The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-22
SEEKS TO DESTROY
THE AMENDMENT
That Saved Us From
Negro Domination.
ROOSEVELT THE MAN
Thus Declares Simmons, and Pointing
to the Glorious Dawn Effulgent
Over Eastern Carolina Asks:
Would You Vote Again
for Night?
,ecial TO News and Observer.

Especial to News and Observer
Kings Mountain, n. c., Oct. 21.-l
Last night was one that the citizens of
Kings Mountain will remember as
red letter. one for them. The coming
of Senator Simmons had been herald
ed by posters and other means known
to the active political managers and
the people were on tiptoe of expecta-
ton to hear the situation and the
contentious and positions of the great
political parties described and dis
cussed.
The Senator came to this place by
way of Shelby, accompanied by Hon
j. l.. Webb, Hon. Robert l.. Ryburn,
Democratic nominee for the Legisla-
ture from this county; Clyde r. Hoey
chairman of the Democratic executive
committee of this county: Sheriff j. f.
Gordon, j. f. Roberts, present register
of deeds for this county, and others
whose names are not now recalled.
The visitors were chaperoned by our
toWnSman and County Commissioner
Il. :. Plonk. A warm and enthusiast
tic welcome was extended by the
towns people, and before the hour for
the speaking to begin the watchful
were crowding the opera hall to hear
the great speech which every one was
expecting. 1t is unnecessary to say
that these expectations were fully
ealized.
Hon X. L. Ryburn. In short and
we'll timed Introduction presented the
speaker to the audience, and he at
once commanded the attention of his
hearers and held it with ever increas-
ing interest throughout the speech.
Mr. Simmons was forceful and logical
throughout, but ii would be great
Injustice to attempt to follow the lines
of his address, its stinging sarcasm. its
fearless, exposure of fraud, humbug-
gerry and vacilation of the Republican
party.
Suffice il to say that Mr.. Simmons
was unapproachable and inimitable.
The speech will do great good for the
rock ribbed Democracy of Cleveland.
and last night will be remembered as
an epoch in the political awakening
of this corner of the woods.
4 Terrible Warming.
Senator Simmons presented in a new
light the danger TO the perInanence of
the Constitutional amendment in the
present attitude of the National Re-
publican party and the actions Of Mr..
Roosevelt Upon that subject he said:
aside from it's incalculable import
ance as effecting peace, safety and
good ernment-considered from a
purely material standpoint--if any
one doubts the practical value of the
! amendment let him compare Eastern
| North Carolina of to-day with what
| ii was before that measure was adopt
| ed.
During the long years since the
war, under the blighting influence OF
negro suffrage and the constant men
ace of negro ascendency, this richly en-
| dowed section of our State had fallen
| into decay, and on the walls of all its
| cities and towns and counties, staring
at them by day and haunting them by
night, Icabod was written. Men and
| women, who had been born there, who
| had been reared there, who loved ii
as men love the home of their fathers
| and their childhood, sold the ancestral
! home for what it would bring and
wandered into strange lands. Those
who stayed fingered in listlessness
not knowing how soon conditions
would become so bad they also would
have to go.
"The amendment has changed all
| of this Once again this fair region OF
our beloved State is the home of a
| happy and contented people, and is
ltrapidly becoming what it is destined
| to be-one of the most prosperous sec
! tions, not only in North Carolina, bat
| in the Union.
"This is but one of the first fruits
| of the greatest measures that ever
| passed the threshold of our Legislature
! or received the sanction of our people
you say all that is in the past
happily yes-but what | am going tC
say now is not in the past. For one
minute lend me your ears and hear
me for my cause. Who is it?-heai
me. / beg you--who is that now wants
to destroy, yes. that is deliberately
proposing measures 10 destroy this
amendment? Who is it that now
| threatens and proposes to. tear 1t III
| and tramole it under foot and seno
| us back to the horrible condition oul
of which it has brought us? The Re-
| publican party in North Carolina
Nay, but a greater than IT, The Re-
publican party of the Nation, instl'
gated and spurred on by the sectional
bitterness and animosity of its candi'
date for president In bitterness ane
in aggressiveness and in power fol
mischief. Roosevelt is by far the Wors
and most dangerous enemy oul
amendment has now. or has ever had
Men and brethren. | ask you art
you going to vote TO give power to this
! man to destroy this great measure
| which cost you SO dearly and which
has wrought for you SO nightly?
oh my friends, the South is NOR,
| interested in this campaign than an,
| since 1861, and [ appeal to you, | be-
seech you, | abjure you, / pray you