veterans to do but lay
down their guns and return to the
peaceful avocations of ante -bellum DAVIS.
AS regards the first proposition. it might
have done. if the United States had had
no enemies and no prospect of any. AS
regards the second proposition. it might
have done, if the Southern States had NOT
had any meddlesome carpet-bageers and
traitors to contend with, and no prospect
CT any. Experience has taught us in the
South that it was absolutely necessary
for the manhood of the Southern States
TO stick together after the War Between
the States for the preservation and safe
ty of their homes and for the common
good of all our people. The speech went
further, and argued: That the great
kuestion OF white government having
been settled in the election of 1900 the
paramount duty of every man now is,
TO assert and maintain his independence,
and vote for men and measures, regard
less of past party affiliations; that there
is need of this, because the growth, de-
velopment and progress of the country
mand it; that our agriculture, manufac-
fureS and commerce are suffering for
Just such action on the nart of the voters
of the country Such advice is unsafe
and dangerous so long as there is the
remotest possibility of a return of negro
domination in North Carolina: it is I'M
safe and dangerous so long rs the
enemies of white government continue to
go to and fro in the State seeking whom
they may devour; it is unsafe and dan
gerous SO long as there is a great horde
devise means by which they may be able
to vote against the best interests OF the
people of North Carolina and it is ur-
safe and dangerous so long as the voice
of the slanderers of our beloved COM
monwealth is heard in the halls OF Con-
eress. IT is the humble opinion of this
writer that the white people of this good
old state must stick and vote together
for many years to come To this end, am
Yours very truly.
VIM H. LEWIS.
Gastonia, n. c., July IA, 1902.