The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-13
THETENTHD|STR|CT
Coming Back Steadily to
Old Time Conditions.
The People See That the Republicans
Have Misrepresented the Two
Situation as to the Consti-
tutionaI Amendment.

LultUiIGi HItEHuIIcuts
Two years ago the Democrats bare
ly squeezed through in the Tenth
Congressional district, and four years
ago it elected a Republican to con-
gress.
In the election last Tuesday the
Democrats carried the district by a
very comfortable ma jority, showing
that the people of the mountains are
surely, if slowly, returning to their OLD
allegiance to the Democratic parry
The time was when the mountain
section was more strongly Democratic
than now. Several causes operated TO
help the Republicans, chief among
which in the old times was the coun-
w government system under which
the magistrates were appointed pH Inc
Legislature instead of being elected py
the people. That never was popular
in all white counties, but was estap-
lished for the whole State as the eS-
sential to preserve white and good
government in Eastern North caro-
lima.
Then came the agitation for the
constitutional amendment, regulating
and limiting suffrage. With few ne
eroes i'm their counties. there We're not
a few voters in the West who did not
understand the amendment. The Re
publicanS made a vigorous, vicious and
unfair assault upon it, telling the
voters that it would disfranchiSe every
white man who was uneducated. The
illiterate voters, naturally jealous of
their right to vote, were greatly
troubled, and gave heed to the false
charge of the Republican speakers.
Two elections have been held under
the constitutional amendment, and
the people who were fooled into voting
the Republican ticket see that they
have been deceived and some of them
are resenting the deception by voting
the Democratic ticket. Others will do
likewise. Republicanism will retro
grade in the mountains from now on.
The tide has changed in this election
when the Democrats feared local con-
ditionS and the Roosevelt tidal wave
would reduce the Democratic vote.
Corporation Commissioner Rogers
who lives in Macon county, has re-
turned to Raleigh, much cheered by
the gains made in the mountain dis
trict. But for the wholesale use OF
money and whiskey by the Radical
heelers the Democratic majority
would have been much greater. Some
stringent legislation must be enacted
TO prevent the corruption and de-
bauchery of the voters in North Caro-
lima and examples must be made of
the corruptionists.
THE Democrats of the Tenth dis
trict did we'll" says Mr.. Rogers. TN
the face of the Republican landslide
everywhere else they did wonderfully
and surprisingly well. Though the
Republican candidate for Governor
resides in Jackson county the Demo-
Gratis in that county elected a Demo-
crat to the Legislature and increased
their majority. The Democrats re-
claimed Macon, Pennsylvania and Me-
Dowell, all of which send Democrats
this year to the Legislature. The
counties of Yancey and Haywood,
which have been uncomfortably close
of late. give old time Democratic ma
jorities. Buncombe and Rutherford,
both give splendid Democratic ma
jorities. The Republicans carry only
Henderson, Swain and Cherokee coun-
ties. The gains are good, not large,
and the gains will be slow, but we be-
lieve they will be sure and steady
The party is in better shape in the
.t:,. Tim,
Chairman Shipman.
Ia the Congressional campaign
nlu'i; credit is due to Mr.. ". r.. Ship
man, editor of the Hendersonville
Hustler, who was chairman of the
committee. Upon being elected
chairman, Mr.. Shipnan held a con-
ference with the leaders in each
county at which Il committee from
every precinct was selected 10 look
after the Congressional ticket. He
made second canvass of the district
IN person few days previous to the
election, and saw that the organiza-
ton was in good shape, and spared
no effort to bring out the full vote
A strong candidate, splendid speeches
ana q righteous cause often fail be-
cause of the lack of effective and
efficient organization. Chairman
Shipman and the county chairmen il
the Tenth had splendid organization
and much of the credit Of the result
is due TO their hard work
Mr.. ShiDman is Democrat of the
right type. There is no young mar
in the State or elsewhere who is more
deserving than NJ. L. Shipman. HI
was born on a farm in the Bowman.
Bluff section and followed the pillow
until he attained his majority. Ha.
not had the advantage of a colleg.
education, but worked his way through
the common school by his own efforts
1t is such men as this that the people
should wish to honor. Being in thor
ough sympathy with the toiling masses
they have in him a friend who viii
see that their interests are protected
Let us not cast even a shadow in tn,
path of a man who has such a record
as this and who possesses every re
quisite to fl the office of Senator will
honor and credit to himself and hi
people.
Mr.. Shipman has always been tru,
to every trust. His father, fir. Franz
Shipman, was one of the bravest sol
diers who followed the fortunes o
Lee, Jackson and other leaders in tn
war between the States and the dire
full results of that unfortunate strug
gle prevented him from assisting hi
son in the cherished desire TO com
plete his education
81 II