The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1904-02-11
SOME POLITICAL HISTORY
why so MANY cO0D MEN LEFT THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY ID 1894.

why so MANY COCO Mem LEFT THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY ~ 1894.
Justic States Some Facts that VIII be
Interesting Reading to the Voters Of this
ssats--If there Ever Was . Reason why
Voters should Leave the Democrat
Party Isn't there Q Much stronger Res-
SON Why They should do 80 Now-How
the Omcers Of Chssham County Escaped
Punishment Under the Law.
EDITOR CAUCASIAN, RALEIGH, =.
c.:
Dear Sir II think / am familiar
with q number of the reasons that
made a good many men leave the
Democratic party in North Carolina
in 1894. Corruptions had grown up
under the old court government
vs. EN- that were unbearable, and
cour. house rings had become domi-
nant in every county in the State.
Local selfgovernment had been de-
stroyed, and the will of the people
was ignored. The officers they
elected could not give bond no mat
ter what security they offered. This
was the excuse the county commits
sioners who had been elected by the
magistrates, often gave for declaring
the Offices vacant, and appointing
The tools of these COURT ouse rings
to fill them. When they did not
choose to do this, the end was reached
in another way. The returning
board would throw out such town.
ships as gave majoritles against the
Democratic party, and thus declare
the Democratic candidates elected.
BY these and many other methods
that were we'll known, the Demo
cratic party had come to despise the
people and in fancied security had
made conditions intolerable to free
people. It was for reasons such as
these coupled with the hard times
of Cleveland's administration that
made many former Democrats sever
their connection with their party !;
some coming to the Republican
party and some to the Populist
party.
HAS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY I'M
PROVED AND FROM WHAT 1T
WAS IN 1894?
In the campaign Of 1898, many of
those who had left the Democracy,
believing that it had been taught a
lesson and would therefore mend it's
ways in the future, returned to their
former allegiance and again voted
the Democratic ticket. Now the
question is; has the Democratic party
improved any from what it was in
1894? In my opinion it has never
seen a day in it's history in this
State when it was more corrupt than
it is at this time. To be sure, in
many counties, where the fusionist
restored to the people the right to
elect their magistrates and commits
sioners, that right remains ; but the
legislature itself has usurpod the
functions of the magistrates and has
in many instances appointed addi-
tional commissioners so as to take
charge of the county offices where
they were not able to elect them
They have also appointed magis-
trates in nearly every county in the
State, even where the people had
already elected enough to do the
business of the county. They have
created new Offices and pil,d ex-
penses upon the people until a grew
iOus increase of taxes has to be borne
by the people to meet the growing
state expenses. The same returning
boards with their extra judicial
powers is still part Of the election
law.
STATE IS DESTROYED BY DEMO.
CRATIC ELECTION LAW.
New devices have been created to
take care of the Democratic bench
men that are unique in their cor
ruption. AS an instance, let me ask
you to publish Chapter SO, ON page
1877 of the laws of 1899.
"The Board of County Canvas
sers at their said meeting, in the
presence of such electors as choose
to attend, shall open aud canvass
and judicially determine the returns,
stating the number of legal ballots
cast in each precinct for each officer,
the name of each person voted for,
and the number of votes given to
each person for each different Office.
and shall sign the same. The said
board shall have power and author
ity to judicially pass upon all facts
relative to the election and judici-.
ally determine and declare the result
OF same. And they shall also have
power and authority to send for
papers and persons and examine the
same"
This law in brief says that the de-
PENDANT shall continue in office while
the suit to depose him is pending;
that he shall continue to get the fees
and emoluments, all the time, that
he shall not pay back cent if ousted,