The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-24
It IS vEN|, VID|,
V|C| IN SWAIN
Roosevelt Buttons Fall
Before Glenn.
FIRST SPEECH THERE
The Candidate Says this is One of
the Three Counties in Which He
Has Not Spoken Before,
Yet Victory Seems
His.
BY R. Il. GRAY,

brySOH lily, N. ", oepl. 1o.-bTy-
son City, under the shadow of the
Cold Spring range of mountains, is the
county seat of Swain, for some years
Republican stronghold.
To-day was the first time on this
trip that the Democratic candidate
has struck into what is known as
enemys country. Heretofore he has
been holding love feastS, pleading for
a confirmation of good work already
done, healing the small and transient
bitternesses that rise, from the coun-
try fights within the party.
To-day the battle was in his voice,
fight in his gestures, defiance in his
eye; this at times. at other times he
pleaded with the Republicans that
he knew were in the court house;
he talked to the women and the old
veterans in terms of brotherly appeal;
he touched upon their pride Of race
of history. Roosevelt suffered at his
hands He told of Marion Butler of
Russell, of all the rest of the fusion
rout: against these men he was scath-
ing. OF Harris who passed through
with him to-day he spoke kindly, de-
ploring the company that he kept, of
course.
The crowd was a fiattering one; it
was composed of Democrats; it was
of the same character of audience
that this western country affords; the
same comely women, the same strong
featured boys, the same type of old
men. the same l. Uteyalence of bearded
faces. If oossfht2A Athe whislxers of the
old men seemed to be little longer,
Il little redder or whittier as the case
might be- and the faces Of the men
looked a little more like the apples
of the orchards than they have else
where. but possibly that is magma
ton. l am sure though Of two
things: That the speech took, and that
it made votes. For the first time
saw the yellow Roosevelt button on
coat laDels: | saw two of them come
Off.
One was on the coat of one of the
old men: he started out solemnly; his
face awoke by degrees; finally he
brought down a pair of heavy boots
with a thunderous stamp and emitted
yell that topped the strident chorus
of the crowd, and then he recollected;
for a moment his face clouded. his
brows contracted into deep burrows,
he hesitated: it was desire fighting
with habit. except in the case of re-
forms. the terms are the same.
Desire won as it generally does; the
old man tore eff his yellow badge
and dropped it on the floor; in q mo-
ment he crushed it unconsciously with
an applauding boot heel.
The other was one of those hard
skinned, weather. beaten, erect men
from the mountains who cradle them
selves into speaking places on horses
as young looking as themselves. He,
! too had a yellow badge, what went
with it / know not. only that before
| the speech was half done it was gone.
The speech as elsewhere and the
| jokes aroused the greatest enthusiasm
Old man John Breedlove threw back
his head in the air; when he laughed
| his tongue, red and prominent, dis
closing the paucity of his teeth.
That Democratic saint. Jonathan
Hill, his mouth sunken in and
creviced with wrinkles. his strong
nose and bushy white chin whiskers
standing up from his face like the
! peaks that guard the Balsam Gap
rocked and cacllled In his joy, and
| spoke out in the meeting as the
speaker drove home his points.
| Old man Josh Calhoun had a high
seat on the Judges stand. his red
whiskers quivering with excitement
and emotion, while w I. Calhoun yell
| ed his appreciation in voice that
could be heard across the TuckaSee-
gee Bridge.
And then at the end the same dis
| play of handkerchiefs. the same So
norous blowing of noses, the same
! final word the same crowding and
pushing and taking UP of little round
faced, red-shirted boys to shake the
| Governors hand.
| Glenn stated that Swain was one
of the three counties in the State in
which he had not spoken before; il
| looks like he has won it at the first
effort.
| Retiring Chairman S. w. Black has
| the Democratic strength well or
ganized. Mr.. A. II. Hayes will com
plete the work with the aid OF the
| start he got to-day towards the re-
| demDtion of Swain.
At the harmonious county conven-
| ton held to-day, a strong ticket was
unanimously nominated. There is dis
| satisfaction among Republicans with
| their ticket. There is a lively fight
| ahead.
To-day's ticket reads: House, A
M. Fry; clerk. w. A. Gibson: sheriff
S. S. Collins; register of deeds, J. w
Burnett; treasurer. T. F. DietZ: sur
veyor, J. S. Keener: coroner. D. r.
Brison.