The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-16
INSPIRED BY THE
MUSIC OF THE
NEW DIXIE
Gilmer Stirs the Blood
With a Speech of
Power
Wells TORN ASIDE
Wells TORN ASIDE
With Adherence to the Constitution as
His Text, GiImer Pointed Out With
the Vivid Potency Of the Orator the
Sophistries With Which the Repub-
Iican Leaders Seek to Blind the
People While They Seek Imperial
Power.
BY r.. T.. GRAY.


Shelby. N. c., Sept 14.-As Attor-
ney General r. d. Gilmer was escort
ed into the Shelby court house today
the scene that he encountered was
one to make any pulse beat faster and
to give to any orator inspiration un-
limited.
The large room, filed to overflow
ing with the best element of the
country people and the citizens of
this thriving town, was rocking with
the music of congregational singing.
In front of the judges table an or
gan had been placed, and a pretty
young woman. her head thrown back
and nodding to the rhythm of her
own music and the rollicking chorus
of the crowd, was playing Dixie" for
dear life. At her left stood deep
voiced A. H. Webb and Edley Latti-
more Timing OUT the time. while the
people, men. women and children all
standing, responded in bursts OF song
that echoed through the large build
ing and were caught UP contaglously
by those without.
Had it not been for the Tilt and
swing of the dear old air which can
get the delirium of the charge from
the feeling in its notes. there might
court house spontaneously triumph
ant over a batch of the newly con-
Verted.
AS it was, it was merely the way in
which the satisfied Democracy OF
Cleveland had chosen to while away
the time of waiting for the train to
bring in the speaker of the day. me
words, too. of the song, new as they
are, had all the spirit and aroused all
the enthusiasm of those which once
swung to the tune in the long ago.
They were written for the campaign
by the Rev. Dr.. NJ. B. Wharton. and
they have become lyric of the
unterrified of the county. The song
is ntitled I'm bound to vote for Par
kerr" and the first verse is a typical
one.
Roosevelt as Caesar masquerading,
Has seen his country's glories fading
Look away, look away,
Look away from such a man,
A cowboy in the Nations saddle.
He throws his legs the earth astraddle,
Look away, look away.
From such a man..
AS the crowd and the dozen or more
old veterans within the bar sang theso
lines and the swelling chorus in uni
son the effect was like that of a bat
cess. is determined to let off the ene-
my with nothing short of rout.
The singing gave vent to the over
flowing enthusiasm of the crowd and
at its hight sounded almost tubulent
Gilmer Begins Speaking.
Yet with the first sound of the
speaker voice the people settled in
their seats to listen with but fiutter
of preparation. From a jubilee the
gathering became instantly meeting,
Perhaps suggested by the song, the
speech was entirely extemporaneous.
Mr.. Gilmer started out on the text
of adherence to the Constitution de-
nouncing the selfish and extravagant
class legislation of the Republican par
ty, the disregard of the present Execu-
tive for constitutional precedent and
pointing out the fact that the Democ-
racy had always sought to do its work
and to carry out it's reforms within
the limits of the Constitution prescribed
by the people. He proposed, he said.
to treat the questions of the day
calmly. judicially and without bitter
ness He would not refer to the me-
gro question except to point out that
In the troublous and harassing days
of fusion rule, when the State retro
gaded to conditions similar to those
Immediately succeeding the Civil War,
alive call for settlement of the ne
gro question had settled it legally and
by constitutional means. We support
the Democracy because it has ever
held as sacred the adage that fire.
Quent recurrence to constitutional
principles is essential to the liberties
of the people.
Referring to the reconstruction pc
Rod and the subsequent efforts OF
a Democratic legislature honorably tC
adjust the illegal debts placed upon
the State by carpetbaggers rule. the
speaker pointed out that it remained
for the only Republican administration
since that time to conceive and fos-
ter the scheme to force the State tC
pay the obligations put upon it by
fraud. and pledged himself, while
obeying the law in all things, to use
every effort within his power to pre-
vent the payment Of single dollar
to the men who honored by the Com
monwealth had sought to promote {
scheme by which to defraud theil
mothr State.
Mr.. Gilmer referred to the educa
tional advances make under Aycockt
administration and defended it warm
ly. The pledge had been made ant
fulfilled. The Democracy did not hest
tate fairly to face any vital issue
which was designed to give to tn
people a mental or moral uplift.
The Watts Bill.
The Republicans had seen fit t.
make an issue on the Watts bill. The.
were welcome to do SO. The Demo
cratic party stood by that bill: it ha
solved the question by saying that NJ
liquor should be sold except unde
adequate police protection. If any on
dares to say that the Legislature ha
not the power to prevent the sale o