The gold leaf., 1904-04-21
OUR RALEIGH LETTER.
THINGS SEEN and HEARD At THE STATE
CAPITAL.
GORMAN News BUREAU, !
RAIEICu n r. nril 1S 1904 {


GoRMAN News BUREAU
RALEIGH, n e., April Is, 1904. I
1t begins to look like there is going to
be hot fight in the Democratic State
Convention over a proposition to CON-
commit the party to endorse an effort,
that is to be made next winter, to amend
the anti-liquor laws passed by the last
Legislature. Indeed the fight is already
on, and is now attracting much atten-
ton from some OF the advocates and op-
ponents OF the proposition.
This writer is not going to undertake
to say, at this stage of the game, which
course will be bestfor the party to pursue.
There are certain facts OF recent develop
that are being made, that claim his at
tention as newspaper correspondent.
Unquestionably there are. serious di-
visions among the white people OF the
State and especially in large number OF
the western counties, on this subject.
Mention was recently made in these Let
ters of the fact that a number of promi-
nent Democrats from the west (some of
them lawyers in attendance on the Su-
preme Court have voluntarily stated
while in Raleigh, that the party organi-
zation in their section is not in as good
condition as it ought to be. Some OF
them went further than that, and added
that, unless something was done to i'm
prove existing conditions, the defeat OF
the Democratic party nominees IN a
number of counties was likely to result.
This peril, they claim, not only Affects
the nominees for county Offices, but in
wolves the possible loss Of many legisla-
tive candidates, for both the Senate and
the House, and two or three congress
men.
They claim that this alleged dissatis-
faction and threatened desertion is due,
almost entirely, to the responsibility of
the Democratic party for the temperance
or anti-liquor legislation accomplished
during the last session of the legislature,
through the passage of the Watts law.
the 'anti-jug law" and other measures.
1t is contended that the only way to ap-
pease the dissatisfied element is to amend
these new laws in certain particulars
which are pointed out, one of, the pro-
posed amendments being the elimiua-
ton of that section of the Watts act
that deprives the country people OF the
right to hold township local option elec-
tiOns, and restore to them the same
privilege which the same law guarantees
to town people, to-wit the right OF each
community to settle the question for
themselves"
Then they add: ''Inasmuch as another
session OF the General Assembly will not
be held until after the general election in
November, it is proper, and necessary,
to convince these voters in advance of
the election that this and some other
notifications of the law will be made by
the Democratic party. The best, and
about the only effective way to do this
is for the party to adopt resolutions
to that effect at the Forthcoming State
convention, or by inserting a plank of
that character in the platform. Unless
one or the other Of these things is done
Democratic candidates generally will
have hard time in western North Caro-
lima
That is the way they talk-men who
are supposed to be we'll informed, and
who ought to be familiar with the real
conditions that obtain iii their section.
Are they unduly alarmed?
The champions of the temperance
laws, and the defenders of the Watts act
as whole, say they are. This element
of the party, (Which include the officials
and leaders of the Anti-Saloon League)
and which has been in the saddle lately,
and which acquired the "whipend of
the party LASH and applied it vigorous
ly to the doubling Thomases of the last
General Assembly, is evidently in no
mood for compromise" Some OF
them would never agree to such a thing
if they were convinced of the truth of the
above outlined claims.
They assert that the great majority of
Democrats approve of the legislation
so far accomplished, but say that they
are not through making temperance
laws yet. That instead of modifying
the present laws, by repeating portions
of them, there is a greater demand by
larger numbers for additional and more
stringent legislation on the subject of the
liquor traffic.
As to the alleged discrimination,
they declare that it is in favor of, and
not against, the country people and
their best interest. They add that the
majority OF country people realize this
and are entirely satisfied with the law as
it now exists; that it is not the country
people who are complaining OF ''discrim-
inatiOn" against them and demanding
the fright to hold township elections
Except, possibly small numbers in a
very few countries) but thatsome of the
politicians, including probably paid at
torneys Of the liquor interests.
They allege that if the law should be
changed in this respect the liquor dealers
and distillers organization would pick
out small township in each of num-
ber of counties Especially those near
to prohibition and dispensary towns
and cities), by the use of money and
undue influences, attempt to debauch
the votes. That the country bar-room,
without police surveillance, has proved
to be the very worst feature of the
liquor traffic, and that the section of the
Watts law that has wiped it out of ex-
istence is the best provision of the whole
act.
And there you are! Don't look like
there is much chance of the two elements
getting together, does it? Therefore, |
repeat, there is likely to be hot time in
the State convention when the matter is
taken up.
The special committee appointed by the
governor to investigate the affairs of the
Atlantic & n. G.. Railroad was in ses-
sion all last week, behind closed doors,
taking evidence; but not "a word of the
disclosures mas Deen allowed to reach
the ears of the public. No one expected
the investigation to be conducted in
secret, and there is much disappointment
and a considerable show of Indignation
over the action OF the committee.
Many of the old soldiers and their
friends are appealing to their brother
Democrats to not let pass by this prob
ably last opportunity to nominate and
elect a Confederate Veteran governor of
the State-especially when they present,
so able and such highly qualified and
deserving candidate for the honor az
Major Charles NJ. Stedman
A prominent and well posted Demo-
crat from Governor Turner's section of
the State was here q day or two ago,
and he spoke most hopefully of the pros
poets OF that gentleman. He declared
that while he already has an army of
friends and followers distributed over
the State hp ia Crrnvyipo in nop,,lo