The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-11-10

80
at which there were perhaps seven
hundred people. Besides the bare fact
that it was to be Democratic day In
Scotland Neck 1t had been ADVERTISED
that there would be big oyster roast,
and the folks came through a double
motive. They wished to be counted
for Democracy and they had also de-
sire to open share of the 80 barrels of
bivalves that were to be roasted for the
occasion.
PREPARATIONS had been made in one
of the tobacco warehouses to seat hun
dreds of people and by II o'block the
people gathered and filled all the seats
that had been prepared and many
could not get seats.
Mr.. w. A. Dunn called the meeting
to order and made strong speech
declaring for the principles OF Demo-
cracy in no uncertain tones. He said
that notwithstanding we do not haye
now the stirring times that we had In
1898 it Is necessary for us to be vigil
liant in keeping up the unbroken line
of Democratic rule in North Carolina.
He said we need to stand together
against the common enemy-the Re-
publican party. We do not need to do
the work of the past, such as we had
to do in 1896 and 1898, but unless We
hold to what we have We may have to
do it over again.
Mr.. Dunn declared that President
Roosevelt is the greatest enemy the
South has had. The negro question
may be settled in the South, but it is
not settled in the North. Because OF
the race question some people at the
North are seeking to cut down South
ern representation in Congress.
The Republican party is against the
Interest of the country. Said he, "You
remember the state of affairs In 1896
and 1898. No man or woman dared
sleep without protection. We felt
that at any moment OF the night we
might be called upon to defend our
homes and freside. Now that all this
Is past and the Democratic party is in
power in North Carolina we are happy
and prosperous.
"This great change has been brought
about by the Democratic party and the
white men Ct North Carolina. Under
Democracy we have good judges, good
goyernp1ent. So let us not be apathet-
ic, let us turn out on the day of cleo
ton and make a big Democratic ma
jority in North Carolina again this
year."
"MY friends" said Mr.. Dunn, "you
ought to take your boys to the altar
and make them swear allegiance to the
Democratic party"
At the conclusion of Mr.. Dunn's re-
marks he introduced to the audience
State Senator E. L. Travis, who said in
his opening remarks that it had Just
occurred to him that but few years
ago he had made his first political
speech in the very building in which
he then addressed many of the same
people. He spoke of the stirring and
perilous times OF few years ago,
and said while 1t had not been a long
time it had been long enough for the
people to become careless and forget
some of the things of that time-'96.
~ and the few years that followed.
He referred to those times when
white ladies In Halifax county had to
teach school under the direction of
negro school committees. He told
how the constitutional amendment
was passed and the negro was taken
out Of politics, and spoke of the peace
and prosperity and happiness which
the people enjoy under Democratic
rule.
Mr.. Travis said that the negro was
not to be blamed for being Republi-
can and voting the Republican ticket
tor he thinks the Republican party
gave him his freedom. When the
constitutional amendment was passed
1t put the negro out of politics, and
now the Republicans who manipulated
the negroes are asking white men to
take the place of the negroes who
were disfranchised by the amendment.
He said that the white men who or
ganized the negroes in 1896 we're
meaner than the negroes-the negroes
were little to blame for there was some
excuse for them, but there was no ex-
cuse for the white men who lett their
own race and went with the negroes
just for Office. He declared that these
men shall never be elected to office in
Halifax county.
"The difference between the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties is, the
Republican party is not willing to be
treated according to it's record, but the
Democratic party asks that its record
be examined"
Mr.. Travis went at some length into
the records of the two parties and con-
trasted expenditures in the two ad-