The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-05
An UnanswerabIe Speech
Made at Charlotte.
He Comes to MeCkIenburg Fresh From
Splendid Service to Democracy in
Farther Western Counties of
the State.
nv il. b. ARENDELL.

most respectable adherent to Repub-
lican faith, and advocate of Republi-
can doctrine, Jeter c. Pritchard, had
met in a joint campaign in North
Carolina a foeman worthy of his gilt
tering steel in the person of that bril-
liant Young Democratic cavalier of the
cliffs. Locke Craig of the county of
Buncombe, many of the people mar
veled while many others were openly
incredulous. OF course their incredul-
ity made no difference to me. Inc
same thing had happened before: The
opinions / had expressed in each m
stance were my own and they were
based upon my judgment and not
upOn any personal fealty or party
prejudice. In that notable campaign
the chosen field marshal of Republi-
canism came out of the Senatorial
sanctum in Washington, and he had
hardly landed at his mountain nome,
before he declared war upon new is
sues (the negro question having been
settled by the adoption of the fran
chise amendment } loaded his batter
les and Numbered defiance from the
Republican Manchuria of the noun
tains. The young lion of the Swan
annoa, himself an aspirant for sena-
torial honors, promptly accepted the
challenge and marched to the com
bat The first battle was fought at
KinSton and when the smoke had
cleared away it was found that the
air was filed with the fragments OF
Pritchards argument in favor of tariff
tax on bull yearlingS and mica ana
even the bull yearlings of Lenoir join
ed in the applause that greeted the
propounder of equal rights for buck
shad and mullets as well as for buzz
yearlingS and mica. The fight was re-
neWed at Smithfield, at Rocky mount,
at Fayetteville and other points until
they reached this city. Here it was
that impregnable Notifications had
been promised to the field marshal OF
McKinleyism and here it was that
Senator Pritchard touched the fuse
that sent adrift what he thought was
the thirteen inch theory that the
Southern cotton mills were rolling III
riches because of the stand pat doc
trine of Republican protection. 1t was
then that Craig. the shreWd and uner-
ring governor on the battleshiD Dem
ocracy. whose cannon were loaded with
facts and figures, delivered that
famous broadside that siienced the
Pritchard battery and the battle had
practically ended the result being told
in the election returns of November,
1902.
MIR. Craigs aspirations went into that
famous senatorial game of chance
that held the boards in Raleigh two
years ago. He lost his buckler and
"A soldier found it" Nor did he COM
plain but renewed his hold upon the
Democratic banner. and has been hold
ing it aloft in his characteristic match
less manner. 1t was his party for
which he had fought, not himself. Tis
the same to-day and he is pleading the
cause of the people so earnestly, SO
0uently. so powerfully and so courag-
eously that he stands among his fell
lows the peer of any of them. L ar
rived i'm Charlotte today to find that
tonight this master of political DIS
cussion. this magician of convincing
logic and enchanting eloquence would
add a shining capstone to that struc-
ture Of North Carolina Democracy
which is so nearly completed, and
went hither to hear him. He spoke
to a great gathering of the makers OF
the gem city of Charlotte ana the busy
men of the grand old county oil
Mecklenburg.
They had not forgotten his former
coming among them. the echos OF
that great speech of 1902 abided with
them still. He was hale and hearty
and was joyouSly received. His soul
was so full of the wholesome doctrine
of Democracy. His heart was SO fui
of political righteousness. His mind
was SO full of the light of peace and
prosperity for both state and nation,
that this train of healthful harmony
rolled forth under his eloquent ton
que in language so chaste, so eloquent
and so powerful that wave after wave
OF applause came unbidden from the
~athered throno and UNDERSIGNED his
almost every sentence.
AS | write the men about me are
saying that Charlotte has rarely been
treated to such a feast of rich and
rare eloquence and oratory.
Mr. Craig is a genius on the STUMP
His steadfast belief in the doctrine he
proclaims his earnestness, his sim
cerity his unbending faith III toGetn-
err seen to unbridle an ineXhaustible
vocabulary of surprising strength ana
surprising beauty.
Mr.. Craige was fresh from Il DEM
ocratic conquest in Cherokee, Graham,
HAYWOOD and Rutherford counties and
had good reports from the mountain
country. The day and the evening in
Charlotte have been cold and dreary
and the rain descended in doWnpOurs,
but a goOdly number braved the pelt-
ing showers and gathered at the court
house to greet the young Demosthe-
them as a friend TO friend. Indeed
the meeting was turned into Il love
nese of Democracy. He spoke to
feast. and while the storm had kept
away the multitude those who came
were handsomely repaid for Drawing
angry elements and every man pres
ent was so edited and electrified by
the speaker that he went away de-
termined not only to vote the Dem
ocratic ticket on Tuesday, but to give
the better portion of the day to the
cause of universal peace and good
government.
A synopsis by wire of the matchless
and unanSWerdble speech that is be-
ing made by this stirring young
apostle Of the creed of Democracy
would too tamely portray the power,
the logic and the thrilling effect that
marks his every appearance on the
huStingS. Pure of heart, clean of life,
chaste in thought and utterance, able,
fluent and aggressive, he binds to-
gether the hearts of his hearers, opens
the eye of the wavering and fills their
minds full of lofty ideals and lauda-
BILE deter mination.
At the close of Mr. Craige's speech
tonight, Mr.. Bell, chairman of the
Mecklenburg Democratic Executive